Edfu Temple is dedicated to Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris. According to the legend, Isis conceived and gave birth to Horus on her own and thanks to golden divine, since her husband (and also brother) Osiris had already been murdered by their third brother Seth. What a mess, ha???
The Temple of Horus is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved Temples in Egypt. Its construction, as well as the engraving of inscriptions and reliefs, took about 180 years to complete!
Edfu Temple is consisted of a colossal courtyard, a hypostyle hall, the hall of offerings, the sanctuary (the room of the Gods, where the golden statue of Horus once stood), a chapel, a library, and several other chambers intended for religious purposes or simply used as storage rooms.
Both interior and exterior walls are decorated with giant hieroglyphics, depicting Pharaohs making offerings to the gods, the performance of various rituals, as well as scenes of battles.
If you have a guide, he will walk you through the most important engravings. In the case you don’t have one, then try not to miss the Passage of Victory that can be found as you exit the Hypostyle Hall to the back of the temple. The reliefs on this passageway present in detail the legendary conflict between Horus and his uncle Seth, the victory of Horus and his coronation.
Take away Notes:
- Horus was portrayed as a man with a falcon’s head.
- Us Greek somewhat relate Horus with God Apollo!
How to Get To Edfu Temple - A DIY (Do It Yourself) Guide
Visits to both Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples are included in all Nile Cruises. If you decide not to go on a cruise, you can alternatively hire a private driver from Aswan or Luxor to drive you there.
My personal favorite, most inexpensive and recommended way is to “do it yourself” by using local means of transport (train, microbuses, and tuk tuks).
Do start early in the morning to allow sufficient time for commuting between these places!
Start your DIY day trip from Aswan, by taking the train departing at 07:30 and heading to Edfu first. If the train cashier officer tells you that there is no ticket available, then just jump on the train and pay directly to the ticker inspector! The ticket will cost you 34 EGP.
From Edfu train station walk to the nearby bus station (less than 5’ walk). Use “maps.me” app to track its location or just ask local people. By saying “mahata microbus” they will immediately understand what you are looking for and point at the right direction!
Special Attention! The microbus will not take you directly to Edfu Temple, but to Edfu town. It’s better you ask the driver or another passenger to tell you where to get off for heading to Edfu Temple. The ride costs 1,5 EGP and you usually pay as you step off. However, sharing my personal experience with you, on the way back the driver wanted to charge me 5 EGP, obviously because I looked like a tourist! I said no and agreed on 3 EGP. I didn’t argue much because we were actually discussing for something less than 10 cents, so I felt just like tipping him the extra.
From Edfu town you can stroll your way towards the temple (it is something like 15-20’ walk) or get on a horse carriage (touristic trap and totally not recommended). Most tourists are using horse carriages though… A return ride on such a carriage will cost you 80 EGP (a bit more than 4 euros), which can be split among the passengers (however, do note that the carriage does not fit more than 3 persons).
Entrance Ticket for Edfu Temple – 140 EGP
All Given Prices as of March 2019
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