The tiny island of Philae is 450 metres long and 150 metres wide, It was known for its beauty also known as the "Pearl of Egypt'. it has Plants and palm trees, the Island has a sense of mystery as the temple has many legends of Egyptian God Osiris and Goddess Isis, as the temple has many stories to tell.
After the temple had been flooded by water, it was restored and moved stone by stone to this site
The monuments of Philae has many structures dating to the Ptolemaic Period (332–30 BC). The most prominent temple begun by Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–246 BC), which he dedicated to Isis, the mother of Horus, the god of kingship.
One of the last ancient Egyptian temples which remain active was the temple of Isis, as it continued to function until the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527–565 AD), the one who ordered the foreclosure of all pagan temples, Esmet-Akhom the priest of Isis carved the very last dated hieroglyphic inscription, which goes back to the late 4th century AD (394 AD). The temple was turned into a Christian church and many inscriptions were destroyed.
There was a temple dedicated to Hathor built by Ptolemy VI Philometor (180 145 BC) and Augustus.
The Kiosk of Trajan which used to front the temple complex of Philae, are standing strong, despite its roof which has disappeared, the arrangement of columns made it an aesthetic delight.
All these monuments were restored and moved stone by stone from the original Philae island to the nearby island of Agilkia after the temple had been flooded by water, during the UNESCO Nubia Campaign in the 1960’s to rescue sites flooded by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
01 Jul 2023
Aswan
