Temple of Horus Things to Do

Wearing the crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, this magnificent granite statue of the Falcon God Horus is located just outside the first hypostyle Hall.

The myth is that Osrisis was a King who is best known for teaching the Egyptians how to live
and more importantly, how to grow corn. In fact, he is said to have told all Egyptians to worship corn. Horus’s Uncle Seth murdered his brother and cut the body up, scattering his body parts all over Egypt. Osrisis’s wife, Isis, collected all of the body parts and put them all back together forming the very first mummy in Egypt. Isis the used her magic to bring the mummy back to life and they conceived a son, Horus.

Osrisis then joined the underworld and became judge of the dead while Horus went on to avenge his father by fighting the fierce battle with Seth.

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Anne and I were very impressed with Edfu Temple which is home to the most beautiful “reliefs” and hieroglyphics depicting daily life. These hieroglyphics are carved into masonry that appears as though it could have been laid only a few years ago!

In this relief you can see mythological scenes of Horus, the Falcon Headed God, fighting a hippopotamus and slaying it to prove his superior being. The hippos were also thought of as gods.

The ceiling of the Hypostyle Hall, or “outer Hypostyle Hall” is blackened from the smoke of torches and fires. This is due to the Christians using the temple as a church after it was unearthed by the Romans. The Christians also took a chisel to the faces of just about every statue and relief in an effort to erase them from history,

The Hypostyle Hall has 12 columns that support the roof and the walls are adorned with many hieroglyphics and reliefs that depict rituals, offerings and daily life as it was in the land of the Pharaohs over 2000 years before.

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During the reign of the Pharaohs, this court was a public gathering place to make offerings to the Falcon God Horus. It makes perfect sense then that this courtyard is named the “Court of Offerings!

The court is colonnaded and each column has a papyrus lotus on top which support the roof of the first Hypostyle court.

Anne and I did not spend a great deal of time in this court as the temperature was 45 degrees celsius and we wanted to reach the cool and comfortable shade in the Hypostyle Court,

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The temple is known as the best preserved in all of Egypt because it was buried below meters of sand and silt for almost two thousand years! The temple dates back to approx 237 B.C, took 25 years to build and was commissioned by the Pharaoh Ptolemy III.

The huge pylons in the forecourt of the temple are something special to look at. Anne and wondered around the forecourt and took in the "atmosphere" that seemed ever present at this temple. We stood in the shade of the walls that surround this structure and we waited a few minutes for the crowd of people to disperse before we eneted the temple. This way we had most of the place to ourselves while evryone else rushed to the rear of the temple to see the sanctuary.

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The reliefs of the Grand Pylons depict scenes of the Pharaoh Ptolemy III defeating the enemies of Egypt while Horus and Hathor watch him eagerly.

The entrance to the temple, and its colonnaded court is between the two grand Pylons and there are two statues of the Falcon God Horus guarding either side of the entrance to the court.

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Now this is impressive! At the very end of the temple is the sanctuary of Horus.

In the centre of the magnificent room is a model of the sacred barque of the Falcon God Horus. This model is situated in front of a black granite shrine to Horus and both are surrounded by three walls with the most exquisite reliefs depicting offerings to the god.

It is a real shame that the Christians took a chisel to this place and defaced all of the reliefs in an effort to wipe out their beliefs.

Be prepared for a bit of a wait as just about every visitor to this temple wishes to take a photograph or two of this magnificent room….me included!

Known as the “House of divine birth,” the Mammisi is located just inside the entrance gate to Edfu Temple.

The temple is dedicated to the Falcon God Horus’s birth in the presence of Hathor and Khenoum.

I did not enter the Mammisi as it was undergoing renovations when I was there.