Philae Temple Complex
The Philae Temple Complex is a stunning archaeological site. It’s on Agilkia Island in the Nile River near Aswan, Egypt. The complex is a remarkable testament to ancient Egypt’s rich cultural and religious heritage. Originally, the site stood on Philae Island. Its main purpose was to worship the goddess Isis. People revered her for her roles in healing, magic, and motherhood.
The Philae temple complex dates back to the 7th century BCE. Various rulers expanded it over the centuries. These rulers included the Ptolemies and Romans, who contributed to its architectural grandeur. The Temples of Philae were Egypt’s ancient center for the cult of Isis. People venerated the temples from the Pharaonic era through the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods. Each ruler made their own additions to the stones. This sacred site has dazzled travelers since the first Nile cruises from Cairo. It is one of Nubia’s most important monument sites.
Philae Temple Complex
UNESCO’s rescue operation saved the Philae Temple Complex from a watery grave when workers built the Aswan High Dam. They moved the temple block by block from its original location on Philae Island to Agilika Island, 12 kilometers south of Aswan. As a result, visitors can still stroll among the columns of this historically revered monument today. It is one of Aswan’s most prominent tourist attractions. Use our visitor’s guide to the Philae Temple Complex to help you navigate the site.
First Pylon: The Temple Entranceway:
The Temple Entranceway goes into the main temple area via the First Pylon. It has a majestic 18-meter-high entrance with reliefs by Nectanebo thanks to its two towers and central entryway. The Birth House is reached by a doorway in the western tower with reliefs by Philometor.
Two granite obelisks and two granite lions once stood in front of the pylon, built by Euergetes II. A beautiful entrance adjoins the east tower, with reliefs by Ptolemy II Philadelphus (on the lintel) and Emperor Tiberius (on the jambs). Philadelphus’ gateway was originally constructed within a masonry wall.
Don’t Miss: Many tourists speed past this section on their way to the temple’s interior areas, but it’s worth pausing to see some of the beautiful decorations on the pylon.
A massive relief on the façade of the east tower portrays Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos grabbing a band of opponents by the hair and smiting them with his club, with Isis, Edfu’s falcon-headed Horus, and Hathor on the left.
Neos Dionysos presents the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt to Horus and Nephthys (right) and offers incense to Isis and Harpocrates in the reliefs above (left).
Forecourt: The Temple’s Main Courtyard:
Look for the French inscription (“a 7 de la République”) on the right as you enter through the central entryway, commemorating Napoleon’s campaign and General Desaix’s pursuit of the Mamelukes in 1799.
The Forecourt
Colonnaded structures stand on each side of the forecourt. The small building to the east housed the priests’ quarters and served a scientific purpose. The plant columns at the entrance have beautiful proportions. An entrance on the north side of the building leads to the temple’s inner corridor.
The Birth House (Mammisi)
The Birth House is on the western side of the Forecourt. It honors Hathor-Isis and the birth of her son, Horus. Colonnades surround it on all four sides. The columns have foliage caps topped by sistrum capitals. Reliefs and inscriptions adorn the walls, columns, and screens. These are primarily by Euergetes II, Neos Dionysos, Augustus, and Tiberius.
Don’t Miss: Look for the reliefs in the final room of the Birth House. They show scenes from Horus’s youth, including Horus as a falcon and Isis suckling him in the Delta wetlands.
The Second Pylon: Entry to the Inner Temple
The Second Pylon provides a royal entrance to the temple’s inner sanctuary. Its majestic entryway is 32 meters wide and 12 meters high. Euergetes II created the reliefs on the central entryway. You can see the ruins of a small chapel in front of the entryway. Faded early Christian paintings are inside the central entryway.
Don’t Miss: The lower section of the entryway has a relief of Neos Dionysos. It shows him dedicating sacrifice animals to Horus and Hathor. You can also see two small reliefs above. The right relief shows the king giving a garland to Horus and Nephthys. The left shows him offering incense to Osiris, Isis, and Horus while pouring water on the altar.
The Vestibule: Entering the Inner Temple
The vestibule is the first room in the inner temple area. It has eight columns and screens originally separated it from the court. Look for Coptic crosses and Greek inscriptions carved into the walls. These show how the Coptic Bishop Theodore converted the temple into a Christian house of worship. Also, check above the entrance for an inscription honoring Pope Gregory XVI’s archaeological trip to Philae in 1841.
Don’t Miss: The vestibule’s reliefs were left unfinished and are now ruined, but they are still fascinating.
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South Wall: The top relief above the door shows Horus seated on a bench. Nephthys and Isis give him the crowns of Lower and Upper Egypt.
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The Nile’s Source: A renowned relief on the right-hand wall shows the god of the Nile. A serpent is coiled around his body. He pours water from two jars beneath a rocky cliff. A vulture and a falcon sit on the cliff. To the right of this, Hathor, Isis, Nephthys, Horus, and Amun worship Osiris’s soul, which appears as a bird within a sacred grove.
The Sanctuary (Holy of Holies): House of Isis
You arrive at the Sanctuary after traveling through a series of antechambers. Two small windows light the room. A granite base (given by Euergetes I and his wife Berenice) would have supported the holy bark that held the figure of Isis. A small room to the left of the first antechamber has reliefs of the king in Isis’s presence. A door on the west side of this chamber leads to Hadrian’s Gate.
The Gateway of Hadrian
The tiny Gateway of Hadrian sits northwest of the Second Pylon. It is within the temple’s ancient enclosure wall. Emperor Hadrian built it, and reliefs by Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, and Lucius Verus decorate it. The entrance likely led to the Sanctuary of Abaton on the nearby island of Bigga. An Osiris Tomb was there, so the reliefs relate to the Osiris religion. On the lintel, Hadrian gives gifts to Osiris, Isis, and Harsiesis. He also gives gifts to Osiris, Nephthys, and Harendotes.
A Place of Pilgrimage Through the Centuries
Ancient Egyptians called Philae “Pilak.” The Greek and Latin names “Philae” come from this. During the Islamic era, locals called it “El-Oasr,” or “Castle.” They also called it “Geziret Anas el-Wogud” after a hero in one of the “Arabic Nights” tales. He tracked his lover to the island, where her father had imprisoned her.
The oldest surviving temple structures date from the reign of Nectanebo I (around 370 BC). Isis was the main deity, but people also revered Osiris, Nephthys, Hathor, and the cataract gods Khnum and State. The Ptolemies built the towering structures that exist today in the final two centuries BC. Roman Emperors built them in the first three centuries AD.
Many inscriptions show that travelers went to Philae to pay tribute to Isis. She was the enigmatic and beneficent goddess of healing. The Nubians remained devoted to the cult of Isis even after Christianity was introduced. The temples were only closed and some of their chambers changed for Christian worship during the reign of Justinian (AD 527-565). A Coptic village thrived on the island until the arrival of Islam.
Rescuing the Temples
Until the first Aswan Dam was built, Philae was one of Egypt’s most beautiful places. It attracted many visitors each year. After the dam, water submerged it for most of the year. The temples were only accessible between August and December.
Egypt’s High Dam project threatened to swallow them forever. However, a major international rescue mission by UNESCO saved them. The mission took place between 1972 and 1980.
Workers surrounded the island of Philae with a cofferdam. They then drained the space inside it and prepared a new site on the nearby island of Agilika. They split the temples into parts, which they precisely numbered. Finally, they re-erected them in the same relative locations.
As you walk around the temple, notice the gray color of the lower walls and columns. This resulted from their yearly immersion in water between the two dams. Despite those years of yearly immersion and then being transported stone-by-stone, the temples of Philae retain their capacity to astound.
Around the Temple of Isis:
Temple of Hathor:
The little Temple of Hathor, constructed by Philometor and Euergetes II in honor of Hathor-Aphrodite, is located 50 meters east of the Temple of Isis. Augustus added the vestibule and the temple’s sanctuary (which was later demolished). The main temple room, which is the finest surviving portion of the construction, has two plant columns in front of it. Screens attach these columns to the walls.
Don’t Miss: Delightful reliefs adorn the Vestibule’s columns. They show flute and harp players, Bes with a tambourine, Bes dancing and playing a harp, monkeys playing the lyre, and priests carrying an antelope.
Philae temple complex – Kiosk of Trajan:
The adorably dinky Kiosk of Trajan, located southeast of the Temple of Hathor on the riverbank, was a favorite subject of prominent English artists during Egypt’s Victorian explorers’ era. It was left incomplete during the Roman Imperial era.
Philae temple complex – Remnants of the Byzantine Period:
Various Roman and Byzantine relics, including two Coptic churches, the ruins of a monastery, and the ruins of the Temple of Augustus, may be found in the Philae complex’s northern end.
Tips and Tours: How to Make the Most of Your Visit to the Philae Temple Complex:
Philae hosts a regular sound and light show with presentations in English, French, German, and Spanish. The temple complex is illuminated at night, and a visit then gives your experience a whole new depth. This Sound & Light Performance trip includes hotel pickup and drop-off, as well as show admission tickets. The ideal time to visit this famous tourist destination, like many others in Egypt, is early in the morning, shortly after it opens. Because most tourists visit Philae as part of an Abu Simbel day excursion (on the way back), the site is busiest from around midday to 2 pm.
Getting to the Philae Temple Complex:
By Abu Simbel Tour Bus: Philae is included in nearly all Abu Simbel day excursion tour bus itineraries. This is a fantastic alternative for people who are short on time, but keep in mind that you will be part of a big throng if you come this way.
