Esna temple held a special place among the holiest temples of ancient Egypt, as it represents one of the main aspects of ancient Egyptian life. The temple is an absolutely beautiful piece of remarkable and enchanting architecture. The temple is dedicated to the ram-headed deity Khnum the god of the source of the Nile, his wife Menhit and son Heka plus the goddess Neith the ancient goddess of war and weaving.
The temple of Esna is located 485 miles (776 Km) south of Cairo on the west bank of the Nile, 55 km south of Luxor, it lies in the ancient city of Latopolis "City of the Fish" as it held 52 species of fish.
Esna temple was firstly constructed by king Tuthmosis III (1479 – 1425 BC) who laid the foundation of Esna but was completed by the Ptolemaic and Roman emperors between 40 AD to 250 AD. The temple was honored by the ancient Egyptians who complained with strict rules when it came to ritual purity as the inscriptions carved on the walls stated that the ones who enter the temple were expected to cut their fingernails and toenails, remove other body hair, wash their hands, dress in linen and have no sexual intercourse for several days.
Esna temple was built using red sandstone and contains a hall of columns with 24 pillars decorated lotus and palm capitals. The walls of the temple are carved with four rows of reliefs showing the names the Ptolemaic and Roman emperors and images of then dressed in Pharaoh Costumes offering sacrifices to the god Khnum. On both sides of the temple are chambers that were used by the priests and keepers of the temple as storerooms. On the edge of every entrance of each room, there are images of Emperor Trajan carrying a litter by six priests with hawk and jackal masks of the gods.
One of the most incredible scenes about Esna temple is the roof which is decorated with astronomical representations, on the gateway of the temple on the left side are the sky goddess Nut, Alpha Draconis a.k.a Thuban (the dragon star), the Dog Star, and Orion's belt. On the western wall of the front of the temple are images of the god Horus and the god Khnum dragging a net full of fish from the Nile as well as some reliefs of birds, below this imagery is the last known hieroglyphic inscriptions ever recorded.
Egypt is filled with fantastic ancient treasures and masterpieces like the temple of Esna spread all over the country, and there is no better way to explore them than a visit to the timeless cities of luxor, and aswan through our tailor-made egypt private tours.
From: US$430
Private 4 Days Cairo Tour Packages 4 days Cairo Egypt tour package will offer a bles...
Tour Location: Cairo – Giza...
From: US$550
Stunning 5 Days Cairo and Alexandria Tour Package 5 days Cairo and Alexandria tour p...
Tour Location: Cairo/Giza/Alexandria...
From: US$1030
Exceptional 6 Days Cairo, Luxor & Aswan Tour Package 6 days Cairo, Luxor & A...
Tour Location: Cairo/Giza/Aswan/Luxor...
From: US$1020
Amazing 7 Days Cairo and Hurghada Holiday 7 Days Cairo & Hurghada holiday will e...
Tour Location: Cairo – Giza – Hurgh...
Egypt Tours Portal
Egypt Tours Portal was established in 1987 and we have more than 33 years of experience in the field of tourism in Egypt. We have defined the word of professionalism throughout the tours that we have arranged through the past years as it is not just business to us but it is a matter of proving to the whole world that we are the best travel agency in the middle east who can arrange perfect well-organized tours in Egypt with the whole required element to make it one of its kind.
Karnak Temple also is known as the temple of Amun, it was called Ipet-isu or "The most select of places" ...
Luxor temple is one of the most beautiful and powerful temples in Egypt, it was known as Ipt-Rsyt or the ...
Explore key facts, maps, and tombs of the Valley of the Kings. Discover comprehensive details about this ...
Eoffers valuable insights straight from the source, capturing the voices and experiences of those who matter most – our cherished clients
© Copyright Egypt Tours Portal 2024.
