This is the best preserved temple in Egypt because it was buried under sand until the 1860's. It is a Graeco-Roman era temple built around 230 BC by the Egyptians (not the Romans) to honor the trinity of Horus, the Falcon God, and his wife and son. It took 127 years to build and was in use for only 27 years. It was later defaced by the Coptic Christians who had been tortured by the Romans.
There are many inscriptions on the walls of the temple, giving archeologists important information on the period and showing that it was dedicated by Ptolemy VIII in 142 BC. There is a beautiful relief of a meeting between Horus and his wife Hathor. As usual, one enters by a gate into an open courtyard; then into the covered courtyard and finally the Inner Sanctuary. The massive gate had deep grooves in it where once colorful flags hung. The beautiful columns or pilons in the covered courtyard stand 118 feet tall. On one side of this hall is a library where the Priest would study the religious order of each day and on the other side is a robing room.
In the Inner Sanctuary it is thought that there was a golden statue of Horus standing on the still present granite naos.
From journal An Unforgettable 10 Days in Egypt