Qena Attractions
The busy provincial capital of Qena, the ancient Cainepolis, lies on the east bank of the Nile, a mile or so from the river. The town itself has no features of tourist interest, but it is the nearest place to the Temple of Hathor at Dendera.
Qena is noted for its pottery, in particular the porous water bottles (kulal, singular kulla) made from the local clay which are sold all over Egypt. Evaporation keeps the water in these bottles 9-11 °F/5-6 °C below the outside temperature.
From Qena a road crosses the Eastern Desert to Bur Safaga on the Red Sea.
Qena is noted for its pottery, in particular the porous water bottles (kulal, singular kulla) made from the local clay which are sold all over Egypt. Evaporation keeps the water in these bottles 9-11 °F/5-6 °C below the outside temperature.
From Qena a road crosses the Eastern Desert to Bur Safaga on the Red Sea.
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Dendera (Tentyris, Tentore)
The ruins of the ancient city of Dendera are located on the west bank of the Nile, across from Qena. This was once among Egypt's most famous cities, and the capital of Upper Egypt.
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Dendera - Temple of Hathor
(Dendera / Tentyris / Tentore)
Built in the 1st C B.C., this temple shows fine proportions, and reliefs which offer a glimpse of Egyptian decorative art of the Late Period.
El-Matana, Egypt
(Near Qena)
El-Matana (east bank of the Nile). On the west bank is the village of Asfun el-Matana, the ancient Asphunis (Egyptian Hesfun).
El-Sirag
On the Hill Of El-Sirag (east bank of the Nile) are the picturesque ruins of a Late Byzantine fortified town, with a church and monastery, perhaps the ancient Thmuis. In the vicinity are old quarries with inscriptions (including one in the name of Tuthmosis III). The nummilitic limestone of the hills now gives place to sandstone, the material used in most of the monumental buildings of Upper Egypt.
El-Siriya, Egypt
(Near Qena)
In the Nile is the large island of El-Siriya. Opposite, on the east bank, is the village of El-Siriva, to the north and south of which are ancient quarries, with a Chapel of Hathor built by Merneptah (reliefs of offerings). On the rock face Ramesses III is depicted between Hathor and a god.
Smoke Mountain
The ancient "Porphyry Road" (almost impassable in places) goes off on the left, at first following the Wadi Qena, then turning into the Wadi el-Atrash and continuing along the south side of Gebel el-Dukhan ("Smoke Mountain"; 4,446ft/1,360m), the ancient Mons Porphyrites, to reach the Red Sea. At the old Roman porphyry quarries on Gebel el-Dukhan are the ruins of an unfinished Ionic temple of the time of Hadrian, remains of an irregularly laid out settlement and two large cisterns.
Attractions in Other Popular Destinations
