Monument · Egypt
Obelisk of Senusret I, Matariya
مسلة المطرية
The Middle Kingdom granite obelisk still standing at Matariya, a standing trace of ancient Heliopolis (Iunu), the sun god's city.
Where it is
30.1294, 31.3075
Why go
Matariya and Ayn Shams cover the ancient city of Iunu, which the Greeks called Heliopolis, centre of the cult of the sun god Ra and of an Egyptian account of creation. Almost nothing of its great temple survives above ground, and excavations continue, but the obelisk raised by Senusret I of the Twelfth Dynasty still stands on the site. Obelisks represented sun rays in stone, so this single shaft is a fitting trace of the city's purpose. The Virgin Mary's Tree pilgrimage site lies nearby.
Near Obelisk of Senusret I, Matariya
Historic site
Virgin Mary's Tree, Matariya
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1 km · straight-line distance; driving distance and time differ
Historic site
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Mosque
Mosque of al-Zahir Baybars
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Monument
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