Temple of Dendur

Temple of Dendur – New York, New York I’m switching back to architecture for the final post from inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. And what glorious architecture it is. The Temple of Dendur is one of The Met’s most iconic and beloved works. The gallery was specifically designed for Dendur and opened in 1978. The temple was a gift from Egypt to the United States for participating in the rescue of antiquities that would have been submerged by the construction of the Aswan High Dam. More than 20 cities competed for the honor of displaying the temple, and President Johnson ultimately awarded it to The Met. Dendur is not just a facade. It’s the complete surviving temple, measuring 43 feet long, 21 feet wide, and 16–21 feet tall. Built around 15–10 BC during the reign of Roman emperor Augustus, the architecture is thoroughly Egyptian. Reliefs even portray Augustus as an Egyptian pharaoh. The base is adorned with papyrus and lotus plants, and even the historic graffiti was left…