Philae Temple (Temple of Isis)
معبد فيلة
An Isis temple on a small island in the Nile. Relocated during the Aswan Dam project, it is known as the 'Pearl of the Nile.'
The Philae temple complex is dedicated to the goddess Isis. Most of it was built from the Ptolemaic to the Roman period, and it was one of the last strongholds of ancient Egyptian religion, not closed until the 6th century AD. After the old Aswan Dam was completed in the early 20th century, the temples were partly submerged for years. To keep them from being fully drowned once the High Dam was built, UNESCO oversaw a project in the 1970s to cut all the structures into more than 40,000 blocks and reassemble them, in their original form, on the higher Agilkia Island. Highlights include the great pylon of the Isis temple, the Birth House, and Trajan's Kiosk, built by the Roman emperor Trajan and nicknamed “Pharaoh's Bed.” Early Christians also carved crosses into the reliefs. To visit, take a taxi to the Marina Philae pier near the old Aswan Dam and buy your entry ticket (about 550 Egyptian pounds; confirm on site). Then pay for a small boat to the island (negotiate a round-trip fare). It's best to visit in the morning, then continue to the unfinished obelisk and the High Dam.
Opening hours
07:00–16:00 (evening light-and-sound show sold separately)
Nearby sights
- Sehel Island (Famine Stela)
- Nubian Village (Gharb Soheil)
- Unfinished Obelisk
- Nubian Museum
- Aswan High Dam
- Sofitel Legend Old Cataract
- Elephantine Island
- Mausoleum of Aga Khan III