«Akhmim» is one of the ancient cities in the province of Sohag, Upper Egypt, which includes many monuments and historical monuments, which were discovered centuries ago and decades, but, according to archaeologists, the remains of the underground relics of the city exceeds what was discovered, and it looks like a city Floats on a sea of ​​monuments.

According to Egyptologists, the city of Akhmim «floats over a lake of ancient Egyptian temples and monuments» as described, in reference to the large number of monuments not yet discovered down the city, especially the current cemetery.

According to the Egyptian archaeologist Alireza, Akhmim, which has its roots in the depths of history, was the capital of the ninth region in ancient Egypt, which ran between Mount Tukh in the south, and Mount Hermidi in the north.

Reda added that Akhmim was known in the past as «Khanty Maine», which the Arab lettered to Akhmim, pointing out that the Greeks called it «Panapolis».

He points out that Akhmim is one of the oldest cities in Egypt. It contains monuments from different eras, including Greek antiquities, and many Christian monasteries. In the Arab era, it was a major city called «Kor Akhmim».

Many travelers and historians visited the city of Akhmim. «A city with many palms vineyards and farms», and «an old town with antiquities and old buildings and the headquarters of the Governor of the province and Vice-tribal face and a judge, and an old mosque and schools and markets and hotels».

Among the landmarks of ancient Akhmim are the temples of the alabaster in the Barba area, and the temple of King Ramses II, which contains huge and unique statues, including the statue of Princess Merritt Amon the daughter of Ramses II, discovered in the early eighties of the last century, and a statue of King Ramses II, and a statue of Roman head is believed to be Statue of the goddess Venus, goddess of love and beauty of the Greeks.

The Temple of King Ramses II in the city of Akhmim, Upper Egypt, is undergoing development work aimed at the advancement of the surrounding area, and the development of its entrance and the establishment of a service area for visitors from the world tourists, especially with the increase of arrivals to visit him after the opening of the National Museum of Sohag, and the success of plans to collect, renovate and install the huge statue of King Ramses The second is in its original display next to the statue of Queen Merritt Amon, in the temple, which Egyptian scientists believe is the largest temple of its kind in ancient Egypt, and that large parts of it is still under the dust under the houses and cemetery of the city of Akhmim.

Restoration plan

The Director General of the Antiquities of Upper Egypt in Luxor, Qena and Sohag, Dr. Mohamed Yehia Eweida, said that the region is working to implement a permanent work plan for the restoration of the temple features and protect the inscriptions and drawings, and coordination with the authorities of Sohag Governorate to upgrade the surrounding area to suit the historical and cultural value of the temple of Ramses II, and the city of Akhmim .

Aside from the fact that a large part of the Temple of Ramses II is still underground, Arab historians who visited Akhmim talked about the existence of a huge red granite statue that may have been the god Maine, who was the capital of his worship.