Temple of Edfu in Egypt

One of the best preserved treasures of Ancient Egypt, the vast Temple of Edfu is an essential stop whether you're travelling between Luxor and Aswan by land or on a Nile cruise. Located in a West Bank town of the same name, roughly 80km south of Luxor, the temple was built in the Ptolemaic era, over a period of roughly 200 years up to 57BC, on the site of a smaller New Kingdom temple. Dedicated to Horus, it is a near contemporary of other exceptional sites such as Philae and Kom Ombo, making this a vintage age of Egyptian invention.

There are several striking aspects of the temple, beginning with the immense main pylon through which visitors enter, its walls vividly decorated with spectacular reliefs and the main door bookended by falcon statues representing Horus. Entering the temple and exploring its various chambers and alcoves, this theme of wonderfully intact reliefs, inscriptions and calligraphy is maintained. The recognisable icons and imagery that sweep across the interior walls tell an evocative story of Ancient Egyptian customs and history, virtually unmatched elsewhere. There are two interior hypostyle halls, and the most important chamber is the Sanctuary of Horus, with its atmospheric, polished-granite shrine still in situ. Even for those feeling slightly “templed out” after exploring Luxor, Edfu is unmissable.