Sohag

Umm El Qa’ab

Abydos, an ancient Egyptian site, within the borders of the governorate, where the early dynastic burials uncovered revealing certain cultural aspects which continued throughout the Pharaonic Periods. The site of Umm El Qa’ab “The Mother of Pots” owes its name to the huge number of potsherds found there. The site is most probably the hometown and burial place of Narmer, the king who unified Egypt for the first time in history, about 3100 BC. 

Temple of Osiris

To commemorate the Osiral cult, King Seti I built a magnificent cenotaph Temple of Osiris. The famous king-list in this temple shows a list of the royal ancestors participating in the offering cult for Osiris. Later Ramesses II added to this temple to commemorate the memory of his father. 

White and Red Monasteries

Far to the north, Copts built two monasteries, 0.5 km apart, the White Monastery and the Red Monastery both architecturally similar. The White monastery is named so because of the limestone casing its outer walls. It was built in the fifth century AD and named after Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite. 

Mosque of Sidi Arif

In the heart of the modern city, stands the Mosque of Sidi El-Arif, one of the Sufis who settled in Egypt during the fourteenth century AD, and inside the mosque, lies his shrine, to commemorate his memory in the city. 

Sohag Museum

It is a modern landmark in the city, showing not only antiquities but also the famous history of textile industry at Sohag throughout the Pharaonic periods until the Ottoman era.