Philae Temple (Temple of Isis)

Where it is & how to get there

• By boat: Drive to the Marina Philae landing near the Aswan Low Dam, then a short motorboat to Agilkia Island.
• From Aswan: About 20 minutes by taxi to the landing.
• Tours: Usually combined with the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk.

The story of Philae

Philae was the great sanctuary of the goddess Isis, and one of the last places where the ancient Egyptian religion was practised, into the 6th century AD. Most of its buildings date from the Ptolemaic and Roman periods.

After the first Aswan dam, the island flooded for much of the year. In the 1970s, a UNESCO campaign moved the whole temple, block by block, to nearby Agilkia Island, where it stands today.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Visit the evening sound and light show.
• Look for the Kiosk of Trajan, the elegant pavilion by the water.
• The boat ride itself gives lovely views of the temple.

What's around Philae

• Aswan High DamBuilt in the 1960s, creating Lake Nasser.
• Unfinished ObeliskA giant obelisk still lying in its quarry.
• Nubian VillageColourful village on the West Bank.
• Aswan Botanical GardenOn Kitchener's Island.

Questions travellers ask