Esna is located about 33 miles south of Luxor. The town's Greek name was Latopolis and here the fish (lates) were thought to embody the goddess Neith, who was sacred to the area. Esna was increasingly important during the 18th dynasty due to Egypt's developing relationship with the Sudan.  There was a route established between Esna and Derr. Later, the city slowly declined until it received renewed interest during the 26th Dynasty.

Esna was also written by Flaubert, author of Madame Bovary, who was propositioned by a 'almeh' while aboard his boat. He went with her to the house of Kuchuk Hanem, where she danced (not so virtuously) the Bee.  In other words, wild times could be found here. Mohammed Ali had band Almeh (meaning 'learned women') from Cairo, so they had gathered to make their living in Qeuna, Esna and Aswan.

But today, Esna is a somewhat sleepy. If busy, merchant and farming town, with a weaving industry, on the west bank of the Nile where most of the entertainment is to be found in the Saturday animal market. On the covered market street, one may purchase fabric, or have the fabrics made into clothing.  There are some fine old houses in Esna with detailed brickwork and 'Mashrabiya' screens.  There is also a barrage just outside of town which was built in 1906. About 4 miles southwest of town is the Deir Manaos Wa al-Shuhada (Monastery of the Three Thousand Six Hundred Martyrs), whose 10th century church is said to be one of the most beautiful in Upper Egypt. Perhaps this monastery is a lasting memorial to Emperor Decius (249-51 AD) who decreed that all Christians would suffer death if they did not sacrifice to the pagan gods.  His cartouche was the last to be carved on the walls of the Temple of Khnum in Esna.

Sightseeing in Esna

The Temple of Khnum in Esna: The temple, which lies in a pit below the level of the houses in Isna, is dedicated to the god, Khnum.  He was the ram god, who was worshipped throughout this area and who fashioned mankind from mud of the Nile on his potter's wheel.  He was associated with other gods, including Menhyt (his consort), Nebtu (the goddess of the countryside) and Hka (the manifestation of vital energy).

While all that remains of the temple is the Great Hypostyle Hall, surrounding ruins of the ancient complex and city have yet to be excavated due to the modern housing built on the site.  The temple sits atop the ruins of earlier temple(s).

Ptolemy VI originally began this building project, but the Temple of Khnum was a later addition built by the Roman emperor Claudius in the 1st century.  The rectangular hall opens to the west.  The roof is still intact, supported by 24 columns decorated with a series of text recording hymns to Khnum and relating the annual sacred festivals of Esna with scenes illustrating the surrounding countryside.  The sacred festivals are the creation of the universe by Neith, the raising of the sky by Khnum, and his victory over the human rebels.  These texts were done between the Greco-Roman period and the rule of Decius in 250 AD, but were never finished.  There are 16 different palm and plant capitals on the columns, still with some good colour.  Looking up, one might almost feel as though he or she were gazing up in a forest.  The columns also record other nearby temples, including one at  Kom Mer 7 1/2 miles south of Isna which has been excavated. The west wall of the Temple of Khnum is all that remains of the original Ptolemaic temple and has reliefs of Ptolemy VI and Philometor and Euergetes II.

In the forecourt of the temple are blocks from an early Christian church.  There is also an inscription found on the back of a block from Emperor Decius decreeing that Christians will suffer death if they do not sacrifice to the pagan gods.