Is the esophagus in front of the heart or behind the heart?

The esophagus is located behind the heart. It is a muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach and runs down the back of the chest cavity, behind the trachea and heart. The esophagus plays a crucial role in the digestion process by transporting food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach through a series of coordinated muscle contractions called peristalsis.