This temple of Edfu was built and dedicated to worshiping the god Horus, and it is the only temple that remained in good condition. Horus had a distinguished place in Egyptian mythology, and the god Horus took the winged sun disk in the era of the Sixth Dynasty.
Edfu is one of the cities of the Aswan Governorate, where cemeteries were discovered from the era of the Old Kingdom, and the temple of Edfu, which was built in the Greek period for the god Horus,
Edfu in ancient Egypt was the last guarding point of Egypt on the Nubian border and the capital of the second region of Upper Egypt; where Edfu was called in ancient times “Edbo,” which means the city of food or the town of intrusion.
The city of Edfu owes its fame to the temple, considered one of the most beautiful temples because it is highly integrated and replete with many scenes and photographs in a distinctive style. The legend of the conflict between Horus and Set and how Horus defeated Set and his aides was recorded on the walls of its temple.
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Why was the temple of Edfu constructed?
The temple was constructed on the site of the conflict between Horus, the god of protection and victory, and Set, the god of the desert, war, and disorder, which decided the fate of Ancient Egypt. According to the Osiris legend.
What is Edfu known for?
The village is famous for its sizeable Ptolemaic temple, constructed between 237 BC and 57 BC under Cleopatra VII’s rule. The Temple of Horus at Edfu is the best preserved of all the Egyptian temple ruins.
Where is the temple of Edfu located?
On the west bank of the Nile, 115 kilometers south of Luxor and 105 kilometers north of Aswan, is the temple of Edfu, housed in the city of the same name.
When was the Temple of Edfu built?
From 237 until 57 B.C.
The Ptolemaic dynasty constructed the Temple of Edfu between 237 and 57 B.C. It is the most well-preserved of all Egyptian temples.
Description of Temple of Edfu:
The temple consists of a gate consisting of a foyer, a hall of pillars, and an open courtyard; in the facade is a symbol of Horus, and the open courtyard is held to celebrate the annual journey in which the god Horus is staying to bring his wife, the goddess Hathor, from her temple at Dendera to honor her in Edfu. Another pillared hall, the Holy of Holies, and the original boat cabin that was present on the voyage. The scientist, Mariette, gave it to the temple, discovered the temple buried under the dirt, and showed it.
Architectural elements of the temple
The temple begins with the tower, followed by the open courtyard, which is made of columns with plant capitals on three sides. The temple consists of two identical parts; between them is a door in the middle. In the temple, there are large openings, and it is strange that the Christians who fled from the Romans during the Roman rule of Egypt took refuge inside these openings and lived inside the temple for a while.
Big yard
The door of the tower leads to an open courtyard. The inscriptions of this courtyard include recessed drawings representing the king making offerings in front of the local packages and the royal graphics as he practices religious rituals.
The large pillared hall
which includes about 18 columns arranged in three rows; each row contains three columns. Al Dhale distinguishes the diversity of the beauty of the crowns.
Small column hall
It was called the “supervision hall,” with 12 columns and capitals rich in floral decoration.
On the western side of this hall, there is room to keep the sacred water if its scenes represent the king in the company of the god Hapi, the god of the Nile, offering the holy water to Horus and Hathor.
Holy of Holies
A large base was independent of others. Only the great priest or king was allowed to enter it. The sacred boat of Horus was placed in it, and there was a coffin bearing the name of King Nectanebo I and a statue of the sacred falcon, Master of Edfu. The Holy of Holies was surrounded by ten halls in which various rituals were performed, or ritual tools were kept.
Nilometer
Perhaps one of the most important landmarks in the Temple of Edfu is the Nilometer, which was used to determine land rent and taxes.
Temple of Edfu facts:
- Between Esna and Aswan, there is a city where the temple is situated.
- It was constructed during the Ptolemaic Empire.
- One of the most significant deities was honored for its dedication.
- In ancient Egypt, it served as the center of a significant pilgrimage.
- It took 180 years to finish the structure.
- It wasn’t the only temple constructed at the time.
- Another building’s ruins were where the temple was built.
- The temple remained in operation well into the fourth century A.D.
- By the late 18th century, the temple had been completely submerged.
- In Leeds during the 19th century, a temple model was constructed.
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