Best Places to Visit in Aswan, Egypt

One of the most interesting sites to see in Aswan is Philae Temple, which is certainly worth seeing on a trip to southern Egypt. The Philae Temple is an ancient Egyptian temple that is mainly devoted to the goddess Isis and comprises a number of decorated buildings, constructed in the Ptolemaic and Roman eras. One of the best ways to get to Philae Temple is to use a boat, because the temples emerge from the water of the River Nile and are situated on the Island of Agilkia. Philae Temple was situated on Philae Island before, but when the UNESCO rescue operation took place after the Aswan High Dam was built, it was moved to the Island of Agilkia.

The Unfinished Obelisk provides an interesting insight into the technique that was used to work on giant blocks of granite by the craftsmen of ancient Egypt. Situated in the ancient northern quarries of Aswan, the gigantic structure had to be left unfinished after developing cracks in the rock. This obelisk was probably commissioned by Queen Hatshepsut and if completed would have been one of the tallest obelisks ever built. The place is unique due to the fact that the obelisk still rests on the bedrock, which makes the visitors witness the quarrying process instead of just admiring the finished structure. The trenches nearby also provide evidence related to the stone-working techniques used by the ancients. Visiting this place gives one yet another aspect of Aswan’s ancient monuments by understanding how huge rocks for temples, statues and obelisks were quarried.

To get a deeper insight into the cultural life of southern Egypt, one needs to make a tour of the Nubian villages of Aswan and go to the Nubian Museum. Gharb Soheil is one of those villages which are famous for their painted houses, crafts and cuisine. It will give you a chance to discover the Nubian culture which has been thriving in spite of the presence of numerous ancient monuments and has its language, tradition and art. The Nubian Museum gives you the opportunity to get acquainted with the history of the area, since there are thousands of artefacts that have connections with Nubian culture from ancient times till today, such as Ancient Nubia and Kush.

Another great spot for appreciating Aswan in a slow manner is Elephantine Island. Being a major southern frontier and trade center in ancient times, the island possesses the archaeological evidence of its long history. It is possible to combine a visit to the island with a walk through the Botanical Garden situated on Kitchener's Island. The garden offers its visitors beautiful paths and unusual plants growing among palm trees next to the River Nile. One of the best options for seeing all these sights is a cruise around the islands of Aswan in a traditional Nile sailboat called felucca. The moving of the boat and granite cliffs along with the view of the riverbanks provide a totally new feeling compared to temple or museum visits.

The Aswan High Dam is certainly an entirely new part of the city's history. Being built during the 20th century, the dam changed the way the Nile functioned as a source of irrigation and electrical power in Egypt, forming Lake Nasser. Furthermore, the High Dam was one of the events that occurred during the history of monuments of Nubia, as it had caused the flooding of many ancient structures and made it necessary to conduct the relocation of structures like Philae Temple. From Aswan, visitors have also the opportunity to travel to Abu Simbel – a town well-known for its enormous temples of Ramesses II. Even though Abu Simbel is quite far away from Aswan and needs a separate journey there, it usually becomes an additional point of the Aswan Day Tour itinerary.