Dandarah (ancient Tentyra), village, central Egypt, on the west bank of the Nile River, opposite the city of Qina (Qena). Dandarah is famous for a temple dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Hathor. The temple was begun by Ptolemy XII, king of Egypt, in the 1st century BC and completed during the reign of Augustus, emperor of Rome. It is one of the best preserved and most imposing edifices of ancient Egypt. The temple, constructed of sandstone, is almost 91 m (300 ft) long and 41 m (135 ft) at the widest point. The enormous portico is supported by 24 columns, each 15 m (50 ft) high and more than 6.7 m (22 ft) in circumference. Population (estimated) 21,300.
