Location: 5 km (3 mi) Southwest of Qena, Qena Governorate Map
Open: 6am- 4pm daily
Dendera Archaeological Site is ancient Egyptian archeological site
situated 5 km (3 mi) Southwest of Qena, Qena Governorate in Egypt.
This enormous temple complex covers a total area of 40,000 square
meters. The first religious structure was constructed here by
pharaoh Pepi I in the middle of the 23rd century, however little
remains from the time period. Some of the best preserved buildings
on the site actually date back to the Greek and Roman times.
One of the most famous reliefs originally found here is a relief of
a Dendera zodiac that contained images from astrology and pagan
religions. A sketch of the beautiful depiction was made by the
French archeologists during Napoleonic campaigns in Egypt in the
late 18th century. Unfortunately the relief itself was removed in
1820 and moved to Louvre museum in France. Dandera zodiac date back
to the first century BC when the land was ruled by the Greek dynasty
of Ptolmeic family.