Greek designation for a town called per-bastet ('House/sanctuary of Bastet') in ancient Egyptian, present-day Tell Basta. Bubastis was situated in the eastern Delta, on the Tanis branch of the Nile, about 80 kilometers north east of Cairo. The town was of particular importance during the 22nd Dynasty. Some scholars think that the royal residence was situated here at that time, but the majority of them consider that Tanis (and partly also Memphis) remained the residence, whereas Bubastis was the town where the new kings originated. The remains of a granite temple to the goddess Bastet continually added to throughout the centuries are to be found here. In the Old Kingdom, pharaohs such as Khufu and Khafre contributed to it, but Ramesses II of the 19th Dynasty also expanded the temple, as did the kings of the 22nd Dynasty. The temple was described by Herodotus and archaeological research has shown that many of the details in his account were accurate. Close by is a large cemetery for cat mummies. The cat was the sacred animal of Bastet.