MyWorldReviews.com

Edfu Temple of Horus

Edfu, Aswan, Egypt

The Temple of Edfu is dedicated to the god Horus, so occasionally it is also called the Temple of Horus at Edfu. (Occasionally Edfu is spelled "Idfu", so there's no lack of confusion about how to identify this temple!)

The Edfu Temple was the best preserved temple we saw during our Egypt Tour. The original roof was still intact, as were many of the interior rooms and intricate carvings that covered the walls. This temple had a very unique feel to it. All the temples we visited previously were more like "open air exhibits". You could look around and see everything. Inside this Temple of Horus, all the rooms and ceilings were intact, so you got a very different feeling walking around.

The ceiling was blackened from the smoke of burning fires. Although there were electric lights that had been installed for the tourists, side rooms and corners were still dark. The entire temple had a very mysterious and religious feel to it. This temple gave a much clearer picture about what the interior of an Egyptian temple would have been like when they were operational.

Before entering the temple, there were metal detectors and guards. As our tour group walked through the metal detector, it beeped for almost every person, but none of the guards moved to stop anybody.

Cost

The ceiling of the temple is black from the smoke of fires

Foreign tourists pay 40 LE each to enter the Edfu Temple. Taking pictures and video footage is permitted without any extra fee.

Estimated Visiting Time

Notice all the tourists inside the main corridor of the temple

Since this temple was so much different from the temples we had visited previously, we enjoyed taking our time looking around. Visitors can walk around the exterior of the temple, and also go inside for a very different perspective. 60-90 minutes should be sufficient for most visitors.