If you ever visit Egypt, it is unlikely that you’ll miss out on seeing the Temple of Edfu. The Temple is an ancient Egyptian one located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu which was known in Greco-Roman times as Apollonopolis Magna, named after the chief god Horus-Apollo.

The is dedicated to the falcon god Horus, and was built in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BC. The falcon-headed Horus was originally the sky god, whose eyes were the sun and moon.The inscriptions on its walls provide important information on language, myth and religion during the Greco-Roman period in ancient Egypt.

Attractions in the Temple are the Birth House, which was the site of the annual Festival of Coronation, which reenacted the divine birth of Horus and the reigning pharaoh. Erected by Ptolemy IX (88-81 BC), the Pylon was one of the last features to be added standing 37m high, the largest in Egypt. Beyond the Pylon is the spacious Court of Offerings, where people could enter to make offerings to the image of Horus. It is surrounded by columns on three sides and is decorated with festival reliefs. Beneath the western colonnade are reliefs of Ptolemy IX (88-81 BC) making offerings to Horus, Hathor and Ihy; his successor.

At the back of the Court of Offerings,  are a pair of black granite Horus statues, one standing taller than a man which is a favorite with photographers and the other lying legless on the ground. The rectangular Hypostyle Hall was built under Ptolemy VII (145-116 BC) and has two rows of six pillars supporting an intact roof. The ceiling has astronomical paintings symbolizing the sky. Next is the Festival Hall, which marks the beginning of the oldest part of the temple, built 237-212 BC under Ptolemy III and IV. During festivals, this hall was decorated with  flowers and herbs and scented with incense and myrrh. Offerings of libations, fruit and sacrificial animals were brought in through the passageway on the right and nonperishable offerings were stored in a room to the left.
A small doorway, decorated with splendid reliefs of the sacred barques of Horus and Hathor, leads from the Festival Hall into the Hall of Offerings. During the New Year Festival, the image of Horus was carried up the ascending stairway on the left to be revitalized by the sun, then carried back down the descending stairway. This hall leads into the Sanctuary of Horus, the holiest part of the temple. The Temple of Edfu is nearly intact and a very good example of an ancient Egyptian temple. The Temple of Edfu’s archaeological significance and high state of preservation has made it a center for tourism in Egypt and a frequent stop for the many riverboats that cruise the Nile. In 2005, access to the temple was revamped with the addition of a visitor center and paved carpark. A sophisticated lighting system was added in late 2006 to allow night visits.

.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 18th, 2010 at 6:38 am and is filed under Historical Places. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.