Temple of Hathor - Dendera

DENDERA - The village of Dendera lies 60 km north of Luxor on the western bank of the Nile, opposite the provincial town of Qena. The ancient name of the village was Iunet, known as Tentyris.

The Temple of Hathor - It is one of the most extensive and best preserved of the surviving temples, owing to its late date of construction, although there are texts that refer to earlier temples on the site of the Temple of Hathor. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Hathor and to the mythology concerning her consort Horus. The main temple has an impressive facade divided into 6 massive columns, with a huge curved cornice bearing a winged disc above the entrance.

It leads straight into a section containing a forest of 18 columns. The ceiling of the first section is especially interesting - divided into 7 bands with well-preserved astronomical figures depicting the goddess Nut, vultures and winged sun-discs, and the Roman signs of the zodiac. The walls are decorated with scenes of Roman emperors, as well as pharaohs, making offerings to Hathor.