Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan

Unfinished Obelisk is a massive granite structure located in the Aswan ancient quarries in southern Egypt. It differs from other obelisks found in temples and archaeological sites in that it was left unfinished and not detached from the rock in which it originated. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, it is said to have been built under Hatshepsut most likely for the Temple of Amun at Karnak. If it had been finished, the obelisk would have reached a height of about 42 meters and weighed about 1,168 tonnes, becoming the tallest of any ancient Egyptian obelisk. This unfinished state is the main reason why the site is such a valuable attraction. People get the opportunity to see a massive stone, left in its quarry, and learn more about the way ancient builders worked with granite used to construct Egyptian monuments. It is also a fascinating addition to any list of the Best Places to Visit in Aswan.

The reason the Unfinished Obelisk could not be finished is that cracks were found in the granite when the carving of this huge block was in progress. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, multiple cracks in the block rendered its further work impossible. Thus, the unfinished construction remained at the spot where it was carved and thus provides a unique chance to see the ancient construction process in its unfinished form. Instead of giving the image of a polished monument with engravings and decorations, the location gives a visitor the chance to see what actually happened at the stone quarry. The granite quarry around the Unfinished Obelisk shows how crucial the location of Aswan was in terms of ancient Egyptian construction projects using this kind of stone for monumental buildings, statues, and obelisks all over Egypt.

Unfinished Obelisk gives unique information about the quarrying process and carving of stones used by the ancient Egyptians. Unlike other monuments, which were quarried and then moved to the site as separate blocks, the obelisk was carved right from the natural granite. Stones were slowly chipped out from around the block to carve the obelisk from the main block, which still remains in its original place. The unfinished obelisk is important as it helps us realize that making an obelisk is not just a matter of putting decorations on the monument after its completion but a lot of efforts were put into the construction of an obelisk. Granite quarries at Aswan were an important source of granite for some of the ancient Egyptian monuments and the granite quarries and the Unfinished Obelisk have been included in the list of Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae by UNESCO. Visitors can combine this experience with a Luxor Aswan Nile Cruise to see more of the ancient monuments along the Nile.

It is indeed a worthwhile site to visit for all those visitors interested in history, architectural and engineering marvels of ancient Egypt. The site can be accessed through the ancient granite quarries in Aswan and thus, makes an easy combination with other sites of interest. As visitors make their way through the quarry, they begin to comprehend the size of the monument especially relative to the rocky terrain surrounding the structure. It makes an ideal contrast to other fully-finished monuments and temples that visitors would come across in other parts of Egypt since the Unfinished Obelisk allows the visitor to see how things were done. Official information from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reveals that opening hours are 7:00 am to 4:00 pm.