The Temple of Philae

The Temple of Philae, located just south of Aswan, is perhaps one of the most beautiful sites of antiquity along the river Nile and the journey to this island paradise is in itself an unforgettable experience.

Agilika Island is only accessible via boat, but this is no bad thing! In fact, the journey to The Temple of Philae is one of highlights of a Nile cruise. Your first glimpse of these ancient monuments is usually the most unforgettable. Gliding across the water, Philae makes for an impressive sight; the yellow sandstone contrasted against a backdrop of lush greenery, reflected in this tranquil stretch of the Nile makes you feel like Indiana Jones discovering a long lost treasure. On our particular boat, nobody said a word as we savored the approach to the island, the only thing to remind us that we were a little late to ‘discover’ it being the hum of the outboard motor.

Interestingly, the temple of Philae no longer resides on Philae Island as it once did during the time of the Pharaohs, but rather on the island of Agilika, just 550 meters away. In 1902, the British built what is known as the Lower Dam to meet the needs of an expanding population by stemming the annual Nile floods. An unfortunate consequence of the dam however, was that the temple complex of Philae was submerged beneath the river for most of the year. In fact, the temple remained this way for over 70 years until in 1972, after an appeal to the nations of the world by UNESCO, a project began to move the temple to higher ground. This delicate and difficult preservation project took seven years to complete, but it was worth every effort, allowing future generations to experience this magical temple. The outline of Philae Island is still visible to an extent, in the form of the remains of the coffer dam that was built around the island when the preservation project began.

The new island home of Philae Temple has been landscaped to match the topography of the original island and we are able, in all but a few minor details, to experience the geography of the temple today as it would have been in antiquity. Although monuments on the island date from the 26th Dynasty, most of the structures which remain are from the Graeco-Roman period. During this time, the Goddess Isis (wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus), was immensely popular as a cult religion and the temple is dedicated to her. The pylons of the temple complex include depictions of a famous ancient Egyptian myth involving Isis. The myth tells of Osiris, who was murdered by his brother, the wicked Seth, who chopped Osiris’ body into pieces and scattered them in various places about the Nile. Isis determinedly searched for her husband’s body parts (his manhood being one of them) and upon finding them, used her divine powers to bring Osiris back to life. Following the resurrection, Isis and Osiris conceived of a son, Horus, who in the spirit of a revenge tragedy (with a happy ending) avenges his father by defeating Seth in combat.

One of the island's most visually stunning features is Trajan’s kiosk, otherwise known as the Pharaoh’s Bed and built by Emperor Trajan in around 100 A.D. During the period of the worship of Isis, a statue of the goddess would make an annual procession via barge down the Nile, finally ending up in the kiosk. Images of Trajan making offerings to the goddess can be seen on walls of the kiosk.

Philae Island was one of the most important religious sites of the ancient Egyptian civilization, due also to nearby Biga Island (the legendary burial place of Osiris) and as such, was one of the last great temples to close. The Philae temple closure is widely considered to mark the end of ancient Egypt.

Be wary that a few of the guards posted on this island may not be the friendliest of sorts… although it must be said that the vast majority are extremely pleasant. We witnessed a strange altercation in which a guard threw a tourist’s hat into the water after refusing to tip. Officials operating inside many of the ancient monuments are not allowed to ask visitors for tips, although many still do.

If you get tired of all the history, or prefer to have a drink whilst you savor the sites, Agilika has an outdoor café where you can buy an assortment of refreshments. After all… ‘discovery’ can be thirsty work.

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