Qasr Qaroun Temple Travel Guide: Top Sights in Egypt, Tours & Travel

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Qasr Qaroun Temple- Travel Tips What to See, How to Plan & Tours: Historical & Cultural; Egypt; 5 Reviews

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Suggested Duration: 2 hours

Qasr Qarun, located 65 kilometers from Fayoum in Egypt's northwest, is a well-preserved Ptolemaic temple dating back to 323–30 BC, though its exact dating remains uncertain due to the lack of inscriptions. Built with yellow limestone blocks, the temple features a complex interior with various chambers, corridors, tunnels, and stairways, offering an intriguing space to explore. The roof, accessible via spiral staircases, provides sweeping views of the surrounding desert and cultivated land. Nearby, the ruins of Dionysias, a Greco-Roman town, include remnants of Roman baths and some houses with interior frescoes, though many structures have eroded over time.

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Reviews of Qasr Qarun

Amir Khelifi

3
Reviewed: 2025-02-26

Half of the temple was closed, there’s three floors over the ground and three floors underground. The whole basement was closed despite having the most interesting stuff to see there, when you go inside a guide comes with you even if you didn’t ask for one and then you would feel pressured to pay him, when we paid him he said pay my other colleague too, like WTH, Egypt is all about ignoring guides when they come woh you so they would just walk off.
Shireen Talaat

5
Reviewed: 2025-02-11

This is an ancient temple in Fayoum Governorate near Qaroun Lack. It is really amazing how ancient built this wonderful temple. The temple was dedicated to the worship of the god Sobek and later Dionysus. From 330 BC to AD 640, the town was known as "Dionysias". The inhabitants of the region in the Islamic era called it "Qasr Qarun" because it was located near Lake Qarun.
Jamie Ridealgh

5
Reviewed: 2023-12-30

Incredibly deceiving. Very minimal from the outside but quite the labyrinth inside - truly impressive with some interesting details about the architecture design for airflow and temperature regulation.
AHMED BADAWI

4
Reviewed: 2022-06-22

(The term "palace of Qarun" is a misnomer) is a Ptolemaic temple (323-30 BC) that has not been accurately dated due to the lack of inscriptions. Built of yellow limestone blocks, it is nearly entire, however the exterior has been partially restored and elements of the internal structure have been reinforced by the Antiquities Department. It may appear little from the outside, but it is a genuine maze of chambers, hallways, cellars, tunnels, stairways, higher floors, and various nooks and crannies on the inside, making it a fascinating location to explore. There are no inscriptions, but a winged sun soars over the entryway, and a winged sun flies over the roof (reachable by any of the two).
Hazem AbouAgwa

4
Reviewed: 2018-08-29

It was really interesting to visit this place and know about our country’s history and heritage. I consider this place as one of the hidden gems in Fayyoum. It is also very close to the city and doesn’t need much time to reach there.