The visit to the temple of Edfu is an obligatory stop on a Nile cruise. Located on the west bank of the river known in Greco-Roman times, as Apollonopolis Magna. Dedicated to the god Horus, it is the second largest temple in Egypt, after Karnak. This is the best preserved of all Egypt. To enjoy it, on the shores of the place where the cruise ship parks, we will take a rickshaw to reach it. If you do not have it in your package, there are many other ways to hire a visit next to the temple of Kom Ombo.
It dates back to 237 BC during the Hellenistic period after the conquest of Alexander the Great. Its construction took place under the mandate of Ptolemy II who, although they were Greeks, preserved the architectural style and Egyptian traditions. It would be completed in 57 BC with the mandate of Ptolemy XII and would be built on a much smaller temple, also dedicated to Horus.
The temple of Edfu is located between Aswan and Luxor, 120 km away from both cities.
It was built during the reign extending from Ptolemy VIII to Ptolemy XII, it is considered the most maintained temple in all of Egypt. It is dedicated to the god Horus, the god of Edfu; and was discovered by Auguste
It is a tradition that Imhotep, the designer of the Step Pyramid of Saqqara, made a temple at Edfu dedicated to Horus. With the dynasty V the whole region is called Behedet, or Behdet, and the god was worshipped as Horus Behedet. From the period of the VI dynasty has been found the tomb of one of the nomarchs, named Isi, great chief of the nomo of the throne of Horus, who lived around the time of Pepy I, who came to be worshiped as a god during the Middle Empire. With the X dynasty appears a sovereign named Anjtify, who was governor of the III nomo (Ten, capital Nejen) and took possession of Behedet after overthrowing the nomarch, called Juy who was allied with the Thebans.
Before reaching the front of the temple, you will see the birthplace on the left. This cylindrical structure was the site of the annual coronations representing the divine births of Horus and the ruling pharaoh.
Thereafter At the rear of the building is a relief of Horus nursing Isis. The House of the Nativity is a Greco-Roman element that was not part of the ancient pharaonic temples.
Ptolemy IX, the pylon, built (88-81 BC), is one of the last elements added. At 37 m high, it is one of the tallest in Egypt. The relief represents the future Ptolemaic ruler Neos Dionysus (Ptolemy XII) defeating his opponents before Horus the Great.
After all The entrance to the temple was closed by a huge cedar door that had been looted in the past. Next to the entrance is a statue of the god Horus protecting a man who was one of the high priests of the temple.
The temple of Edfu is surrounded by a protective wall, 13 meters high and made of mud bricks, symbolizing the ancient waters of the sea.
The Egyptians thought that the temple represented the first land. Thereafter Beyond the pylon was a large sacrificial courtyard where people could enter and make offerings to the statue.
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