Tour to Dendera Temple from Luxor

One of the most beautiful temples in Egypt, built at the beginning of our era, is an outstanding example of the style of the Ptolemaic era. Located not far from Luxor, it is one of the most famous sights of Egypt, it is here the unique painted ceilings with scenes from the zodiacs and astronomical scenes of the starry sky are preserved in its pristine beauty.

The temple that we will visit is dedicated to the goddess Hathor - a sacred cow that was a popular deity in the area. The beginning of the actual construction of the temple in this area can be attributed to the Middle Kingdom.

The Great Hypostyle Hall consists of 18 columns decorated with the heads of Hathor, at one time they were brightly painted. The columns supported the roof, divided into 7 parts, each part was decorated with astronomical scenes. Nowhere else are such scenes better preserved than on the ceiling of the Hypostyle hall of the temple in Dendera.

The Second Hypostyle Hall consists of 6 columns with ornate capitals. Three small rooms on each side of the temple were used as storage rooms or for storing offerings and objects related to the rites in the temple.

The ante chamber is decorated with 4 rows of reliefs of offerings to the gods of the temple in Dendera. The sanctuary of the golden boat is the place where only Pharaoh himself or the high priest was allowed to enter - this is the sacred place where the sacred boat of Hathor was kept. In the same place there are underground chambers where treasures of a temple were stored or hidden.