Luxor and the Nile Valley Sights

Shopping Nightlife

1. Temple of Khnum

Surrounded by Esna on all sides and set 9 meters (30 feet) below the modern street level, the Temple of Khnum might not have the grand approach or huge footprint of other sites, but its interior makes it worth a visit. In 2018, an Egyptian–German conservation team began cleaning and restoring the temple, revealing the vibrant colors of its artwork, which was done in ink rather than in relief, and had previously been hidden by layers of grime. Started under the Ptolemies and finished by the Romans, it was one of the last temples of ancient Egypt, even though it's dedicated to one of the country's earliest-worshipped gods. Ram-headed Khnum was the god of the source of the Nile and created other deities and humans on a potter's wheel. Today, the hypostyle hall is the only part of the temple that's visible and visitable (the rest is likely buried under the town). Holding up the roof are four rows of 12-meter (40-foot) columns with remarkable capitals: covered in a unique array of beautifully painted, colorful palm leaves and flowers, they resemble lush gardens. While your neck is still craned, note the incredible illustration of the phases of the moon on the ceiling of the temple's northern side. Roman signs of the zodiac are shown on the southern side. The walls display festive celebrations, offerings to gods, and highly interesting everyday scenes, such as fishing in the Nile and hunting migratory birds from Europe. The work of the conservation team was only half complete as of 2022, so there's still more scenic color to uncover.