Hotels Aswan
What to see by car: Aswan
 
Aswan is an excellent base from which to explore the many outlying sights. An
important, although not very interesting, structure is the Aswan Dam, 4.8kms south
of the city. The dam was built by the British and completed in 1902.
The Aswan High Dam, also known as Lake Nasser, is about 6.4kms upstream of
the Aswan Dam, and was constructed from 1960 to 1970, dedicated in 1971 to the
former outspoken Egyptian leader and champion of Arab rights. The Soviet Union
took over much of the dam's financing after the United States and Great Britain
left the project in 1956. Built of earth and rock fill, with a core of clay
and concrete, the High Dam wall is 114m high and 3,600m long.
Lake Nasser is the dam's reservoir and one of the world's largest artificial
lakes. The creation of the lake required the relocation of 90,000 people (most
of whom lived in Sudan) and of many archaeological treasures.
Abu Simbel is a village on the Nile River that should not be missed. Its two
temples (1250 BC) were chiselled out of rock cliffs during the reign of Ramses
II. To avoid the rising waters caused by the construction of the Aswan High
Dam in the 1960s, the massive statues of Ramses II and the temples were cut
into 950 blocks and reassembled farther inland. The project, completed in 1966,
was sponsored by UNESCO and funded by more than 50 nations.
The original Philae Island was flooded when the High Dam was built, but the
temples were saved and reconstructed on neighbouring Agilka Island. Philae Temple
is well worth seeing.
Also near Aswan are the Granite Quarries, which feature the gigantic Unfinished
Obelisk (42m in length and 4 sq m at the base). The Unfinished Obelisk still
lies where a crack was discovered as it was being hewn from the rock. Possibly
intended as a companion to the Lateran Obelisk originally at Karnak (now in
Rome), it would have measured 37m and weighed over 1,150 tonnes when complete.
The temple of Kalabsha, 13kms north, is also worth seeing. Nearby is the Fatimid
Cemetery, consisting of hundreds of mud-brick tombs dating back to the 9th century
AD. Not as easily seen is a temple in Wadi el-Sebwa, 140kms south (arrangements
must be made in Aswan to hire a boat to get to it).
If you have several days to spare, travelling between Luxor and Aswan by felucca
can be adventurous. The cost can be very inexpensive, especially if divided
with other passengers.
Selection of hotels in this region:
Click below for a
full list of hotels and online booking
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