Top 10 Features of Temple of Philae

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Philae is the most picturesque of all Egypt’s temples, thanks to its site – it sits on a Nile island reached by small motor launch. This Ptolemaic (Graeco-Roman) era temple is devoted to Isis, whose cult was to survive into early Christian times. After the building of the Aswan Dam (1898–1902), the island’s temples were submerged for a part of each year. With the building of the High Dam (1969–71), the temples were relocated to nearby Agilika Island, which was landscaped to match the original site.

1- Kiosk of Nectanebo

Boats drop visitors at a double stairway that leads up to the Kiosk of Nectanebo, a small structure erected during the 4th century BC that acts as a gateway to the site.

2- Colonnaded Courtyard

Beyond the kiosk is an elongated courtyard flanked by colonnades. The west colonnade (to the left) has columns on which every capital is different and a rear wall punctuated by windows overlooking the water. The east colonnade is interrupted by a series of ruined structures.

3- Temple of Isis

The centerpiece of Philae is this beautiful, small temple built over several hundred years by Ptolemaic and Roman rulers (main image and below). It is fronted by an ancient Egyptian pylon and two stone lions.

4- The Sanctuary

Beyond a second pylon, a hypostyle hall leads to vestibules that culminate in the innermost holy sanctuary, containing a stone pedestal that once supported the

goddess Isis’s barque.

5- The Birth House

The colonnaded Birth House (left) is where the pharaohs legitimized their rule as mortal descendants of Horus by taking part in rituals celebrating the god’s birth. At the bottom of the rear wall are scenes of Isis giving birth to Horus in the marshes.

6- The Osiris Rooms

If the caretaker can be persuaded to unlock the way (with a tip), some upper rooms with reliefs depicting the resurrection of Osiris after his dismemberment by Seth.

7- Hadrian’s Gate

West of the temple is a small vestibule dedicated by the Roman emperor, inscribed with the date 24 August AD 394. Above the lintel, Hadrian is depicted presenting himself before a pantheon of ancient Egyptian deities.

8- Temple of Hathor

East of the main building is a small, ruinous temple, which still has two columns topped with Hathor heads, as well as a fine relief depicting musicians with the dwarf god Bess playing a harp.

9- Kiosk of Trajan

This imposing kiosk was built around AD 100 by the Roman emperor Trajan and served as a royal landing for the temple. It combines Roman architecture with Pharaonic detailing.

10- Sound and Light Show

Of all Egypt’s sound and light shows, the one at Philae is the best (above). It consists of a one-hour floodlit tour through the ruins and is a highly atmospheric experience.

Top 10 Features of Abu Simbel

Carved out of a mountainside in the 13th century BC, Ramses II’s stupendous Sun Temple at Abu Simbel was dedicated to three of Egypt’s pre-eminent deities – Amun of Thebes, Ptah of Memphis and Ra-Harakhty of Heliopolis, but it is principally a monument to the might of the pharaoh. Located at the southernmost tip of ancient Egypt’s borders, the four colossal statues of Ramses that front the temple gaze towards enemy territory as a warning to any who might approach.

1- Lake Nasser

Lake Nasser was formed with the completion of the High Dam in 1971. The water stretches south of the dam for nearly500 km (300 miles) into Sudan. With a surface area of 6,000 sq km (3,700 sq miles) the lake is the world’s largest reservoir.

2- Visitors’ Centre

Like Philae, the temples at Abu Simbel were rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. The Visitors’ Centre contains an exhibition telling the story of the move, with diagrams, photographs and models.

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3- The Colossi

Ramses II had his temple adorned with four gigantic colossi fashioned in his likeness (main image). Each of the complete seated figures (one lost its upper torso in an earthquake in 27 BC) is more than 20 m (65 ft) in height.

4- Statue ofRa-Harakhty

Above the entrance to the temple is a statue of the falcon-headed sun god Ra-Harakhty. At the top of the temple are the remains of a frieze of baboons worshipping the rising sun.

5- Hypostyle Hall Reliefs

The southern wall of the Hypostyle Hall depicts the Battle of Qadesh (c.1275 BC) (above), in which the pharaoh leads his army in a defeat of the Hittites on the River Orontes in what is now Syria.

6- Ramses Pillars

The Hypostyle Hall has twin rows of four pillars fronted by 10-m (33-ft) statues of Ramses in Osiride form carrying crook and flail.

7- Inner Sanctuary

A second pillared hall leads to a sanctuary at the rear of the temple, where there are four statues representing Ptah, Ramses II, Amun-Ra and Ra-Harakhty.

8- The Sun Ceremony

The Sun Temple is aligned so that on 22 February and on 22 October every year (traditionally considered Ramses’ birthday and coronation date, respectively), the first rays of the rising sun illuminate the sanctuary cult statues of Amun-Ra, Ra-Harakhty and Ramses II, while Ptah stays in shadow.

9- Temple of Hathor

Beside the Sun Temple is a temple dedicated to the goddess Hathor, built by Ramses II to honour his wife Nefertari (below). The fa.ade alternates colossi of the pharaoh and his queen. Inside is a hypostyle hall with Hathor-headed pillars.

10- Sound and Light Show

Set to music, this impressive show includes projections onto the temples showing how they once looked.

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