What was the name of the temple complex dedicated to the moon god Nanna at Ur?

The temple complex dedicated to the moon god Nanna at Ur was called E-gish-shir-gal. Nanna, also known as Sin in Akkadian, was the principal deity of Ur, and his sanctuary was the religious heart of the city.

The name E-gish-shir-gal is usually translated as the House of the Great Light. The complex included the ziggurat, temples, courtyards, and other buildings used by priests and administrators. The surviving ziggurat is the most visible part of the sacred precinct today.

The great ziggurat was built during the Ur III period, especially under Ur-Nammu and his successor Shulgi. It was a massive stepped platform rather than a tomb, and a shrine stood at or near its summit.

E-gish-shir-gal is easy to confuse with other famous Mesopotamian temple names. Ekur belonged to Enlil at Nippur, Eanna was associated with Inanna at Uruk, and Esagila was Marduk’s temple in Babylon.