Friday, December 08, 2006

Dendara Temple attracting tourists again

Nice news about Dederah Temple, the first one I ever visited on the Nile: "Opposite the Upper Egyptian city of Qena on the west bank of the Nile stands Dendara Temple, a massive pile of awe-inspiring ancient Egyptian and Graeco-Roman architecture. Over the past two years the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) has carried out a reconstruction and development programme of the entire temple area, and now the tourist-friendly site is open to visitors.
Over the ages Dendara Temple, one of the best preserved in Egypt, was isolated in the parched desert. The only tourists who paid a visit were making a stop on a journey between Cairo and Luxor. More recently, it has been a destination from the Red Sea resort of Hurghada or a stop on a Nile cruise itinerary.
However, interest in it was low, and a few years ago the temple was closed to visitors and its cafeteria and gift shops were almost derelict. Now the SCA's site management policy to rescue Egypt's archaeological sites and make them more tourist-friendly has brought new life to Dendara. The temple has been resurrected not only as an ancient temple but a comprehensive tourist complex providing visitors with various cultural and entertainment facilities."
See the above page for the full story.

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