Dedicated to the goddess Isis, Philae Temple is one of Egypt’s most beautifully situated ancient sites — set on Agilkia Island in the Nile near Aswan, surrounded by water on all sides. The temple wasn’t always here: to save it from being permanently submerged by the rising waters of the Aswan High Dam, the entire complex was dismantled block by block and reassembled on Agilkia Island in the 1970s, roughly 500 meters from its original location on Philae Island, in a UNESCO-led rescue effort.
The complex includes several shrines and sanctuaries built around the central Temple of Isis, including a dedicated Temple of Hathor and the Birth House (Mammisi), along with two grand pylons marking the temple’s entrance. Together, the site’s reliefs and chapels tell the story of Isis and Osiris — one of ancient Egypt’s central myths, of loss, magic, and resurrection.
Visiting Philae Temple
Philae is reached by a short boat ride from the Aswan dock, adding a scenic approach that few other Egyptian temples offer. In the evening, the temple also hosts a Sound and Light Show, bringing the site’s history to life after dark.
