St. Pachomius Monastery

This complex is the best-preserved ancient temple in Egypt. The sun-deity Horus, usually depicted as a falcon or as a falcon-headed man, was worshiped as one of the chief deities, the son of Osiris. The temple was begun in 237 BCE by Ptolemy III over an earlier New Kingdom structure, and completed almost two centuries later in 57 BCE by Ptolemy XII (father of the famous Cleopatra). You enter through a massive pylon, 36 m high and decorated with reliefs showing Ptolemy XII smiting his enemies. The gateway is guarded by twin giant granite falcons.