The Temple of

Hathor

Denderah

)

Dendera Temple 2

**The Temple of

Hathor

is far and away the main attraction here; it'smagnificently huge Square structure that looks every bit as Ancient as it is.
Inside, visitors to the Temple of

Hathor

explore the structure's various imposing halls and its associated necropolis.

**Oriented towards the Nile the Temple of

Hathor

follows the fairly typical plan of other temples from the Greco-Roman Period.
It is dedicated to the goddess

Hathor

and her mythology relating to her consort Horus of Edfu.
The present Temple building was begun before the reign of Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II whose name is found in the crypts, continued through the Ptolernaic kings and was completed during Roman times
**On the roof there is a suite of chambers known as the “Osirs suite” The walls of the first room show scenes of the burial goods of Osiris, including his caprice jars and on the ceiling Nut is again shown with other astronomical figures.

**There are several kiosks from the Roman period outside the mud brick enclosure wall which surrounds the Temple complex.
The gateway of Domitian and Trajan is built into this mud brick wall and leads to a large open courtyard.
There is, unusually, no colonnade or pylon gateway leading up to the Temple of

Hathor

.
**The main entrance of the Temple of

Hathor

as seen from the Mammisi.
It is a comparatively small propylon-style gateway rather than a large pylon as in most other Upper

Egypt

ian temples from the New Kingdom onwards.
The Temple, of Ptolemaic and Roman date, is dedicated to a local form of

Hathor

who was closely identified with Nut, as sky-goddess and daughter of Ra.
**On the south exterior wall of the Temple, reliefs show offerings being made to the goddess by Cleopatra VII.
This is one of the few depictions showing the most famous of all the Cleopatras.
In front of her, in traditional Pharaonic dress, is Caesarion (Ptolemy Caesar), her son by Julius Caesar, who Cleopatra established as her co-regent at the age of four.