Temple Of Edfu “Egyptian God Horus Build”
Location, Building History, Who Built It & Why It’s Important
Once upon a time, a powerful God named Horus wanted to avenge the death of his father, Osiris, who was killed by his brother, Seth. We all heard the famous story of the god Horus; after killing his uncle, he became the ruler of the world.
Where is Edfu Temple Located?
The temple is located on the west bank of the Nile between Esna and Aswan in Edfu, Upper Egypt, about 60 km north of Aswan. It is one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt, the Temple of Edfu, also known as Horus Temple.
When was Edfu Temple built?
Edfu’s temple is considered a newbie compared to the ancient temples of Egypt; it was built during the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BC. It was constructed during the Greco-Roman era in Egypt, but it kept the style of the Pharaohs. Edfu temple was a cult center of the falcon God Horus of Bedhet, Edfu’s ancient name.
Who Built Edfu Temple?
Edfu temple was built over 180 years ago; the construction started by Ptolemy III, and then it was completed later by Cleopatra’s father, Neos Dionysos, that’s 180 years apart. It was excavated in the mid-19th century by Auguste Mariette, a French Egyptologist. It was buried under centuries of sand, but that helped preserve the temple. This new temple is a live image of how the temples would look if they had only been built 2000 years ago.
Why is The temple of Edfu important?
- Edfu Temple texts
The temple of Edfu is famous for its inscriptions and texts on the walls, which provided important information about the language, myth, and religion during the Hellenistic period in Egypt. The texts on the walls also provided details about the temple’s construction and the preservation of this temple and others in the area.
- Inscriptions on the walls
The temples’ walls also show essential scenes and inscriptions of the Sacred Drama between Horus and Seth. It also shows the Goddess Hathor of Dendara, the wife of Horus. They used to travel to each other each year, so the temple was the center of the cult of a triad of gods. Their marriage was celebrated twice a year, once in Edfu temple and once in Dendara temple; they had a son named Hor-Sama-Tawy.
Horus or Apollo?
The temple of Edfu was known in the old Greek documents as “Apollopolis Magna,” as the Greeks identified Horus with their god, Apollo, like they identified other Egyptian Gods with Greek ones in their mythology. The Egyptian God Horus is known for his falcon form, with his right sun eye representing power and his left moon eye representing healing.
Don’t miss visiting this well-preserved temple; it will make you feel like you traveled back in time and have a walk-in at an ancient temple. You can see it while on a Nile Cruise between Luxor and Aswan, or even by bus, it is not far from both Luxor and Aswan.
When is the Temple of Horus Open?
Temple of Horus is open: Sun-Sat 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
