Philae - Jewel of the Nile

In 1960 UNESCO started a project in order to try and save the buildings on the island from the destructive effect of the ever increasing waters of the Nile.

The temples had been practically intact since the ancient days, but with each inundation the situation worsened and in the sixties the island was submerged up to a third of the buildings all year round.

First of all a large coffer dam was built, constructed of two rows of steel plates between which a million cubic meters of sand was tipped. Any water that seeped through was pumped away.

Next the monuments were cleaned and measured, by using photogrammetry, a method that enables the exact reconstruction of the original size of the building blocks that were used by the ancients.

Then every building was dismantled into ca 40 000 units, and then transported to the nearby island of Agilkia, situated on higher ground some 500 m away. This little island was landscaped and prepared to receive its new purpose in the history of Egypt.

The total weight of these blocks were 27.000 tons and some of the blocks weighed as much as 25 tons each. It was all done in two and a half years time.

The temple came to life again, and despite the lack of color, still the reliefs and hieroglyphs which speak of the worship of Isis, impress the visitor. You can stroll for hours, immersing in the athmosphere and see for your inner sight how it might have been. There is so much still standing, the layout is clear to observe. Most of the island is taken up with the temples and chapels, though there is also a restaurant for the weary, and there are seats for the audinece at the Sound and Light Show.