Once renowned as the (The Pearl of Egypt) by virtue of its rich Vegetation & its magnificent assemblage of temples The island of Philae now lies beneath the waters of Lake Nasser; but fortunately thanks to a spectacular rescue operation, it was possible to save at least the most important monuments & re-erect them on the higher neighbor island of Agilka, Although antiquities on the island date between the 26th Dynasty and the Roman Period, most of the work is from that of the Roman. This was a time of immense popularity of the Goddess Isis, and this was her island, where pilgrims would come from all over the Mediterranean. Construction on the island took place over an 800 year span, and it was one of the last strongholds of Ancient Egyptian Religion which continued to flourish here into the 6th Century. When the Temples where finally closed by Justinian in A.D 550, it ended 4,000 years of worship of the pagan gods.
IWNTA - SIGHTSEEING - Aswan - Philae Temple
