The Temple of Ain El Muftella is located in the central area of the Bahariya Oasis. This temple used to be the city center in the ancient city of El Qasr. Since the ancient times, this city fell away and a modern city rose up named Bawati. While the city itself has long since succumbed to the Sahara, the four 26th dynasty chapels that make up the temple still remain. The site is a popular Sahara tourist attraction, and it should be included on any tour of the Bahariya Oasis.

What To See At the Temple Of Ain El Muftella?

The temple may have been built in ancient times, but it has been constantly added to and renovated. The result is that different time periods are represented in the temple structure and the artwork contained in its walls. Among the things you will see are:

Images of the 26th Dynasty when the temple was first built
Images from the New Kingdom
Images from Greek and Greco-Roman rule of Egypt
Images from the Roman rule of Egypt

Because so many different groups and time periods added to the Temple of Ain El Muftella, it is hard to differentiate between one time period and the next.

Why Was The Temple Built?

Because the Temple Of Ain El Muftella is rural, it served many different purposes. Instead of being built for one specific god, it served as a place of worship for any god that the locals chose to worship. Because of this, the images painted on the walls vary greatly to include Osiris, Thoth, Bes, and other gods and goddesses that ancient civilizations worshiped.

There are a total of four different chapels that can be toured in the Temple of El Muftella. While the Sahara has slowly but surely been devouring the chapels, each of them have been preserved quite well, allowing you to see paintings, reliefs, carvings, and statues.

It can be hard to recognize all of these different forms of artwork if you view the temple without a tour guide. For that reason, we recommend that you enjoy the knowledge and information that will be provided to you by a professional guide familiar with the area.

Getting There

The Bahariya Oasis is close to Cairo and you can reach the temple within a few hours. Buses travel the area often. Additional ways to reach and tour the temple include private vehicle, taxi, off-road vehicle, and even camels.

Make sure you allot enough time in your visit to view all of the chapels in the temple. Each chapel includes a unique look with a variety of artwork from the various time periods that contributed to the temple. The best way to explore the Temple of El Muftella and the surround area is with Egypt desert tours or with our flexible Egypt custom tours.