The Temple of Ellesiya now free to all
In 1966, the Rock Chapel of Ellesiya, the oldest rock temple in Nubia, arrived in Turin. Following the construction of the Aswan Dam, Italy and the Museo Egizio were called to contribute to the UNESCO campaign to save the Nubian temples, which were at risk of being submerged by Lake Nasser. In gratitude for Italy's participation in the rescue mission, the Egyptian government decided to donate the temple to Italy. After a complex transport and reconstruction process at the Museo Egizio, the temple was officially presented in Turin in the fall of 1970, in the presence of Italian and Egyptian authorities.
Over fifty years later, as part of the museum's renewal for its bicentennial, the Museo Egizio has decided to make the Chapel accessible to the public for free. It has its own independent entrance from Via Duse and, after the completion of the renovation, from the museum's covered courtyard, allowing unrestricted access for visitors.
The new display of the Chapel has been designed to provide visitors with an independent and free experience. The updated exhibition provides useful information about the geographic and historical context of the Ellesiya Temple, through two informational panels, a videomapping projection, and a visual-tactile orientation panel. In an effort to focus the space around the Temple, the museum removed existing exhibits and display cases from three sides of the room, directing visitors’ attention to the temple’s façade. Additionally, visitors can enter the monument's interior, where backlit graphics help them better understand the scenes carved into the walls.
In 2023, the restoration of the Chapel began, involving the cleaning and consolidation of surfaces by the Centro Conservazione Restauro La Venaria Reale. The Chapel has been reinstalled thanks to the research and work of Egyptologists and curators: Johannes Auenmüller, Alessia Fassone, Paolo Marini, Beppe Moiso, and Tommaso Montonati. The 11-minute videomapping, projected onto the Temple’s façade, narrates its history, from ancient times to its recent journey to Turin in the 1960s.
Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group is the official sponsor of the restitution of the Ellesiya Temple to the public, with contributions from Fondazione CRT, the Consulta per la Valorizzazione Beni Artistici e Culturali di Torino, and the participation of Ribes Digilab.
