Abu Gorab
Ruins of the sun temple of Niuserre in Abu Gorab. In the background, the pyramids of Abusir.
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 Shown within Egypt
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| Location | Egypt |
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| Region | Cairo Governorate |
| Coordinates | 29°54′14″N 31°11′39″E / 29.903889°N 31.194167°E |
Abu Gorab (also known as Abu Gurab, Abu Ghurab and Abū Jirāb) is a locality in Egypt situated 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Cairo, between Saqqarah and Al-Jīzah, about 1 km (0.62 mi) north of Abusir, on the edge of the desert plateau on the western bank of the Nile. The locality is best known for its archeological sites which comprise the sun temple of pharaoh Nyuserre Ini, the largest and best preserved such temple, as well as the sun temple of Userkaf, both built in the 25th century BCE during the Old Kingdom Period. In addition, Abu Gorab is also the site of a First Dynasty cemetery.
North of the sun temple of Nyuserre is a cemetery dating back to the First Dynasty of Egypt (c. 3100–2900 BCE), where people belonging to the middle ranks of the Ancient Egyptian society were buried. The cemetery also features the ritual burials of many donkeys in close association with the tombs. This is highly unusual as it is otherwise only found in necropolises dating to the much later Hyksos period, when the North of Egypt was under the control of dynasties of Canaanite descent.
The temple was excavated by Egyptologists between 1898 and 1901 by Ludwig Borchardt on behalf of the Berlin Museum and is located near the city of Memphis. It was built to honor the Sun god Ra.
The temple was constructed on the orders of Nyuserre Ini, sixth king of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt. The exact dates of his reign are unknown but it is estimated that he came to the throne early in the second half of the 25th century BCE. Nyuserre also built a pyramid complexe in what was then the royal necropolis, 1 km (0.62 mi) to the south of Abu Gorab in Abusir. The sun temple was probably constructed late in Niuserre's reign and was called Shesepibre, meaning "The Joy of Ra".
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