Myths and legends The Temple of Isis was originally located upon the island of Philae , which meant "the end" in Ancient Egypt language and marked the southernmost boundary of the historic nation. Visiting the Temple of Isis From Aswan A taxi 20 minute drive or a horse-drawn carriage from Aswan to the boat dock for the Temple of Isis should usually cost around LE 80 to LE per vehicle, including a visit to the Unfinished Obelisk on the way and the Aswan Dam another 20 minutes.
English language audio other languages at other times : Friday to Monday at pm October to April and 7 pm May to September. Thursday at 9 pm October to April and pm May to September. Location On Agilkia Island, south of Aswan. Schedule From October to May: daily 7 am to 4 pm. From June to September. Transport By boat. Long after the introduction of Christianity, the Nubians remained faithful to the cult of Isis, and it was only in the time of Justinian AD that the temples were closed and some of their chambers converted for use in Christian worship.
From then until the coming of Islam, a Coptic town flourished on the island. Until the construction of the first Aswan Dam the island ranked as one of the most beautiful places in Egypt and attracted large numbers of visitors every year. Thereafter it was under water for the greater part of the year and the temples were accessible only between August and December. The construction of Egypt's High Dam project threatened to engulf them for good, but they were saved from this fate by the great international rescue operation sponsored by UNESCO and carried out between and The island of Philae was surrounded by a cofferdam, and the area within this was drained; then a new site was prepared on the neighboring island of Agilika, the temples were broken up into sections, which were carefully numbered, and they were then re-erected in the same relative positions on Agilika.
As you're walking around the temple, note the gray coloring of the lower part of the walls and columns. This is the effect of their annual immersion over the time period between the two dams.
Despite those years of annual immersion and then being moved stone-by-stone to an entirely new site, the imposing and magnificently preserved temples of Philae still retain their power to impress. The best preserved part of the structure is the main temple chamber, on the front of which are two plant columns linked to the walls by screens. Don't Miss: The columns of the Vestibule are decorated with charming reliefs of flute-players and harpists, Bes with a tambourine, Bes dancing and playing a harp, monkeys playing the lyre, and priests bearing an antelope.
Kiosk of Trajan. Southeast of the Temple of Hathor, on the bank of the river, is the charmingly dinky Kiosk of Trajan , which during Egypt's age of Victorian explorers was a favorite subject of famous English artists. It dates from the Roman Imperial period and was left unfinished. The northern end of the Philae complex holds various Roman and Byzantine remains including two Coptic churches , the remnants of a monastery, and the ruins of the Temple of Augustus.
Around Aswan: From felucca rides around the ruins on Elephantine Island to visiting Egypt's famed unfinished obelisk, Aswan has plenty more to offer visitors. Written by Jess Lee Updated May 20, We may earn a commission from affiliate links Egypt's ancient center for the cult of Isis, the Temples of Philae were venerated from the Pharaonic era through the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods with each ruler making their own additions to the stones here.
Thanks to this, today travelers can still walk amid the columns of this ancient venerated site. Second Pylon: Entry to the Inner Temple Second Pylon The Second Pylon provides a fittingly regal entry to the inner sanctum of the temple, with a magnificent doorway 32 meters wide and 12 meters high.
Vestibule: Entering the Inner Temple Vestibule The eight-columned Vestibule is the first room of the inner temple area and was originally separated from the court by screens between the columns on the front.
The Sanctuary: House of Isis The Sanctuary: House of Isis After passing through a number of antechambers flanked by dark side chambers, you come to the Sanctuary, lit by two small windows. Around the Temple of Isis. The vestibule and the sanctuary destroyed of the temple were added by Augustus.
Kiosk of Trajan Kiosk of Trajan Southeast of the Temple of Hathor, on the bank of the river, is the charmingly dinky Kiosk of Trajan , which during Egypt's age of Victorian explorers was a favorite subject of famous English artists.
Visiting the temple complex at night while it's lit up adds a completely different dimension to your experience. Timing: As with many of Egypt's sites, the best time to visit this popular tourist attraction is early morning, soon after the site has opened. Be aware that most people visit Philae as part of an Abu Simbel day trip on the return leg of the journey , so the period from about midday until 2pm is when the site is at its busiest.
This is a great option for those short on time, but remember, if you visit this way, you will be part of a large crowd. More Related Articles on PlanetWare. Discover destinations, find outdoor adventures, follow the journeys of our travel writers around the world, and be inspired.
The first pylon consists of two 60 foot towers with a gate between them. There are grooves cut into each side of the pylon to support flag poles. He is accompanied by Isis , Horus of Edfu , and Hathor. There are two smaller scenes above this depiction; on the left the pharaoh offers the crown of Upper and Lower Egypt to Horus of Edfu and Nephthys ; and on the right he offers incense to Isis and Horus the child.
These decorations were badly damaged by early Coptic Christians. The First Pylon leads to an inner courtyard in which the Mammissi of Isis is located on the west. On the eastern side of the courtyard there is a colonnade with access to a few small storerooms and in the north the Second Pylon provides access to the main structure of the Temple of Isis. Behind the colonnade on the eastern wall of the courtyard there are five storerooms, each two stories high.
Some of these rooms may have been used as storerooms and one at least seems to have been a library while another was used for storing and mixing the precious oils and incenses used in the temple. However, it is also suggested that they were used for ritual purification rites.
The birth-house is surrounded on three sides by a colonnade of floral topped columns each crowned with a sistrum and Hathor -headed capital. The Mammisi birth house was a common feature of Ptolemaic temples and the example on Philae is similar in layout and decoration to examples at Dendera and Edfu.
In the sanctuary of the mammisi of Isis, Horus is depicted as a hawk wearing the Double Crown and standing in a thicket of papyrus. The second pylon is approximately feet wide and 40 feet high and unusually is not set parallel to the First Pylon. A series of small steps lead to the gateway between the two towers. There are two scenes above this which have unfortunately been quite badly damaged.
One depicts the pharaoh offering a garland of flowers to Horus and Nephthys , the other depicts the king offering incense and pouring cleansing water on an altar in the presence of Osiris , Isis and Horus. The eastern tower has very similar decorations but is in much better condition. Both towers have grooves for flagpoles just like those on the First Pylon. Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II and a number of gods make an appearance in the decorations on the passageway between the towers, but unfortunately the depiction has been quite badly defaced.
On the east side of the doorway there is a later inscription dedicated to the Christian Bishop Theodorus. Near the base of the eastern tower, a piece of the granite foundation of the original island protruded from the ground and has been moved to the new island.
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