In ancient and modern times alike, the towns that sit in this spot overlooking the east bank of the Nile always find their way to prosperity.
Old Dongola
The once flourishing capital of the Christian kingdom of Makuria, which lasted from the 6th to the 14th century, going from Nubian to Christian to Muslim at the hands of the Egyptian Mamluks, is now the ruins of a medieval city 80 km from modern day Dongola. You can see the tantalizing record of the wealth this mysterious desert kingdom once enjoyed in the edifice of the its Throne Hall and the cruciform cathedral known as the Church of Granite Columns.
Modern Dongola
Modern day Dongola happens to have a similar standing as its medieval counterpart.
It’s the largest town in the region, the capital of the northern state and the heart of Nubia proper.
Kawa
Three kilometers south of Dongola, lies Kushite Kawa where you’ll find two temples side by side from different times, a New Kingdom Egypt temple built by Tutankhamen in the 14th century BC, and the Temple of Amun, built by the Kush’s Taharqa. Unfortunately, there’s little to see from the Temple of Amun at the time being and further excavations are underway.