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Temple of Edfu

Edfu the city of the falcon god

Edfu is a city of about 60000 inhabitants, located on the west bank of the Nile, between Esna and Aswan to be precise; this splendid Egyptian city, surrounded by palm groves, desert, and suggestive granite mountains, has much to tell about its ancient past, starting from the time when it was the important capital of one of the regions of Upper Egypt.

The city derives its fame from two temples, which are considered second only to that of Dendera. The largest temple is in good condition, the smallest, sometimes improperly called Typhonium, seems to be an appendix of the first.

The sculptures present in it represent the birth and the education of the young divinity Horus, whose parents Noum, or Kneph, and Author were instead venerated in the larger temple.

Thanks to one of the best classical Egypt tours, you can explore the secrets and history of Edfu with an English-speaking guide enjoying trips organized by Egypt Time Travel.

Edfu owes its notoriety to the magnificent temple dedicated to Horus, built at the time of the New Kingdom on previous vestiges dating back to the Old Kingdom and remains one of the best-preserved ancient places of worship in Egypt.

Of great importance is also the necropolis dating back to the time of the Old Kingdom, which is further proof of the archaeological importance of the site. A visit to this lovely city is a must during your trip to Egypt, among the many remains and testimonies of the ancient Egyptian civilization of which Upper Egypt is rich.

Edfu the city of the falcon god

Temple of Edfu

The temple of Horus, the god of life, located in the center of the city of Edfu, is by far considered the most impressive of all the temples on the banks of the Nile along the route from Luxor to Aswan.

It is therefore one of the mandatory stops if you are planning a Nile cruise, as are the cities of Esna and Kom Ombo. Both the Temple of Edfu and the Temple of Esna were built during the Greek-Roman period, so they are to be considered relatively recent.

Dedicated to the god Horus of Behedet, Lord of Edfu, the Temple of Horus is the most famous monument in Edfu. The temple is oriented from south to north, measuring just over 140 m in length and occupying an area of about 7000 square meters.

A visit to the temple of Edfu gives you a clearer idea of the original appearance of the building when it was built about 2000 years ago. [ Check our Aswan tours ]

If you want to visit the temple of Horus with a cruise on the Nile in Luxor and Aswan, you can easily check out the Nile cruise offered to choose from many cruises on the Nile at special prices. [ Check out our Egypt Nile Cruises offers 2021 ]

Temple of Edfu

Egypt, sailing through the history of the temple of Edfu

Beginning in the 19th century, the village spread partly inside the temple, and some houses were even built on its roof. Now the buildings have been removed, but the effects left by the previous buildings are still evident, the ancient perimeter of the village faces inside the temple complex, which is several meters below the current ground level.

The temple is in a particularly good state of preservation, precisely because it was buried under the sand. The complex includes a pylon that was built by Cleopatra’s father during the first century B.C., which leads to an inner courtyard and then to a hypostyle hall that precedes the sanctuary of Horus, the most important part of the temple.

Edfu, Temple of Horus, the beauty of the temple

All these structural elements replicate the Templar style in vogue during the New Kingdom, which can also be seen in the remains of the other buildings in the Luxor area and along the Nile Valley. The temple of Horus in Edfu has, however, remained one of the most complete and intact examples of this architectural style. Because of its completeness and state of preservation, it is the best example of the construction of a Ptolemaic temple in Egypt.

Edfu, Temple of Horus, the beauty of the temple

Edfu what to see and what is its history

The Temple of Horus in its present form was begun very late by Ptolemy III Euergetes I in 237 BC. Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II inaugurated it 95 years later, in 142 BC. The boundary wall, the main courtyard, and the pylon were completed by Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysus, who inaugurated the temple for the second and last time in 70 BC. With the installation of the wooden doors of the main entrance between the two pylons, the temple was officially completed in 57 BC.

The initial nucleus of the temple, however, is much earlier, we have news of a first sanctuary in Edfu since at least the Third Dynasty. In total, it took 180 years to complete the construction and decoration of the Temple of Horus in Edfu.

The construction of the temple of Horus in Edfu

The sanctuary was the most sacred and important part of the temple. It contained the sacred images of Horus and Hathor, used in processions. Built of black granite, it is located at the back of the temple and is one of the few remains of an older temple of Horus.

The sanctuary was built by Nectanebo II (360-343 BC), about one hundred years before the beginning of the construction of the present temple of Horus. The frame of the sanctuary door is engraved with hymns that were sung in the morning before opening the bronze doors of the sanctuary to wake Horus and the other gods sleeping in their chapels.

To the east of the temple is a circular well, placed outside the boundary wall. It can be reached by a flight of stairs that starts inside the enclosure, extends under the wall, and reaches the outside of the temple.

The well was essential for the water supply of the temple, necessary for daily purification practices. However, it was also a useful tool in practice to prevent flooding, it was a Nilometer, used to measure the height of the annual flooding of the river. The stairs were carved on the wall of the inclined ladder to measure the rise of the water table.


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About the author

Magdy Fattouh (Migo) is a creative content marketer and expert in search engines for over 5 years. He manifests his passion in his role as a Creative Content Writer especially in travel where he strives to evoke a strong sense of place in his write-ups.

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