Philae temple complex

Philae temple complex is a group of ancient Egyptian religious buildings dedicated mainly to the goddess Isis, originally located on Philae Island near Aswan. After the construction of the Aswan High Dam, the complex was dismantled and reconstructed on nearby Agilkia Island in a UNESCO salvage project completed in the late 20th century.

The complex’s centerpiece is the sanctuary and its connected halls and courts, with additional structures such as a Roman-era kiosk and smaller chapels. Decorative reliefs and inscriptions are primarily Ptolemaic and Roman in date and the complex remained an active cult centre well into the Roman period.

The temples were constructed and modified from the Ptolemaic period into the Roman era and continued in use until the late antique period. The modern relocation began after 1960s dam planning and was carried out to preserve the monuments from rising waters.

The reconstructed complex now stands on Agilkia Island in Lake Nasser a short boat ride from Aswan’s riverfront, a few kilometres south of the modern city.

• UNESCO relocation: Relocated stone-by-stone to nearby Agilkia Island in the 1970s and early 1980s under a UNESCO-led campaign to save it from flooding after the completion of the Aswan High Dam.
• Access: Access is by short motorboat trips from Aswan; the complex is set on an island and is approached from the Aswan riverfront.

What to See #

• Temple of Isis: The principal sanctuary and sequence of hypostyle halls dedicated to the goddess at the heart of the complex, richly decorated with reliefs from the Ptolemaic period.
• Kiosk of Trajan: A small Roman-era pavilion of columns and open chambers that served as a riverside reception structure, notable for its graceful columns and Roman construction techniques.
• Small temples and chapels: Smaller adjacent shrines and chapels dedicated to other deities such as Hathor, integrated into the island layout and decorated with Ptolemaic inscriptions.