The ancient Egyptians used to call Aswan “Sonu” which means “The Market”. As it was a center for convoys coming from and to Nubia. Its warm sun along with the pure Nile River make it one of the best winter destinations for tourists. In this article, we’ll take you on a journey through the city of Aswan and its magical monuments. So HOLD ON! we’re going back through history!

Elephantine Island

“Elephantine” in Greek means “Elephant’s ivory”. The island was a big port for importing African elephants’ ivory. One of the most important attractions on the island is the “Aswan Museum”. The museum features artifacts from Nubia such as utensils, weapons, pottery, in addition to mummies. You can also visit the Nilometers which are structures for measuring the water level of the Nile River during the flood season. The southern part of the island contains ruins of Khanom Temple and ruins of a granite pyramid. Moreover, you will find many markets, cafes, and restaurants that overlook the Nile.

Abu Simbel Temple

The temple consists of two massive rock temples carved out of the mountainside. The construction of this temple lasted nearly for twenty-one years! You can attend The Abu Simbel Sun Festival twice a year in the temple; on February 22 and on 22 October. It’s when the sun illuminates the face of King Ramses II. Abu Simble temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site so we think it’s a must-visit destination for you.

Philae Temple

When the temple was flooded by the Nile River, the temple was divided and reassembled in a new location above Agilkia Island. You can enjoy a boat trip towards this island and take a look at the whole temple from the outside. Going into the temple you’ll be able to see the enormity of the building and its huge pillars which carry stunning decorations and inscriptions. You can also attend the Sound and Light Show at night which is available in different languages.

Unfinished Obelisk

The unfinished obelisk is the largest obelisk from ancient Egypt. As it’s nearly one-third larger than any obelisk ever erected. The obelisk offers deep insights into ancient Egyptian stone-working techniques. Besides the unfinished obelisk, an unfinished partly worked obelisk base was discovered in 2005 at the quarries of Aswan. All these quarries and the unfinished objects are an open-air museum considered as an archeological site.

The Nubian Museum

The museum won the Aghakhan Prize as the world’s most beautiful architectural building in 2001. Most importantly, The Nubian Museum consists of three floors and it houses 5,000 artifacts that show the history of Nubia from prehistoric times to our present day. The most famous artifact in the museum is a skeleton of a man that ages 20,000 years old!

The High Dam

The High Dam is one of the greatest engineering projects of the 20th century. The dam is a rock-filled structure located at Egypt’s southern border with Sudan. Fed by the Nile River, the dam’s reservoir forms Lake Nasser and the dam stores 160 billion cubic meters of water. The construction of the High Dam started in 1960, and it was officially open in 1971 at a cost of one billion dollars.

Kitchener Island

The island is commonly known as “El Nabatat Island” which means the island of plants. However, it was named after Lord Kitchener who was a delegate of England in Egypt. Lord Kitchener chose it to be a winter resort for his family.  It is one of the oldest gardens in the world that lies on an entire island. Kitchener Island contains a collection of the rarest plants and trees in the world’s gardens. In addition to plants, the island contains rare species of African birds and animals.

The Monastery of St Simien

Going back to the 5th century AD, The Monastery of St Simien is one of the most famous monasteries located in the western Nile in Aswan. The monastery was built on the ruins of an ancient Roman castle as there is a large number of Roman towers located in the wall surrounding the monastery. While getting to the monastery, you will take a boat across the Nile then walk up a desert track, or you can hire a camel to take you up there.

Kom Ombo Temple

Kom Ombo Temple is a magnificent double temple in the town of Kom Ombo in Aswan. It was constructed during the Ptolemaic dynasty and it consists of two parts for two sets of gods; the northern part of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god “Horus”. And the southern half of the temple was dedicated to the crocodile god “Sobek”. That’s to say, Don’t miss visiting The Crocodile Museum inside the temple which displays a few of the three hundred crocodile mummies discovered in the vicinity.

Edfu Temple

Also known as Horus Temple, Edfu Temple is the most beautiful and complete of the Ptolemaic temples. It’s the second-largest temple in Egypt which took about 180 years to build. The temple was built specifically after the war between King Horus and his uncle King Sit. The engraved details of the great battle on the walls are to tell the story of this epic war. you have to take some cool pictures behind statues of god Horus in front of the temple.

Kalabsha Temple

Kalabsha Temple is one of the most important tourist attractions in Aswan. The temple was built around 30 BC in the Roman era. Although the building was never completed, it is regarded as one of the best examples of Egyptian architecture in Nubia. When Christianity was introduced to Egypt, the temple was used as a church. Kalabsha Temple was relocated after building of the High Dam to protect it from rising waters on Lake Nasser and the moving process took more than two years.