Luxor: Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said the Temple of Esna restoration project in Luxor reflects the State's keenness to revitalize Egyptian heritage, which contributes to enhancing the Upper Egyptian governorate's status as the top destination for cultural tourism.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the minister made the remarks during an inspection tour of the city of Esna to follow up on ongoing restoration activities at the Temple of Esna, where he was given detailed expert accounts of the progress made in the project work aiming to reveal the original colors and inscriptions that had been obscured by time.

Prominent among the completed work inspected by the minister today were the restoration of the colors of the temple's astronomical ceiling, the cleaning of 18 of the 24 interior columns, and uncovering new details in the designs of the clothing, crowns, and thrones of kings and gods, which appeared for the first time on the southern and western walls.

Emphasizing the ministry's full support for the completion of the project, the minister lauded the efforts made by Egyptian archaeologists and restorers in the temple restoration project.

A joint Egyptian-German archaeological mission between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the University of Tbingen in Germany started working on the project in 2018 with the aim of cleaning, uncovering, and restoring the temple's original appearance and colors to bring it back to its former glory.

During his tour, the minister also inspected restoration and development activities at Al-Jeddawi Historical Agency, located a few meters from the northern wall of the Temple of Khnum in the city of Esna, South of Luxor, which contributed to restoring the agency to its original splendor.

The project is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the Takween Integrated Community Development foundation under the supervision of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The minister also visited some bazaars next to the temple and had a friendly conversation with some of their owners and employees, listening to their problems and demands.

He promised them to discuss with the Chamber of Commerce and travel and tourism agencies how to cover archaeological site and tourist markets more broadly in tourism programs, to help attract more visitors.

The minister also inspected development and restoration works in the area around the temple, pursued as part of a project to invest in sustainable and integrated tourism in the city of Esna.

The project seeks to preserve the archaeological site, improve visitor experience, and increase the area's competitiveness as a unique heritage site.