Philae Temple was originally located near the expansive First Cataract of the Nile River in southern Egypt, and was the site of an Ancient Egyptian temple for the goddess Isis. With the projects to dam the Nile – first with the Aswan Dam, then later in the 1960s with the High Aswan Dam – the island became increasingly submerged and the temple threatened. As part of UNESCO’s project to rescue the ancient monuments threatened by the river damming, temple complex was later dismantled and relocated to nearby Agilika Island. The project took 10 years.
Now the temple is on the higher, nearby Agilika Island and worthy of a visit. Isis was a very important goddess in ancient times. She was known as the Mother of God, giver of life, protector and healer of kings and her temple was once the site of many pilgrimages
