Nile Supreme

Nile Supreme on the Nile

The Nile Supreme is a river cruise ship on the Nile. Built in 1993 at Giza Shipyard in Egypt, the vessel has IMO number 9056959. It is 72 metres long and 14 metres wide, with a stated passenger capacity of 144. On 26 January 2024, the Nile Supreme was at Esna.

Esna and the Nile passage

Esna lies south of Luxor on the Nile and can be reached both by land and on Nile cruises from Luxor or Aswan. At the Esna Barrage, water levels are adjusted to allow cruise ships to pass through the facility. The lock is therefore part of the river route; stopping in the city or visiting its sights is a separate matter.

The Temple of Khnum

The Temple of Esna is dedicated to the ram-headed god Khnum and other deities. The surviving pronaos, built of red sandstone, forms the front section of what was originally a Ptolemaic temple complex. Six rows of four columns each define this hall. Each column has a uniquely designed capital adorned with lotus leaves. Alongside Khnum, the temple’s deities include Menhit, Nebtu, Heka and Neith. Most of its decoration dates from the Roman period, from the first to the third century. The building thus combines an older complex with later additions and inscriptions. In the 19th century, the pronaos was used as a cotton storehouse; this use helped preserve this part of the temple, while large sections of the older complex were lost.

The columns and architraves bear hieroglyphs, scenes of the gods and astronomical depictions. The astronomical ceiling is divided along its central axis by a double row of 46 vultures. They represent the goddesses Nekhbet and Wadjet, who personify Upper and Lower Egypt, respectively. Conservation work revealed surviving colours beneath the soot, as well as inscriptions that had previously been difficult to read. The Nile journeys between Luxor and Aswan connect Esna with the historic sites along the river. Voyages by the Nile Marquis have also been documented on this route; the Nile Excellence was also among the Nile cruise ships in 2009.