Egyptian temples were buildings for the official worship of the gods in ancient Egypt. These temples were seen as houses for the gods. Sometimes they were specially for the pharaohs (kings). Within these temples the Egyptians performed a variety of rituals of the Egyptian religion. People would give offerings (gifts) to the gods. They would show the stories of the gods through festivals. These festivals would also help normal life to continue. The pharaohs were responsible for providing the temples and caring for the gods. This required a lot of labor and material for building and maintenance. It was necessary for the pharaohs to give this responsibility to priests. Most of the ordinary people did not take part in ceremonies and could not enter special parts of the temple. The temple was an important religious place for all classes of Egyptians. They went there to pray, give offerings, and seek guidance from the god dwelling within.