Esna is located on the west bank of the Nile, around 485 miles south of Cairo. Originally the ancient city of Senat, it was known as ‘The City of the Fish’ and was where the Nile Perch was worshipped.

Esna Lock

Today Esna is a popular stop over for many Nile cruise boat holidays.

The Temple of Esna

The Temple is located just a short walk from the Nile, in the centre of the town. Dedicated to the God of creation Khnum and other dieties, including

Esna column

Neith, Heka, Satet and Menheyet, the remains of the Temple consist of a hall of columns with 24 pillars decorated with lotus and palm capitals. The walls are covered with relief’s depicting Ptolemaic and Roman Emperors dressed in Pharaoh costumes making sacrifices to the Khnum.

On either side of the entrance to the Temple there are chambers which the priests and keepers of the Temple used as storerooms. At the entrances to these rooms there is the Emperor Trajan being carried by six priests.

Temple

The roof of the Temple is decorated with astronmical figures and Roman signs of the zodiac, including the sky Goddess Nut, the Dog Star, Orion’s Belt and the Dragon Star.

On the western wall of the Temple you can see the God of Victory Horus and the God Khnum pulling a net of fish from the Nile, along with relief’s of birds. At the foot of the western wall you will find the last known hieroglyphics ever recorded, completed in 250AD by the Roman Emperor Dios.