The Temple of Horus at Edfu

Egypt Holidays - The falcon-god Horus, Edfu

Situated roughly half way between Luxor and Aswan, the Temple of Horus at Edfu is the largest and best-preserved Ptolemaic temple in Egypt. The almost intact ceilings and well-preserved colours make it stand out from the older pharaonic cult temples and give us an insight into how they may have looked in their prime.  The temple was opened in 176 BC, having taken around 60 years to construct.

The entrance to this awesome complex is guarded by two elegant black granite statues of the falcon-god Horus, son of Osiris.  You will walk through the immense Court of Offerings (pictured below) and the Hypostyle Hall, with its colossal papyrus columns, en route to the hallowed Sanctuary of Horus, which contains a shrine of polished black granite and an offerings table.

Horus was originally the Egyptian sky-god but was later identified as the son of Osiris and his sister Isis, and was considered the first living god-king of whom each pharaoh claimed to be an incarnation.