Edfu Temple stands in the town of Edfu in Aswan Governorate, Egypt, and is known in older records as the Temple of Horus or Apollonopolis Magna. It is dedicated to Horus, the falcon god, and is counted as the second largest temple in Egypt and one of the best preserved.
What you will see
The temple was built during the Ptolemaic Kingdom, between 237 and 57 BC, and its scale and state of preservation make it a rewarding place to walk through. Its large courtyards, towering entrance and inner sanctuary show how a major religious site of the period was organised, and the surviving structure gives a clear sense of its original form.
Planning your visit
- Location: Edfu, Aswan Governorate, on the Nile.
- Who it suits: visitors interested in ancient Egyptian religion, Ptolemaic architecture, or the temple sites of the Nile valley.
- Contact: +20 97 3501991.
Because the temple is large, allow enough time to walk the full site rather than viewing it in a short stop. The town itself is a quiet Nile-side settlement, and a visit here pairs naturally with other temple sites along the river further south.