El Bagawat
Archaeological Site Ancient Christian cemetery with mudbrick chapels
At Kharga Oasis, El Bagawat is an extensive ancient cemetery with early Christian mudbrick chapels and decorated tombs visited by people exploring oasis history.
El Bagawat is an ancient Christian cemetery located in the Kharga Oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert, within New Valley Governorate. It is one of the best-preserved early Christian burial grounds in Egypt, with multiple mudbrick chapels and decorated funerary spaces dating to the late Roman and Byzantine periods.
The site contains numerous mudbrick tombs and small domed chapels with painted decoration and funerary inscriptions. Highlights include surviving wall paintings with Christian iconography and multiple vaulted burial chambers arranged in a cemetery complex - visitors generally walk among the ruins to view the chapels and paintings.
The cemetery was used by local communities of the Kharga Oasis during the Roman and early Byzantine eras, roughly between the 3rd and 7th centuries AD. Over time the site fell out of use and survived as an archaeological complex that preserves funerary architecture and iconography from Egypt’s Christian period.
El Bagawat sits on the edge of the Kharga Oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert, near the modern settlement of Kharga in New Valley Governorate. The site is reached by road from the oasis settlements and is in an arid landscape of oases and desert plains.
- Visiting conditions: Located on the western edge of the Kharga Oasis, the site is exposed and can be very hot in summer; plan visits for cooler months or early morning.
How to Get to El Bagawat #
El Bagawat lies in the Kharga Oasis of Egypt’s New Valley Governorate, near the modern settlement of Kharga. It is typically reached by road from Kharga town; most visitors arrive as part of guided tours of the Western Desert oases.
Tips for Visiting El Bagawat #
- Bring sun protection and a hat: the Kharga area is intensely sunny and hot much of the year.
- Respect the fragile frescoes - many surfaces are fragile and climbing on the mud-brick structures is prohibited.
- Visit with a guide from Kharga to place the site in its broader oasis context and to learn the Coptic and late‑antique specifics.
Best Time to Visit El Bagawat #
El Bagawat is an ancient Christian cemetery in Egypt's Kharga Oasis, with mud‑brick chapels and frescoes dating from late antiquity.
Weather & Climate near El Bagawat #
El Bagawat's climate is classified as Hot Desert - Hot Desert climate with very hot summers (peaking in July) and cool winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 6°C to 41°C. Very dry conditions with minimal rainfall.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 22°C and lows of 6°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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February
February is cool with highs of 24°C and lows of 8°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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March
March is mild with highs of 29°C and lows of 12°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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April
April is warm with highs of 34°C and lows of 17°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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May
May is hot with highs of 38°C and lows of 21°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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June
June is hot with highs of 41°C and lows of 24°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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July
July is the hottest month with highs of 41°C and lows of 25°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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August
August is hot with highs of 40°C and lows of 24°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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September
September is hot with highs of 38°C and lows of 22°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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October
October is warm with highs of 34°C and lows of 19°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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November
November is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 13°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
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December
December is cool with highs of 23°C and lows of 8°C. The driest month with just 0 mm and clear sunny skies.
