To make things easier, we created a list of 4 must-see famous Egyptian temples. Read on to learn more!
Overview:
- Why were temples important in Ancient Egypt?
- What were Egyptian temples made of?
- 4 Ancient Egyptian temples you need to visit
Why were temples important in Ancient Egypt?
Ancient Egyptian temples were built for the official worship of the gods. They were seen as houses dedicated to a particular god or sometimes a specific pharaoh. Within the temples, Egyptians would perform rituals, give offerings to the gods, re-enact myths, and keep order in the universe (ma’at).
The average citizen was not allowed into the inner sanctum of the temple, however, they could still go there to pray, give offerings, and seek guidance from the god dwelling within.
What were Egyptian temples made of?
The construction of ancient Egyptian temples took place over the course of thousands of years. They were first made of mudbrick, which was then replaced by stone, so they could be long lasting. By the New Kingdom onwards, temples were mostly built of stone, including sandstone, limestone, granite, alabaster, and basalt. The sandstone was quarried from Gebel el-Silsila, an important sandstone quarry between Edfu and Kom Ombo.
4 Ancient Egyptian temples you need to visit
1. Abu Simbel
Perhaps the most famous temple in Egypt is the UNESCO World Heritage-listed twin temples of Abu Simbel. Standing at the height of a five-storey building, this amazing structure must be seen to be believed. The temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II in the 13th century BC, as a monument to himself and his queen, Nefertari.
When Abu Simbel was threatened by submersion in Lake Nasser (due to the construction of the High Dam), the Egyptian Government secured the support of UNESCO and launched a worldwide appeal. From 1964 until 1968, the two temples were dismantled and raised up the sandstone cliff where they'd been built over 3,000 years before. The relocation was considered one of the greatest challenges of archaeological engineering in history.
2. Luxor & Karnak Temple
Located at the ancient Avenue of Sphinxes on the east bank of the Nile River, the 3-kilometre-long road connects the fascinating Karnak Temple, dedicated to the Pharaoh Amun and Luxor Temple. Approximately 30 pharaohs contributed to Karnak the Temple’s structure over time, which explains its monumental size! As the largest religious building ever constructed, Karnak is made up of numerous temples, chapels, pylons and other buildings. Within this vast complex one area stands out – and this is the hypo-style hall. It can be simply described as this: 134 stone columns each measuring between 14 and 20 metres in height and covered in hieroglyphics. Dedicated to the gods Amun, Mut and Khonsu, Karnak was the centre of ancient faith during the New Kingdom, but it also served as a treasury, administrative centre and a palace for the pharaohs.
The less crowded and smaller Luxor Temple is home to a 25-metre-tall pink granite obelisk, which was part of a matching pair until the 1830s when one was given to France. It now stands in the centre of the Place de la Concorde in Paris. Luxor Temple, also known as the 'Southern Sanctuary', is situated 3km north of Karnak. It was largely built by Amenhotep III and Ramses II and played a significant role in the annual Opet Festival. During the celebrations, the statues of Amun, Mut and Khonsu were brought from Karnak (along the Avenue of the Sphinxes), and reunited in the Luxor Temple.
3. Kom Ombo
The riverside Temple of Kom Ombo is located about 50 kilometres north of Aswan and was built during the Ptolemaic period between 180 BC and 47 AD. Due to its location right on the river bank between Edfu and Aswan, Kom Ombo is a perfect stop station for Nile cruises.
The unique symmetrical temples are each dedicated to a different god. The southern half was dedicated to the god Sobek, represented with a crocodile head, while the northern half was dedicated to the god Horus, with a falcon head. While this ancient Egyptian temple has experienced some damage due to its riverside setting, it still remains impressive and offers visitors so much to see and explore. There are a range of religious carvings as well as those depicting day-to-day scenes, a sacred well and many mummified crocodiles.
4. Philae Temple
The temple of Philae is located on Agilkia Island, a small island in the middle of the Nile in Aswan. It is dedicated to the goddess Isis, the goddess of magic. Although it may not be the biggest or the grandest of all the ancient Egyptian temples, it certainly is one of the most beautiful and calming sights in all of Egypt.
Considered to be the last of the ancient temples constructed in the classical Egyptian style, Philae Temple is considered to be one of the most sacred sites in Egypt. The temple was originally located on another nearby island but it was subject to flooding when the Aswan Dam was built. In the 1960s, it was moved, stone by stone (that’s 47,00 stones), to its current location in a massive international effort led by UNESCO.
See the Ancient Egyptian temples yourself
At Bunnik Tours, we consider ourselves Australia’s Egypt specialists. We’ve been running tours to Egypt for more than 15 years and have used our knowledge to create a series of unique itineraries that showcase the very best this fascinating country has to offer. Our small group tours also mean you get to spend more time exploring, and less time waiting around. Plus, local tipping, transportation, accommodation and some meals are included!
So, are you ready to discover the temples of ancient Egypt? Book an Egypt tour online or get in touch with one of our friendly Travel Specialists to learn more about our Egypt & Middle East tours today!
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