I've long believed the abomination of desolation is, at its heart, another name for the beast, the antichrist, just as world empires are referred to as beasts, that it's a phrase meant to not lend any dignity to the man of sin and rightly characterize him as a desolator. The "holy place" could be none other than the temple, as scripture fills in detail of antichrist in the temple, demanding worship, as well as some animated image of him used as an idol.
Daniel indicates temple worship is resumed in Israel, during the time of Jacob's trouble, and that, in the middle of the seven year covenant period, that covenant is violated, and an image of the antichrist is setup in the temple, to be worshiped, this something that desolates the temple, an idolatrous abomination of devil worship that defiles Judaism in Israel. But an image, of itself, doesn't desolate, rather the man, himself, is the desolator, "for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate." So, the abomination of desolation is a phrase that well fits the antichrist, with this temple idol being setup his crowning achievement, crowning desolation, Satan seeking the worship he's always wanted.
Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Daniel 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-7 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
Revelation 13:14-15 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.