Egyptian Temples

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Egyptian Temples
Egyptian Temples
Ancient Egyptian Temples were believed to be the dwelling places of the Egyptian Gods. Only the Pharaoh and the Priests were allowed inside the temples and the priests would undergo ritual purification in a deep stone pool before they entered the Inner Sanctum of the Temples. This not only cleansed them but also gave them contact with the primeval moisture of life. Ordinary Egyptians were only allowed to come to the gates, or forecourt, of the temples to pay homage and offer gifts to the Gods. The Priests would collect the gifts and say prayers on behalf of the person in the confines of the temples. The priests would conduct ceremonies, sacrifices and chant magical incantations, sometimes referred to as spells. The temples would consist of heavy gates which accessed a massive hall with great stone columns, and then a series of many other rooms through which processions of priests would pass. These rooms, or chambers, were lit by candles and incense would be burnt to purify the air of the Temples. The chambers gradually decreased in size, the lighting in the temples was deliberately and significantly reduced to create an atmosphere of deepening mystery until the priests reached the chapel and the shrine which contained the Naos. The Naos was the stone tabernacle inside the shrine which housed a great statue to the god to whom the temple was dedicated.

Famous Ancient Egyptian Temples

The most famous Ancient Egyptian Temples include the following: Luxor - The Temple of Luxor built by Amenhotep III and Ramses II dedicated to the gods Amun Ra and Horus West bank of Luxor - the temple at Deir el Bahari - The mortuary temple of Hatshepsut was built by the Great Steward of Amun who was called Sennemut dedicated to the god Amun Karnak - The most famous temple at Karnak is the Temple of Amun. Originally the temples at Karnak and Luxor were connected with a two-mile avenue of sphinxes Abu Simbel - The most famous temples at Abu Simbel are the Temples of Ramses and Nefertiti Agilika Island - Temples of Philae built by the Ptolemaic pharaohs Edfu - The Temple of Horus built by the Ptolemaic pharaohs and dedicated to the god Horus Kom-Ombo - The Temple of Kom-Ombo built by Ptolemy VI dedicated to the god Sobek

List of Famous Ancient Egyptian Temples

The following list of Ancient Egyptian Temples contains details of the temple, the Pharaoh builders and the gods who were worshipped at them.

Location of Temple
Abu Simbel, Nubia Abu Simbel, Nubia

Famous Ancient Egyptian Temples Name of Temple Pharaoh Builder

Temple of Ramses, beloved of Amun The Temple of Nefertari dedicated to the goddess Hathor Great Aten Temple at Amarna ( destroyed after the death of the Akhenaten, the heretic ) Temple of the Oracle Temple of Alexander the Great Pharaoh Ramses II

Egyptian God
Amon Ra ( aka Amun)

Pharaoh Ramses II built this temple in honor of Hathor his wife Nefertiti Pharaoh Akhenaten Pharaoh Ahmose II Alexander the Great Aten Amun Amun and Horus 5/23/2010

Amarna, the city of Akhenaten Siwa Bahariya Oasis

http://www.king-tut.org.uk/ancient-egypt/egyptian-temples.htm

Egyptian Temples Bahariya Oasis Nubia Nubia Nubia South of the High Aswan Dam in ancient Nubia Luxor Thebes, West bank of Luxor Thebes, West bank of Luxor - the temple at Deir el Bahari West bank of Luxor West bank of Luxor West bank of Luxor Luxor Dendera, north of Luxor Karnak Temple of Bes Temple of Amada Temple of Thoth (Dakka) House of Ptah Temple of Wadi alSabua aka House of Amun Temple of Luxor Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep II The Ramessuem The Temple of Millions of Years Mortuary Temple of Merenptah Temple of Hathor Unknown Pharaoh Tuthmosis III Akamani Ramesses II Ramesses II Amenhotep III and Ramses II Amenhotep III Queen Hatshepsut Bes Amun-Ra Thoth Ptah Amun Amun Ra, Horus

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Amun, Ptah and Osiris Amun

Pharaoh Mentuhotep II Hathor Pharaoh Ramses II Pharaoh Seti I Pharaoh Merenptah Pepi Amun Amun Ra Amun Hathor

Temples of Mut, Montu See below and Amun Several Pharaohs incl. Karnak Great Temple of Amun Ramses II and Seti Karnak Temple of Montu Tutmosis I Amenhotep III and Karnak Temple of Mut others Kharga Oasis, Al Wadi Temple of AlPtolemy III, IV and X Al Gadeed Ghuwaytah Dakhla Oasis Kharga Oasis Edfu Kom-Ombo, north of Aswan Esna Tanis (San El-Hagar) Abydos Abydos Agilika Island Medinet Habu Deir al-Hagar Temple Temple of Hibis Temple of Horus Temple of Kom-Ombo Temple of Khnum Complex of Temples Temple of Osiris Temple of Seti I Temples of Philae Temple of Ramesses III Roman Emperor Nero Darius I & Apries (Haaibre) Ptolemaic pharaohs Ptolemy VI Tuthmosis III Several Pharaohs Ramesses II Seti I Ptolemaic pharaohs Ramesses III

Amun Amun, Osiris Moon Goddess Mut Amun, Mut and Khonsu Amun, Mut and Khonsu and Seth Amun, Mut and Khonsu Horus Sobek Khnum Amun, Mut and Khonsu Osiris Osiris, Isis & Ptah Isis, Osiris & Horus Amun

Location of Temple

Name of Temple Pharaoh Builder Famous Ancient Egyptian Temples

Egyptian God

http://www.king-tut.org.uk/ancient-egypt/egyptian-temples.htm

5/23/2010