# Qena

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"Caene" redirects here. For the town in ancient Laconia, Greece, see [Caene (Laconia)](/source/Caene_(Laconia)).

For the ancient port in Yemen, see [Bir Ali](/source/Bir_Ali).

Not to be confused with [quena](/source/Quena), a South American musical instrument.

City in Egypt

Qena قنا City Qena Location within Egypt Coordinates: 26°10′12″N 32°43′38″E / 26.17000°N 32.72722°E / 26.17000; 32.72722 Country Egypt Governorate Qena Area [1] • Total 31.60 km2 (12.20 sq mi) Elevation [1] 80 m (260 ft) Population (2021)[1] • Total 252,883 • Density 8,003/km2 (20,730/sq mi) Time zone UTC+2 (EET) • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST) Area code (+20) 96

šꜣbt[2] in hieroglyphs

**Qena** ([Arabic](/source/Arabic_language): قنا **Qinā** [\[ˈʔenæ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Arabic), locally: [ˈɡena]) is a city in [Upper Egypt](/source/Upper_Egypt), and the capital of the [Qena Governorate](/source/Qena_Governorate). Situated on the **east bank** of the [Nile](/source/Nile), it was known in antiquity as **Kaine** ([Greek](/source/Greek_language) Καινή, meaning "new (city)"; Latinized transliteration: **Caene**) and **Maximianopolis**.[3][4] [Gauthier](/source/Henri_Gauthier) identifies Qena with ancient Shabt.[5]

## Overview

Qena Mosque

This provincial capital is located about 95 km from [El Balyana](/source/El_Balyana) and 63 km north of [Luxor](/source/Luxor). It is most famous for its proximity to the ruins of [Dendara](/source/Dendara). It owes its modern prosperity to the opening of the [Wadi Qena](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wadi_Qena&action=edit&redlink=1) towards the [Red Sea](/source/Red_Sea), which is a major traffic route between Upper Egypt and the Red Sea. Tourists traveling between Luxor and the Red Sea will assuredly pass through this city since there is only one good road connection. Qena is noted for its pottery. Qena is also known for its beautiful huge mountains and green nature.

[South Valley University](/source/South_Valley_University) has a campus in Qena.[6]

Qena is a large market town on the River [Nile](/source/Nile) situated next to the famous Greco-Roman temples of [Dendera](/source/Dendera). Also on the Nile, Luxor is a long-time tourist hotspot that in large part attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors because of its temples, tombs and location on the site of the ancient capital of [Thebes](/source/Thebes%2C_Egypt). Ancient Thebes is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Qena has one of the highest concentration of [Coptic Christians](/source/Coptic_Christian) in Egypt (approximately 35% of the total population).

## History

Main article: [Caenepolis](/source/Caenepolis_(Egypt))

In addition to its [Ancient Egyptian](/source/Ancient_Egypt) heritage as the city of [Caenepolis](/source/Caenepolis_(Egypt)),[7] Qena has a considerable [Islamic](/source/Islam) heritage and many unique architectural [mosques](/source/Mosque). Qena has witnessed major restorations, and came third in the [UNESCO](/source/UNESCO) City Beauty contest.[8]

## Climate

Qena has a [hot desert climate](/source/Hot_desert_climate) (BWh) according to [Köppen climate classification](/source/K%C3%B6ppen_climate_classification), with very hot summers and very little [precipitation](/source/Precipitation_(meteorology)) year round. Winters are warm at days, but become cool at nights. The hottest months on average are equally July and August, while the coolest month is January. [Luxor](/source/Luxor#Climate), [Minya](/source/Minya%2C_Egypt#Climate), Qena and [Asyut](/source/Asyut#Climate) have the widest difference of temperatures between days and nights of any city in [Egypt](/source/Climate_of_Egypt), with almost 16 °C (29 °F) difference.

The hottest temperature recorded was on May 15, 1991 which was 50 °C (122 °F) and the coldest temperature was on January 6, 1989 which was −1 °C (30 °F).[9]

Climate data for Qena Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 22.7 (72.9) 25.3 (77.5) 30.5 (86.9) 35.3 (95.5) 38.8 (101.8) 41.0 (105.8) 41.0 (105.8) 40.7 (105.3) 38.1 (100.6) 35.1 (95.2) 30.1 (86.2) 24.4 (75.9) 33.6 (92.5) Daily mean °C (°F) 13.2 (55.8) 15.0 (59.0) 19.4 (66.9) 24.6 (76.3) 29.8 (85.6) 31.7 (89.1) 32.0 (89.6) 32.1 (89.8) 29.1 (84.4) 26.0 (78.8) 20.3 (68.5) 15.0 (59.0) 24.0 (75.2) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 6.9 (44.4) 7.8 (46.0) 11.4 (52.5) 16.1 (61.0) 20.8 (69.4) 23.2 (73.8) 24.1 (75.4) 24.2 (75.6) 22.0 (71.6) 18.8 (65.8) 13.6 (56.5) 8.9 (48.0) 16.5 (61.7) Average rainfall mm (inches) 1 (0.0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1 (0.0) 1 (0.0) 3 (0) Average relative humidity (%) 63 56 44 31 27 28 31 32 44 53 59 63 44 Source: Arab Meteorology Book[10]

## Transportation

Qena has a network of streets, roads and highways with greenery and flowered pavements. From the city there is a road that crosses the Eastern Desert to port [Safaga](/source/Safaga) on the Red Sea.

The [United States Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force) conducted classified operations from Wadi Qena airfield from the 1970s to the 1990s, under the code names Coronet Scabbard (Facebook group under same name), Coronet Aspen, Coronet Drake, and Coronet Mallard.[11] The 4401st Combat Support Squadron (Provisional) maintained a near-constant [CENTAF](/source/CENTAF) presence there. Part of these operations probably included [Lockheed MC-130](/source/Lockheed_MC-130) flights during the [Desert One](/source/Desert_One) rescue attempts for the U.S. hostages in Tehran in the late 1970s.[12]

## See also

- [Egypt portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Egypt)

- [List of cities and towns in Egypt](/source/List_of_cities_and_towns_in_Egypt)

- [Dendera](/source/Dendera)

- [Luxor](/source/Luxor)

- [Maximianopolis (disambiguation)](/source/Maximianopolis_(disambiguation))

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-citypopulation_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-citypopulation_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-citypopulation_1-2) ["Qinā (Kism (fully urban), Egypt) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location"](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/egypt/admin/qin%C4%81/2701__qin%C4%81/). *www.citypopulation.de*. Retrieved 17 June 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Gauthier, Henri (1926). [*Dictionnaire des Noms Géographiques Contenus dans les Textes Hiéroglyphiques Volume 3*](https://archive.org/details/Gauthier1926). p. [147](https://archive.org/details/Gauthier1926/page/n77).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Trismegistos, "Kaine (Qena)"](https://www.trismegistos.org/place/952)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Alan B. Lloyd (editor), *A Companion to Ancient Egypt* (John Wiley & Sons 2010), p. 459](https://books.google.com/books?id=RK2pLin2sPAC&pg=PA459) [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-44432006-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-44432006-0)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Gauthier (1926)](#Dictionnaire_des_Noms_Géographiques_Contenus_dans_les_Textes_Hiéroglyphiques_Volume_3) p. 147

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["TISC Directory: Egypt - Qena (TICO- South Valley University)"](https://www.wipo.int/tisc/en/search/details.jsp?id=10024). *www.wipo.int*. Retrieved 2023-03-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Explore Qena"](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g1598532-Qena_Qena_Governorate_Nile_River_Valley-Vacations.html), *tripadvisor.com*, retrieved 30 June 2020

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["UNESCO-Qena \[Egyptian National UNESCO Commission\]"](https://whc.unesco.org/fr/listesindicatives/5389/), *whc.unesco.org*, retrieved 30 June 2020

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Voodoo_Skies_9-0)** ["Qena, Egypt"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160422072217/http://voodooskies.com/weather/egypt/qena/). Voodoo Skies. Archived from [the original](http://voodooskies.com/weather/egypt/qena) on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-climate_10-0)** ["Appendix I: Meteorological Data"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072830/http://extras.springer.com/2007/978-1-4020-4577-6/Book_Shahin_ISBN_9781402045776_Appendix.pdf) (PDF). Springer. Archived from [the original](http://extras.springer.com/2007/978-1-4020-4577-6/Book_Shahin_ISBN_9781402045776_Appendix.pdf) (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [William Arkin](/source/William_Arkin), Code Names, 325.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Thigpen, Col. Jerry L. (2001). The Praetorian STARShip: The Untold Story of the Combat Talon, Air University Press/Diane Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-58566-103-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-58566-103-1), p. 196, 213-215.

## External links

[Wikisource](/source/Wikisource) has the text of the [1911 *Encyclopædia Britannica*](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition) article "[Kena](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Kena)".

- [*Early Morning Qena* – a short film on Qena](https://www.vimeo.com/2197639/)

[26°10′N 32°43′E / 26.167°N 32.717°E / 26.167; 32.717](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Qena&params=26_10_N_32_43_E_)

v t e Governorates capitals of Egypt Governorate (capital) Alexandria (Alexandria) Aswan (Aswan) Asyut (Asyut) Beheira (Damanhur) Beni Suef (Beni Suef) Cairo (Cairo) Dakahlia (Mansoura) Damietta (Damietta) Faiyum (Faiyum) Gharbia (Tanta) Giza (Giza) Ismailia (Ismailia) Kafr El Sheikh (Kafr El Sheikh) Luxor (Luxor) Matrouh (Mersa Matrouh) Minya (Minya) Monufia (Shibin El Kom) New Valley (Kharga) North Sinai (Arish) Port Said (Port Said) Qalyubia (Benha) Qena (Qena) Red Sea (Hurghada) Sharqia (Zagazig) Sohag (Sohag) South Sinai (El Tor) Suez (Suez)

v t e Upper Egyptian cities Akhmim Aswan Asyut Beni Suef Edfu Faiyum Hurghada Luxor Mallawi Minya Safaga Qena Sohag

v t e Egyptian cities by population 1,000,000 and more Cairo Alexandria Giza Shubra El Kheima 300,000–999,999 Suez Port Said Mansoura El Mahalla El Kubra Tanta Asyut Faiyum Khusus Zagazig Ismailia Aswan 6th of October Damanhur Damietta Minya Beni Suef 100,000–299,999 Luxor Arish Benha Desouk Edfu Hurghada Kafr El Dawwar Kafr El Sheikh Mallawi New Cairo Obour Qena Shibin El Kom Sohag Mit Ghamr Zefta El Senbellawein Dekernes El Gamaliya El Manzala El Matareya Talkha Belqas Minya al-Qamh Bilbeis 10th of Ramadan Abu Kebir Faqous El Qurein Benha Qalyub Ashmoun Menouf Sadat City Edku El Hawamdeya Kerdasa Biba El Fashn Nasser Sinnuris Samalut Beni Mazar Maghagha Abu Tig Manfalut El Quseyya Dairut Abnub Tahta Tima Girga Akhmim Esna Mersa Matruh

Authority control databases International VIAF National United States Israel Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Qena](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qena) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qena?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.