Ekur was the principal temple of the god Enlil at Nippur in ancient Mesopotamia.
The name Ekur is generally translated as “mountain house.” It referred to Enlil’s major sanctuary at Nippur, a city that became one of Sumer’s most important religious centers. Enlil was a chief deity associated with authority, wind, and cosmic rule, and his temple gave Nippur exceptional prestige even when other cities held political power.
Ekur was not simply a single building in the modern sense. It formed part of a sacred complex that included courtyards, subsidiary structures, priests, and administrative spaces. Rulers from different Mesopotamian dynasties repaired or enlarged the sanctuary to demonstrate devotion and legitimacy.
Ekur is sometimes confused with Eanna, the temple complex of Inanna at Uruk, or Esagila, the temple of Marduk at Babylon. Etemenanki was a separate Babylonian ziggurat associated with Marduk’s religious center.