Philae temple was dedicated to the goddess Isis, the goddess of motherhood and beauty. The Temple of Isis in Philae is considered one of the most beautiful temples in Egypt. It was built by King Ptolemy II, Ptolemy s IV, V, VI, VII, and VVI participated in its construction.
The Temple of Isis consists of the first pylon, which leads to an open court. On the left side, there is the birth room (Mamizi) with scenes of the birth of the god Horus.
Then the 2nd pylon leading to a hall of columns with 10 columns, then 3 halls leading to the Holy of Holies.
On the island, there are other buildings such as:
- The first chapel of Isis belonging to King Taharqa dating back to the 25th Dynasty
- Josq Trajan
Osiris shrine- Temple of Horus
- Temple of Hathor
- Tiberius Gate
- Diocletian’s Gate
- Temple of Octavius
The temple was called in the ancient Egyptian texts (Apo), meaning ivory, because it was an important center for the ivory trade.
Unfortunately, after the construction of the first dam in Aswan in 1906, the temple was submerged in water.
After the completion of the construction of the High Dam in 1971, UNESCO and several countries decided to transfer the temple from its original place, on Philae Island, a rocky island in the middle of the Nile, south of Aswan, to a new island where Egilica Island. It was reshaped to resemble the island of Philae.
At first, a dam was built around the island of Philae, and the submerged water drained. After that, the temple was dismantled and numbered stone by stone, then moved and installed on the new island. This project took 9 years. Philae Temple was reopened in 1980.
you can visit Philae Temple with Explore the Land of Pharaohs
