Temple of Horus at Edfu

This ancient temple, built as homage to the falcon-headed god Horus, was erected between 237 and 57 BC, during the reign of six different Ptolemies. It’s the second-largest temple in Egypt, only after Karnak, and its main building includes a number of marginally preserved reliefs. 
The temple pylons stretch an impressive 118 feet into the sky and visitors can still see where guards once stood, keeping watch over the pharaoh’s enemies. Visitors to this ancient site can trace history through age-old etchings that record years of land donations and even depict the annual Triumph of Horus—a yearly ritual that uses 10 harpoons to kill a ceremonial hippopotamus.

Practical Info

The temple is located on the west bank of the Nile in Edfu.