The sun temple of Userkaf was discovered by Karl Richard Lepsius in 1842, then director of the Prussian expedition to Egypt.

Lepsius did not recognise the sun temple as such and rather included it in his pioneering list of pyramids, under the number XVII.

Lepsius only investigated the monument superficially and the first excavations of the temple took place much later, in 1907 and 1913, under the direction of Ludwig Borchardt.

The temple was the focus of a dedicated excavation only 40 years later, between in 1954 to 1957, this time under the impulse of the German-Swiss expedition led by Herbert Ricke.

The main temple consisted originally of one big solid mastaba–like structure with a mast on top.

[4] The temple was most likely erected in year 5 or 6 of the king's reign, as it is mentioned on the Palermo stone (the remains of annals).

King Userkaf, Sahure, Niuserre, Djedkare and Unas are attested, providing evidence that the temple was used at least till the end of the Fifth Dynasty.

In contrast, the valley temple was in use till the end of the Sixth Dynasty, according to the pottery evidence.