Egypt’s Temples Worth Seeing: Don’t Miss Them If You Go to Egypt!

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Egypt is dotted with temples; almost every city has a temple dedicated to its local god. Below we take a look at the top ten temples in Egypt: Philae Temple, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, Abu Simbel Temple, Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Temple of Horus, Temple of Kom Ombo, Medinet Habu (Temple of Ramesses III), Temple of Hathor, and Temple of Seti I. Each temple has its unique features, so if you go to Egypt, don’t miss them!

1. Philae Temple

Philae Temple is located in Aswan, Egypt, built on the small island of Philae in the Nile south of Aswan city. It is dedicated to the goddess of love, Isis, and is famous for its stone carvings and mythological reliefs on the walls. It is the longest-surviving place of ancient Egyptian religion. Philae Island is 15 km south of Aswan, 450 m long and 150 m wide. Known as the “Pearl on the Throne of the Ancient Egyptian King,” this ancient Egyptian temple complex is renowned for its splendid and unique architecture, grand and vivid stone carvings, and mythological stories depicted on the stone wall reliefs.

2. Luxor Temple

Luxor Temple is located in south-central Egypt, on the east bank of the Nile in Upper Egypt, more than 670 km south of Cairo, on the southern half of the site of Thebes, the capital of the Middle and New Kingdoms. Luxor Temple attests to Luxor’s glorious past. It was built by Amenhotep III (r. 1398–1361 BC), the 19th pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, to honor the sun god Amun, his wife Mut, and their son the moon god Khonsu. Later, during the late 18th Dynasty, it was expanded by Ramesses II, forming the scale that survives today. Egyptians often say: “He who has not seen Luxor has not seen Egypt.”

3. Karnak Temple

Karnak Temple was first built more than 3,900 years ago, located in the north of the Egyptian city of Luxor. It is a magnificent temple left by the ancient Egyptian empire. The temple complex contains more than 20 chapels, 134 giant stone columns, and statues of sphinxes with ram heads, all awe-inspiring in their grandeur. Karnak Temple was part of Thebes, the capital during the Middle and New Kingdoms. It was the cult center of the sun god Amun and the site of the largest temple in ancient Egypt.

4. Abu Simbel Temple

Abu Simbel Temple is a major tourist attraction in Aswan, southern Egypt, located 290 km south of Aswan. It was built between 1300 and 1233 BC, more than 3,300 years ago, and is one of the best-preserved monuments from the New Kingdom pharaonic era. Its name is said to come from the name of the guide who first brought Westerners to the site. Together with many other monuments downstream to Philae, Abu Simbel is part of the Nubian Monuments, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Sun Festival phenomenon—where sunlight penetrates the sanctuary twice a year to illuminate the statues inside—is one of the temple’s mysterious features.

5. Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut is the tomb of Egypt’s first female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, located at the northernmost end of the Theban necropolis, built into the northern cliff face. Hatshepsut ordered her mortuary temple to be built into the cliff, hoping her rule would endure. The temple, by successfully utilizing the natural terrain and harmonizing with the surrounding environment, is considered one of the best examples of integration between ancient architecture and the natural landscape. Its break from tradition fully displays the innovative talent of Egyptian artists, which was rare and precious under the absolute monarchy.

6. Temple of Horus (Edfu)

The Temple of Horus was built starting in 237 BC, taking more than 200 years to complete. It is dedicated to the falcon-headed god Horus. Because the area is low-lying and the Nile floods buried the temple in deep silt, it is the best-preserved temple in all of Egypt. Horus was one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt, the son of Osiris (god of the underworld and vegetation) and Isis (goddess of protection). He is usually depicted as a falcon wearing the Egyptian crown, and the pharaohs regarded themselves as the incarnation of Horus.

7. Temple of Kom Ombo

The Temple of Kom Ombo means “Golden City” in ancient Egyptian. The original site was the ancient city of Pa-Sebek on the Nile, but no trace of the city remains. Built during the Ptolemaic dynasty, like other temples it has tall columns and a desolate atmosphere due to ruin. However, it is unique in that it is dedicated to two gods: the falcon god Horus and the crocodile god Sobek, hence it is also called the “Double Temple.” The temple’s greatest feature is the visible stone tenon-and-mortise joints, as well as the murals related to Imhotep, the Egyptian god of architecture and medicine, and crocodile mummies.

8. Medinet Habu (Temple of Ramesses III)

The mortuary temple of Ramesses III, also known as the City of Habu, was a sizable city in Coptic times. The temple is well-preserved, second in size only to the Temple of Amun. It was the last major construction project of the pharaonic era and a monument to Egypt’s final period of prosperity. Originally a royal residence, the first courtyard was used for ceremonies and entertainment; the second courtyard was occupied by a church in Ptolemaic and Roman times. There are also three hypostyle halls, and outside the left side of the second hall lies Ramesses III’s burial chamber. The outer walls are decorated with famous panoramic reliefs.

9. Temple of Hathor (Abu Simbel)

The Temple of Hathor was built by Ramesses II of the 19th Dynasty for his wife Nefertari. This smaller temple is also carved into a cliff slope, with six standing statues about 10 meters high on its façade: three of Ramesses II and three of Nefertari. Little is known about Nefertari’s origins; she is known to have come from a noble family and served as a priestess of the sun god. In this temple, the statues of Nefertari and Ramesses are the same height—a unique occurrence in history—highlighting her high status and Ramesses’ love for her.

10. Temple of Seti I (Abydos)

The Temple of Seti I, also known as the Temple of Abydos, is located in Abydos (modern Arabat el-Madfuna), 8 miles west of the Nile channel. It stands out among all ancient Egyptian temple ruins. The huge rock-cut chambers form an underground palace, making it the largest temple in ancient Egypt. The walls and ceilings of the corridors are covered with exquisite paintings. On the left wall of the passage are carved 120 ancient Egyptian deities, and on the right wall are the names of 76 pharaohs before Seti I. That Seti I could build such a magnificent temple more than 3,000 years ago is truly admirable.