Experience History in Qena, Egypt

The city of Qena, Egypt gives you a chance to explore an area of Egypt only recently opened to the public. Coptic Christian remains standing by ancient Egyptian temples and more await you!

Location

Qena is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of the Qena Governorate. It can be found on the east bank of the Nile River. Only recently has Qena undergone restorations to make it more tourist-friendly.

What to See in Qena

What are some of the sites you can see in Qena on guided tours? You won’t find much information on Qena in Luxor tours, besides that it is a city and Governorate known for its pottery. However, visiting the official website will give tourists some exciting promises.

The greater Qena area provides several ancient temples, including mosques of Islamic faith and some monasteries of Coptic Christianity. Some of the memorable mosques you can seen include the Sidi Abed Al Rahim Al Qenai Mosque, where there is still a celebration of his birthday going on in the first half of Shaban that lasts for 15 days. Another mosque of interest is the Al Omaari Mosque in Qous, with its unique internal structure.

Coptic Monasteries

There are also some Coptic monasteries to see including Mar Gerges, a monastery named after Saint Mar. Every year there is a Christian ceremony celebrating the birthday of the founding Saint. This monastery was believed to have been built in the fourth century. There are also Coptic monasteries you can see in Asna, such as the Monastery of all Shohadaa and the monastery of Al Faghori. There are also several Coptic monasteries in Naqada, including the monastery of Mar Boktor, the monastery of Saint Mar Korious, the monastery of Saint Basnetaious, the monastery of Anba Androas and the monastery of Al Mogmaa.

Pharaonic Remains

There is also some Pharaonic remains to be aware of, namely in Dandara's Temple. This temple includes relics and paintings that document the start of the Pharaoh families all the way until the emergence of Christianity. Its construction evidently started in 116 B.C. and the work didn’t culminate until 150 years later, when it was decorated in the age of the Roman Empire. You can also see Asna's Temple, built in Roman times as ceremonial place for the God Khnoum. Qeft's Temple is devoted to the God of Qeft, a bizarre figure with human shape and carrying a whip, but with two feathers on his head.

Did someone say pottery? Yes, this is Qena’s most famous industry and you can find a great deal of pottery collectibles in the capital of Qena, in Qous (especially porcelain china) and Nakada.

While there are hotels in Qena (about three star quality, understand that it’s just a short drive back to Luxor that can easily be made in a day. This is a must see destination if you are planning on seeing Luxor and other surrounding areas.

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