Edfu Temple

The Edfu temple is an example of a vanished art that, as seen through the eyes of the Ptolemaic dynasty, captures the essence of ancient Egypt’s civilization. The Edfu temple was constructed on the site of what is thought to have been the biggest conflict between the forces of good and evil, represented by the ancient Egyptian gods Set and Horus, ever to take place in the annals of mythology. It is the best-preserved temple in all of Egypt and one of the last ones ever constructed, serving as a final reminder of the splendor, honor, and majesty of ancient Egypt’s cultural heritage.

Where is Edfu Temple?

The Edfu temple is situated 60 kilometers north of Aswan in the Upper Egyptian city of Edfu on the west bank of the Nile.

History of Edfu Temple

The Ptolemaic and ancient Egyptian cultures had a deep admiration and relationship, as shown by the history of the Edfu temple. Pharaoh Ptolemy III started building the temple on August 23, 237 BC, and Pharaoh Ptolemy XII finished it in full, in 57 BC.

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. Based on the story of Osiris. The temple was abandoned under the sand for hundreds of years after the arrival of Christianity in the latter years of the Roman Empire in 391 AD when paganism was outlawed until it was rediscovered in 1860 AD by a French Egyptologist named Auguste Mariette.

Edfu Temple’s style

The Edfu temple stands out as an outstanding work of art that mixes the ancient Egyptian and ancient Greek styles of architecture to produce a magnificent piece of perfection that gave a marvelous archaeological wonder. There are numerous factors that make the Edfu temple highly special.

The annual celebration of Horus’s victory and divine birth took place in the temple. The Edfu Temple was built in the New Kingdom (1570–1050 BC) architectural style, and it had two granite statues of Horus and a “Mamisi,” a Greek divine birth chamber, near the west entrance.

The architecture of Edfu Temple

The temple is one of the most popular archaeological sites in all of Egypt because of its many remarkable features. The Edfu temple has one of the tallest pylons, standing at a height of 37 meters, which was built by Ptolemy IX. It is surrounded by a number of halls, including the hall of offerings, which was decorated with statues of Ptolemaic pharaohs presenting gifts to the gods, the Hypostyle hall, which was built by Ptolemy VII, and the hall of festivals.

The Nilometer in the Edfu temple was used to determine the Nile water levels during each flood. The oldest and holiest chamber of the temple, the Sanctuary of Horus, houses a black granite shrine that Nectanebo II embellished.