Discover Aswan: Egypt's Southern Gem of Ancient Wonders and Vibrant Culture

    Aswan is a vibrant Egyptian town in the country's southernmost region. It serves as a gateway to important archaeological sites, including the Philae temple complex on Agilkia Island near the Aswan Dam.

    In March of 2023, my wife and I embarked on a long-awaited journey through Egypt. After visiting Cairo and Giza, we flew on Egypt Air to Luxor. From there, we were whisked away to our cruise ship, the Steinberger Minerva, and checked into our fabulous cabin.

    The four-day cruise started from Luxor and made stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo before ending in Aswan.

    In Aswan, we explored the Unfinished Obelisk, the High Dam, the Temple of Philae, and a traditional Nubian Village.

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The Town of Aswan

    Aswan is renowned for its vibrant Nubian culture and intricate handicrafts. The city is home to several traditional Nubian villages and a museum dedicated to preserving their unique heritage. It's a popular tourist destination celebrated for its stunning scenery, which includes the iconic Nile River, vast desert, and surrounding mountains.

    Walking inland from the cruise ship port, you quickly reach a bustling market filled with shops and local restaurants. After four days of breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets on the boat, we were eager to try a local eatery recommended by our guide.

    At Makka Restaurant, we enjoyed a meal of molokhia served with rice, chicken, and mixed grill. Molokhia is a delicious soup made with minced jute leaves and a generous amount of garlic. Every meal is typically served with a variety of small appetizer dishes and fresh pita bread.

        Travel Tip: When you are served small plates of hummus, baba ghanoush, and labneh (yogurt cheese), the best way to enjoy them is by tearing off small pieces of pita bread and dipping them into the dish. This creates perfect one-bite sandwiches.    

    After dinner, we strolled along the Nile late at night and felt completely safe. The city had a festive feel with many decorations and people roaming the streets, as Ramadan was just a few days away. Exploring the city at night was a fun experience, but we had come here for the ancient monuments and had many to visit over the next two days.

Traveler's Comment: "Aswan was the highlight of our trip! We loved how relaxed the city felt compared to Cairo. The boat trip to Philae Temple was magical, and we spent hours just wandering through the market, enjoying the local food and warm hospitality." - Rachel S., travel forum user

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Unfinished Obelisk

    A short drive from the cruise ship port took us to an ancient quarry that provided the Egyptians with the massive stones used to build the Pyramids and Temples. After cutting the stones, they were transported to the building sites by sailboats.

    The quarry is also home to the Unfinished Obelisk, a colossal monument that stands as a testament to the remarkable engineering prowess of the ancient Egyptians. This massive obelisk lies abandoned in the quarry due to a crack that appeared during its carving process. It remains connected to the bedrock underneath it.

    The Obelisk, commissioned by Queen Hatshepsut around 1500 BCE, was intended to be one of the largest obelisks ever constructed, measuring over 131 feet long and weighing around 1,200 tons.

Interesting Fact: The Unfinished Obelisk was likely destined to be paired with the Lateran Obelisk, which now stands in Rome's Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano. If completed, the two would have been the largest obelisks ever erected in ancient Egypt, demonstrating the incredible ambition of Queen Hatshepsut's building projects.

The High Dam

    The High Dam in Aswan, Egypt, is a modern engineering marvel that has transformed the country's landscape and infrastructure. Completed in 1970, this massive dam is one of the largest in the world, measuring over 12,565 feet in length and standing more than 364 feet tall.

    The dam helps control the annual flooding of the Nile and generates electricity to support Egypt's growing population. It was built with the help of the Soviet Union, and in recognition of this partnership, the Government of Egypt erected the Russian-Egyptian Friendship Monument on the dam. The monument, symbolizing friendship, is an open lotus flower with five leaves that rises to a height of 1970 feet.

    Like every tour group before us, we stood inside the monument, formed our own lotus, and captured the moment.

    The Aswan Dam created Lake Nasser, a vast reservoir that stretches over 310 miles in length and covers an area of over 1,930 square miles. The creation of Lake Nasser also had significant archaeological implications. As the lake's waters rose, several ancient temples and structures were at risk of being submerged. To protect these invaluable cultural treasures, a massive effort was undertaken to relocate them to higher ground.

    The most famous of these temples is the Abu Simbel Temples, which were carved into the rock during the reign of Ramses II. These temples were carefully dismantled and relocated to an artificial hill overlooking the lake, preserving them for future generations to appreciate. One of the relocated temples is Philae, which we visited next.

Philae Temple

    Philae sits atop Agilkia Island in the Nile. We had to take a motorboat ride to get to it, and as we approached the island, we were met with a magnificent sight. This majestic temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, is a jewel of ancient Egyptian architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Philae Temple was built during the Ptolemaic period (305-30 BC) and was later expanded during the Roman period. One of its most well-known features is the monumental gateway, known as the pylon, which is adorned with intricate carvings and reliefs depicting scenes from ancient Egyptian mythology and religious rituals.

    The reliefs on the temple walls provide valuable insights into the beliefs and practices of the ancient Egyptians, offering a glimpse into their rich culture and mythology. Another highlight of the Philae Temple is the sanctuaries dedicated to the goddess Isis, which are considered the holiest part of the temple. The sanctuaries contain beautifully preserved reliefs and statues of Isis, depicting her as a nurturing mother and a powerful goddess.

        Interesting Fact: The island of Agilkia, where Philae Temple is located, has an interesting history. In the 20th century, the construction of the High Dam in Aswan led to the flooding of the original temple of Philae. As a result, the temple was painstakingly dismantled and relocated to this island, stone by stone, in a massive UNESCO-led effort to preserve this ancient treasure.    

    We were so impressed with the temple that we returned at night to attend the Sound and Light show. The show begins with a brief introduction to the history of the Philae Temple and then tells the story of Isis and Osiris. Osiris was the god of the underworld, and Isis was his wife and sister. Osiris was murdered by his brother Seth, but Isis was able to resurrect him. The story of Isis and Osiris is one of the most significant myths in Egyptian mythology and is recounted in various versions.

    We learned that the show is available in a variety of languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian. It happened to be in Italian during our chosen time, so we were provided with digital devices that broadcast in other languages. My English version was adequate, but it lost the booming quality of the sound reverberating through the temple walls.

Nubian Village

    On our last day in Aswan, we had some time to spare before our flight to Sharm El-Sheikh, so we went on a tour of the Nubian Village. Located on the west bank of the Nile River, the village is home to the Nubian people, an ethnic group indigenous to the Nile Valley. The Nubians have a rich culture and history, and their village is a great place to learn about their way of life.

    As we approached the village from our boat, we saw that the houses were very colorful, painted in vibrant shades of blue and white, reminiscent of a Caribbean town. On our way to a Nubian home, we passed many shops, cafés, and a few camels. The lady of the house invited us in, gave us a tour of her humble home, and offered us some tea.

    I was shocked to find live crocodiles in two cages in the middle of the courtyard. It turns out that Nubians traditionally keep crocodiles as a symbol of protection and good fortune.

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    On the way out, we passed a shop that sells herbs and candies, and of course, we had to buy a few things to bring home.

Travel Tip: While many vendors in the souq and tourist areas accept cards, cash is king, especially for smaller purchases. It’s always a good idea to have some Egyptian Pounds on hand for tips and small market buys.