The temple exudes a sense of mystery

The city of Esna was known as Senat in ancient Egypt and Latopolis during the Greek period. The temple complex was built during the Ptolemaic dynasty and the Roman era. The foundation of the Esna Temple was laid by Thutmose III of the 18th Dynasty, but the temple was completed between 40 and 250 AD. This temple is dedicated to the ancient Egyptian god Khnum, his consorts Menhit and Nebtu, Khnum's firstborn and heir Heka, and the goddess Neith. Khnum is the ram-headed creator god, while Neith is another creator deity of the ancient Egyptians. Most of the temple has been destroyed, with only a beautiful columned portico remaining. The portico has 24 columns adorned with lotus and palm capitals. The walls are covered with four rows of reliefs depicting scenes of Ptolemaic and Roman kings dressed in pharaonic attire offering sacrifices to Khnum. The portico is small, measuring 37 meters in length, 20 meters in width, and 15 meters in height, and is made of sandstone. It is said that a new zodiac relief was discovered in this hall, and the Egyptian restoration team successfully fully restored and recolored some of the images on the ceiling. The relief images include a complete zodiac, planets such as Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, as well as several stars and constellations that helped the ancient Egyptians calculate time.