Its foundations revealed by recent excavations, this 60,000-square-foot (5,600-square-meter) colonnaded structure was the largest of four newfound temples structures on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, all built about 3,000 to 3,500 years ago.

Built during different reigns, the temples and other ruins in the former fortified city--known as Tell El-Habua--are testament to the importance of the site. "Each king in the New Kingdom [period] built something there," archaeologist Abdel-Maqsoud said.

Invaders would have had to penetrate 49-foot-thick (15-meter-thick) walls after making it past 15 six-story-tall defensive towers, Egypt's archaeology agency says.