Esna

Esna is located 55 kms south of Luxor and is home to the temple dedicated to the god Khnum, as well as his consorts and son, and the goddess Neith.  This excellently preserved temple is less visited by tourists, so you may well find the experience of visiting all the more meaningful for having it to yourself.  The site has been half cleared of debris, revealing stunning remains, while the other half remains buried in centuries of sand and dirt.  This contrast is extremely striking and thought provoking.  Khnum had the head of a ram and according to ancient Egyptian mythology, created man from his potter’s wheel.   The temple was built by Ptolomy VI and finished by the Romans.  The temple was extraordinarily beautiful, built from red sandstone, its impressive portico consisted of six rows of four columns each, with lotus-leaf capitals, each of which was individually designed and differed from every other one.