Dendera Temple Complex

The Dendera temples are a Ptolemaic-Roman complex in the village of Dendera. The current temple dates from the Greco-Roman period and was dedicated to the goddess Hathor. Construction began in 116 BC under Ptolemy and was completed by the Roman Emperor Trajan. The site includes, in addition to the main temple, two mammisi (birth houses), a small temple for the goddess Isis, a sanatorium, remains of a church, and a sacred lake. The Dendera temple is renowned for its beautiful architectural style and is considered one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. The interior and exterior walls of the temple feature beautiful images depicting the kings performing rituals. The temple is distinguished by its marvelous Hathor columns, crypts, and the staircase leading to the roof. On the temple roof, there is a chapel dedicated to Hathor, and rooms where the story of Osiris’s death and resurrection is depicted. The ceiling also features the famous circular zodiac. On the outer walls of the temple, there is a depiction of Queen Cleopatra with her son Caesarion