TEMPLE OF PHILAE

HISTORY

The Temple of Philae was built on the Island of Philae situated in the Nile River south of Aswan. In antiquity, its location was near Ancient Egypt’s border with Nubia. The term Philae is derived from the Greek and Latin versions of the island’s Egyptian name, Pilak, a reference to its location towards the bottom of the country. The temple was dedicated to the goddess Isis from the Pharaonic era up to the time of Greek and Roman rule. On the island, the oldest structures can be dated to the reign of Nectanebo I, approximately 370 BC, while those that still stand were built by the Ptolemies in the last two centuries BC and by Roman emperors in the first three centuries AD. After the end of Roman rule, during the reign of Justinian (527-565 AD), the temple was closed and some chambers were used in Christian worship. 

Today, the temple does not stand in its original location. Similar to the Temples at Abu Simbel, the Temple of Philae was in danger of being submerged by the newly created Lake Nasser after the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Between 1972 and 1980, through an international collaborative effort sponsored by UNESCO, the temple was relocated to the neighboring Island of Agilika. 

FAST FACTS

Unlike other temples in Egypt, the Temple of Philae is not symmetrical and linear given the size and shape of the island. 

The first pylon consists of two towers and a central doorway with each tower having a height of 60 feet. During ancient times, in front of the first pylon, were two granite obelisks and two granite lions. The obelisks were erected by Euergetes II. 

The main courtyard is located between the first and second pylons. It is decorated with a series of columns known for their plant-like structure and uniformity. On the west side of the courtyard, there is a Mammissi (birth house), a common feature among the Ptolemaic temples such as those found at Dendera and Edfu. 

The second pylon and doorway measure 105 feet wide by 40 feet high. As previously mentioned, this plyon is not parallel the first pylon.  

In the vestibule, there are Coptic crosses and Greek inscriptions carved into the walls and columns. These are indicators of how the temple was converted into a Christian place of worship. 

On the island, southeast of the main temple, is the Kiosk of Trajan. Construction on this kiosk started during the Roman period but it was never completed. 

VISITING THE TEMPLE OF PHILAE

The Temple of Philae is located in Aswan on an island in the Nile River surrounded by magnificent rocky cliffs. This was my first visit to the temple since it was not part of the tour itinerary when I first traveled to Egypt. It seems that the Temple of Philae is only a standard item on tours that last more than 8 days. On my recent trip, we visited the Temple of Philae the same day we stopped by the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. A tour of the temple lasts approximately one hour  (guided tour plus free time) while the boat ride to and from the island is about 10 minutes each way. 

A view from the island. 

Before you arrive to the docks, you are greeted by a market area filled with stalls and very assertive vendors. Then, when you approach the docks, there are more vendors lined up on each side plus boat captains trying to sell rides to the island. We were fortunate that the boat rides are part of the tour because if not, one has to do extensive haggling to secure a decent round trip fare. And I have read on several travel sites that there are times where a boat captain will demand additional money for the return trip even though there was an agreed upon round trip price. Once on the boat and on your way, you are greeted with spectacular views of the Nile, surrounding cliffs, and various islands that dot the river. When you arrive to the island, you are greeted by more vendors but the ones on the island were nicer and generally did not bother the tourists. 

The island was rather peaceful since it wasn’t that crowded and you are away from the noises of the city. The only other temple that I experienced this peacefulness was at the Temple of Hathor in Dendera. All other temples either had a crowd or one could hear the city traffic. Also, if visiting this temple during the winter months, I recommend bringing a coat and possibly a scarf. We toured the Temple of Philae on a January morning and it was rather cold, especially because of the strong breeze. 

NOTE Those with serious mobility issues may have trouble entering and exiting the boats since the ramps are not steady and one has to really balance while stepping into and out of the vessels. Once on the island, you need to walk down a dock and up a hill to reach the temple.

NOTE In our boat, we had a gentleman that was selling Nubian jewelry and souvenir maps and postcards. Fortunately, he was not a pushy salesman; he just stood in the middle of the boat and showed us what was available for purchase. I generally do not wear jewelry but I could not resist buying this beautiful brown and white camel bone necklace ($5). All items on the boat were priced in US dollars.