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Aswan

Aswan is a beautiful winter resort, and is the southernmost city in Egypt. This peaceful city, with influences of Nubian culture, is home to a huge array of temples and monuments. It is also famous for its High Dam, one of the three largest dams in the world. The Ptolemaic temple of Philae was threatened by the flooding caused by the opening of the Dam, but was saved by being transported from its original site.

Much of the film "Death on the Nile', was filmed at the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan. The town is very picturesque, being located on the riverside, and offers lots of attractive walks.

The Monuments and Attractions of Aswan

The High Dam and Lake Nasser
The Dam, completed in the 1960s, is over two miles long and 360ft high and affords views over Lake Nasser. The lake is named after the late Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was president of Egypt from 1956 to 1970. The reservoir is used for hydroelectricity production, fishing, and irrigation. Before Lake Nasser was formed, the area was the site of the temples of Abu Simbel, which were built by Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II in the 1200s BC. During the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s these temples were moved, but many other historic monuments were submerged.

Also submerged is a portion of the historic lands of the Nubians, who lived along the Nile between Aswan and Khartoum, Sudan, for thousands of years.

The Ptolemaic Temple of Philae on the Island of Philae
This temple was saved from threat of flooding by UNESCO. It was moved painstakingly, stone by stone, and transported from its flooded site to a new position at a higher point on the island. It was then completely rebuilt.

The Island of Plants
Also known as Kitchener Island, this was presented to Lord Horatio Kitchener in the 1890s in recognition of his military services. He created a beautiful botanic garden, with rare and wonderful plants and flowers imported from countries such as India. The garden is open to the public, and is reached by felucca.

Elephantine Island
This island is also reached by felucca, and features a Nilometre, which dates back to Pharaonic times, and was used to measure the height of the Nile.

The Aga Khan Mausoleum
The domed granite and sandstone mausoleum of the late Aga Khan commands a splendid view of Aswan and the Nile Valley beyond which the desert stretches as far as the eye can see.