Edfu Temple in Aswan Egypt | Horus Temple Facts, History of the Pharaonic Temples, Architectural Design, Horus temple layout, Opening Hours, Ticket Price.

Horus temple is one of the best Pharaonic temples of Aswan in Egypt. temple of Horus in Aswan is the second largest Pharaonic temple in Egypt and it gives a perfect idea of Egyptian History, Art, and Architecture in the Greco-Roman Era.

In this article we will explain the importance of the site of the Edfu temple since antiquity and why it was chosen for building Edfu temple. Also, we will explain why Horus temple is unique and the legend of Horus and Seth. Meanwhile, the Edfu temple has a Nilometer, Crypts, Chapel of Goddess Hathor, and the famous Pharaonic feast of the Good Union between Hathor of Dendera temple and Horus.

Edfu Temple

What is the meaning of Edfu? | The City of Edfu

Edfu in ancient times was the capital city of the second Nome of Upper Egypt.

The city was called Tbo or Etbu

Egyptian Djeba

Greek Apollinopolis

Coptic name was Tbu and Etbu

Islamic name was Edfu

The religious name was Behdet and the local god was Horus and was religiously called Horus Behdety or Horus of Behdet.

where is the temple of Edfu located?

The temple of Hours is a Pharaonic temple built in the Greco-Roman era on the west bank of the Nile River in Edfu city Aswan, Egypt.

How to get to Edfu temple?

It is easy to get to Hours temple whether from Luxor, Aswan, Marsa Alam, and Nile Cruise.

From Luxor

Edfu city is 115km to the south of Luxor and it takes more than two hours to drive from Luxor to Edfu.

From Aswan

Aswan is 115 KM to the south of Hours temple and it takes around two hours to get from Aswan to Edfu

From Nile Cruise

Whether you do your Nile Cruise Luxor Aswan or from Aswan to Luxor, Hours temple is included in all the Nile Cruise packages. To get to Horus temple from the cruise, just 15 minutes by horse carriage.

From Marsa Alam

The distance from Marsa Alam to Edfu temple is about 230km and it takes more than three hours and 15 minutes. Edfu is included in Marsa Alam Tours.

What was the Temple of Edfu used for?

Edfu temple like all the Pharaonic temples considered the house of Gods, the place where people can visit them, pray to them, offer

sacrifices, and ask about whatever they like. So, the Edfu temple was built for the god Horus Behdety, the falcon Headed God.

Edfu temple Facts

  1. Edfu temple is the second biggest and best-preserved temple in Egypt after the Karnak temple
  2. Th temple of Edfu is located on the west bank of the Nile River
  3. There is a pyramid south of the Edfu temple
  4. Horus temple is an Egyptian Pharaonic temple built during the Ptolemaic Dynasty and found by one of Alexander the Great generals called Ptolemy I Soter in 300 BC.
  5. The temple of Horus was dedicated to the falcon headed-God and he was the son of ISIS and Osiris and the Egyptian equivalent God of Apollo in the Greek Mythology
  6. Ancient Egyptians had many feasts in Ancient Egyptian civilization and one of them was celebrated in Horus temple called the sacred marriage of Horus with goddess Hathor or the Good Union Feast
  7. Constructing the temple started on August 23, 237 B.C., during the reign of Ptolemy III Euergetes, and lasts till until the year 57 B.C during the reign of Ptolemy XII Auletes
  8. This temple was built together with the Esna temple, ISIS temple in Aswan, and Kom Ombo temple under the kings of the Ptolemaic Dynasty.
  9. Like all the Egyptian Pharaonic temples, Horus temple was built on the same site as an older temple
  10. The temple is oriented North-South as the Nile River
  11. The only temple still keeps an original Naos the Holy of Holies and the Naos there date back to king Nectanebo II, the last King of the 30th Dynasty of Ancient Egyptian History.
  12. Part of the temple was converted into Church used by the persecuted Christians in the Roman Era
  13. Auguste Mariette (1821-1881) found 180 houses at the top of the temple when he was trying to unearth it and the temple was totally buried under the sand. This is the reason why the temple is still in perfect condition.
  14. The temple was copied and modeled in the inner city of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England
  15. Edfu temple measures 137 meters long by 79 meters wide and 36 meters high
  16. There is a Nilometer that connects Edfu temple to the River Nile to measure the water level of the Nile
  17. Horus Behdety temple took 180 years to be built between 237-57BC but it was opened only 27 years when Egypt fell into the Roman hands.

How long did it take to build the Temple of Horus?

  1. Built over the course of around 180 years, the Temple of Horus was the work of the Ptolemies kings. Building the temple began on August 23, 237 BC under Ptolemy III Euergetes and finished on August 17, 212 BC under Ptolemy IV Philopator. Thus, building the temple took 25 years then 6 years for relief till 207 BC.
  2. The work stopped under Ptolemy V Epiphanes, the son of Ptolemy IV and Arsinoe III but on February 176 BC, Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator September 7, 142 BC officially opened the temple.
  3. 140 BC, they enlarged the temple and added the 12 columns, Hypostyle Hall, for about 18 years till 122 BC.
  4. Ptolemy IX Soter II in 46 BC added the great hypostyle Hall, the open court, the gates, and the Pylon.
  5. The temple took its present shape in 57 BC and the last Ptolemy king who added something in there was Ptolemy XII Auletes, the father of Cleopatra VII.

What is the Temple of Edfu made of?

The Horus temple or Edfu temple was built with sandstone.

Architectural Design | Horus temple layout

  1. The Pylon
  2. The Great Gate
  3. The Great Open-Air Courtyard of the Temple of Edfu
  4. The Great Hypostyle Hall
  5. The Small Hypostyle Hall
  6. The Offering Hall
  7. The Sanctuary of the Temple of Edfu
  8. 10 Rooms surrounding the Holy of Holies
  9. Hathor Chapel
  10. Crypts
  11. Nilometer
  12. Interior stone Enclosure
  13. Mammisi (Birth House)
  14. Mud-brick enclosure

Opening Hours

is open daily from 09.00 am to 17.00 pm.

Ticket Price

You can purchase an Entrance ticket from the Ticket window which is next to the entrance.

Adult: EGP 180 (9.3 $)

Students with valid cards: EGP 90(4.6 $)

Children aged 6-12 years: EGP 90 (4.6 $)

Children under 6 years: FREE

and more attractions when booking our Nile Cruise Luxor Aswan.