Philae Temple is the great Ptolemaic and Roman-era sanctuary of the goddess Isis, originally built on a small island in the Nile just south of Aswan and now standing on the nearby Agilkia Island after a UNESCO rescue operation that ran from 1972 to 1980. The temple is famous for its harmonious island setting, the long history of its Isis cult (the last temple in Egypt to use hieroglyphic inscriptions, in 394 CE), and the spectacular nightly sound and light show that uses the temple’s own colonnades as a stage. Every Aswan day tour and most Aswan to Abu Simbel itineraries include Philae, typically combined with the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk.
The original sanctuary on Philae Island predates the surviving temple by several centuries. A small kiosk dedicated to Isis stood here from the 7th century BCE, but the major temple complex that visitors see today was built between 380 BCE and the 3rd century CE, beginning under the Pharaoh Nectanebo I and continuing through the Ptolemaic and early Roman periods.
The temple was the centre of an active Isis cult that drew pilgrims from across the Mediterranean. Greek and Roman visitors left graffiti in the temple’s colonnades. The cult was so persistent that Philae remained an active pagan sanctuary nearly two centuries after the Roman Empire became Christian — the last known hieroglyphic inscription anywhere in Egypt was carved here in 394 CE, and the last known demotic inscription in 452 CE. The temple was finally closed by order of Emperor Justinian around 537 CE and converted to a Coptic church, with the Isis chapel becoming a basilica.
The Aswan Low Dam built in 1902 raised the Nile level enough to partially submerge Philae for most of the year, with the temple emerging only during the dry season. The Aswan High Dam built between 1960 and 1970 would have submerged it permanently. UNESCO led an international rescue campaign that built a cofferdam around the original island, drained the water, dismantled the temple into 40,000 numbered blocks, and rebuilt it stone by stone on the higher and slightly larger Agilkia Island 500 metres away.
The relocation took eight years and finished in March 1980. The reassembled temple stands at the original cardinal orientation. Visitors who knew the temple before relocation report that the reconstruction is so precise it is impossible to tell which stones were which.
The Kiosk of Trajan is the first structure visitors see when arriving by boat. The unfinished Roman-era pavilion of 14 columns with floral capitals once served as a ceremonial gateway for processional boats. Its incomplete state is part of its charm: the columns rise to floral capitals but the roof was never finished.
The First Pylon is the main entrance to the temple proper, 18 metres high and 45 metres wide, decorated with reliefs of Ptolemy XII Auletes smiting his enemies in classic pharaonic style despite his Greek heritage. The Ptolemies adopted the visual language of Egyptian kingship throughout their 300-year rule.
The Birth House (Mammisi) in the inner courtyard celebrates the divine birth of the god Horus to Isis and Osiris. The reliefs show Isis suckling the infant Horus, an iconography later borrowed by early Christianity for the Madonna and Child.
The Second Pylon and the Hypostyle Hall lead to the inner sanctuary of Isis. The hall’s ten columns carry Hathor-headed capitals and a mix of pharaonic and Greco-Roman style reliefs. The Coptic crosses carved into several columns date from the temple’s 6th-century conversion to a church.
The Inner Sanctuary held the cult statue of Isis. Two granite shrines (called naoi) once stood here, one now in the Louvre and one in Florence; the empty bases remain. The sanctuary walls preserve some of the most refined Ptolemaic reliefs at the site.
The Sound and Light Show at night uses the temple’s own walls as a projection screen, with narration in seven rotating languages telling the story of Isis, Osiris, and the temple’s history.
Location: Agilkia Island in the Nile between the Aswan Low Dam and the Aswan High Dam, around 12 km south of central Aswan. Access by motorboat from the dock at Shellal village.
Opening hours: 07:00 to 17:00 daily (winter), 07:00 to 16:00 during Ramadan. Sound and light show after dark.
Entrance fee (2026, subject to change): Approximately 550 EGP (~$11 USD) as of 2026 (Ministry of Tourism rate, subject to change — confirm at booking) for foreign-visitor adults, 230 EGP for students with international ID. Motorboat fare to the island is around 200 EGP per boat (negotiated; bring a few people to share).
Photography: Permitted throughout without flash. Tripods need a separate paid permit. Sound and light show has its own photography rules announced before the show.
Time needed: 1.5 to 2 hours for a careful daytime visit including the boat ride. The sound and light show runs 60 minutes plus boat time.
Getting there: Every Aswan day tour includes Philae, typically as the afternoon stop after the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. Private taxis from central Aswan to Shellal dock take 25 minutes for around 350 EGP round trip with waiting time.
Accessibility: Boat boarding requires a step. The temple’s inner courts have some stairs and uneven stone. Partial wheelchair access on the outer courtyard.
Negotiate boat fare before stepping on. Boat operators at Shellal sometimes raise the price mid-trip. Agree on the round-trip price in writing or with your guide before boarding.
Visit late afternoon for the best light. The west-facing colonnades catch the golden hour light from 16:00 onward and photograph beautifully against the Nile.
Stay for the sound and light show if you can. The temple at night is one of the most atmospheric experiences in Egypt. Check the language schedule with your hotel — the show rotates through English, Arabic, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Japanese on different nights.
Look for the Coptic crosses on the columns. They are easy to miss but tell the temple’s 6th-century conversion story in physical form. The double-life of Philae as both a pagan and Christian sanctuary is one of Egypt’s most layered religious histories.
Philae is included in every EDT Aswan itinerary. The three best options:
Every EDT Aswan tour includes private transport, entrance fees, the Philae motorboat fare, bottled water, and a licensed Egyptologist guide.
The great sanctuary of the goddess Isis built between 380 BCE and the 3rd century CE on an island in the Nile near Aswan. The temple was relocated stone by stone to the nearby Agilkia Island between 1972 and 1980 to save it from flooding by the Aswan High Dam.
The Aswan High Dam built between 1960 and 1970 would have permanently submerged the original Philae Island. UNESCO led an international rescue campaign that dismantled the temple into 40,000 numbered blocks and rebuilt it on the higher Agilkia Island 500 metres away.
Yes. It is one of the best-preserved Ptolemaic and Roman-era temples in Egypt, with a unique island setting and a 900-year religious history that includes the last hieroglyphic inscription anywhere in Egypt (394 CE). Best combined with the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk.
By motorboat from Shellal village dock, 12 km south of central Aswan. The boat ride takes 10 minutes each way. Boats wait at the island during your visit and return when you signal.
Yes. Three nightly shows in rotating languages (English, Arabic, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese) use the temple walls as projection surfaces. Tickets are around 450 EGP and the show runs 60 minutes.
The most important goddess in late ancient Egyptian religion, wife of Osiris and mother of Horus. Isis represented motherhood, magic, and resurrection. Her cult spread from Egypt across the Roman Empire and remained active at Philae nearly two centuries after the Empire became Christian.