Aswan Guid

Today the island is home to The Oberoi Hotel, with its huge tower marring the Aswan skyline. In the past, this island was called Yeb (meaning elephant in Nubian), probably because of the giant gray stone formations in the water, which resemble a bathing herd of elephants. Another explanation is that Yeb held a huge ivory trading market. All that remains on the island today are the ruins of a temple in honor of the Ram-god Khnum, who controlled the Nile's water level, the Roman Nilometer which is located at the southern tip of the island, the Aswan Museum and three Nubian villages in the north, which might be worth strolling through. Ferries go back and forth from the Corneich (the east bank) to the island. You can also take a felucca, or a small rowboat.

This small museum can be found at the southern tip of the Elephantine Island. It houses a collection of artifacts and antiquities from Aswan and Nubia (Many of the Nubian artifacts have been moved to the new Nubian Museum). The collection dates from the Pre-dynastic to the Ptolemic periods. Don't forget to get a look at the mummy of the ram-god Khnum, who is considered the patron god of the island. Opening hours are from 9am to 6pm. Admission is for 5LE (half for students).

Right next to the Aswan Museum, is the shaft of the ancient Nilometer, which protrudes into the Nile to measure its water level. The Nilometer was originally built and used by the Pharaohs, but was reconstructed by the Romans. If the Nilometer recorded a high water level this would indicate a good harvest, if the water level was low it would indicate a bad harvest. Since the Romans rebuilt it, the Nilometer has been restored and is considered in pretty good condition.

Only the ruins of this 4th century BC temple remain. It was built by Nectanebo in honor of the ram-god Khnum. The temple is usually under restoration, and could be closed to the public. Right next to it are the remains of the Temple of Satis, dedicated to Khnum's daughter. An excavation project is being carried out, by a group of German archaeologists, on the Khnum temple and its surroundings. Recently a small Ptolemic Temple has been found.

This island was formerly the property of the disliked British proconsul Herbert Kitchener. Kitchener was in charge of Egypt and the Sudan from 1910 to 1914. Well known for his love of plants and flowers, the British proconsul has turned this island into a green extravaganza. He imported plants from India, Africa and the Far East, creating the so-called Botanical Gardens. It is nice to walk through these gardens when the weather is nice. Admission is 5LE (and half for students). No official ferry service goes to Kitchener's Island, it is easy, however, to just hire a felucca or a rowboat from the east bank.

After the construction of the Old Aswan Dam, the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae (better known as the Temple of Philae) was submerged underwater for eight months every year. During the construction of the New Dam, the temple would have completely sunk, had it not been moved by the UNESCO to the nearby island Agiliqiyah. This temple has been a major tourist attraction even when it was submerged in water. Tourists came in boats to admire the sunken temple. Today the Philae complex houses more than one temple, the largest of which is the Temple of Isis, built around 300BC by the Romans and was later added to by the Ptolemies and Copts. The Temple is open daily from 8am to 5pm. Admission is for 15LE (half for students). A sound and light show takes place here on the island, twice every night. The ticket to the show costs around 40LE and includes the boat transport back and forth.

Day	Show1	Show2
Sunday	French	German
Monday	Japanese	English
Tuesday	French	English
Wednesday	English	Spanish
Thursday	Japanese	French
Saturday	English	French
(ask about an additional third show in Arabic on Thursdays)

In order to get to Philae you need to take a taxi to a place called Shelal, where you'll find the boat landing. From there small motor boats go back and forth between the island and Shelal. The trip takes around 10 minutes, and costs around 3LE per person.

In Aswan you can find two unfinished obelisks. One of which stands next to the Nubian Museum, 1.4 km from town. This first obelisk marks the beginning of the northern granite quarries (a major source of granite) and is around 40 meters high. The other obelisk stands in the desert, somewhere near the Monastery of Saint Simeon. Although this latter obelisk is more finished, it is quite far and harder to find than the former. Entry to the obelisks is around 10LE (half for students).

The Nubian Museum is the newest museum in Egypt. It was opened just last year and is the first museum exposing the rich Nubian culture. The museum features Nubian artifacts, weapons, pottery, utensils, paintings, and sculptures. Furthermore, it offers a show of Nubian dance and music. Opening hours are from 8am to 1pm and from 4pm to 9pm. If you're interested in knowing more about this dark ancient culture, do pay this place a visit.

The Third Muslim Agha Khan, Mohammed Shah Agha Khan, who was a great admirer of Aswan, asked in his will to be buried there. When he died in 1957, his family built him a domed sandstone tomb on the west bank of the Nile. The tomb was built in the Islamic style of Old Cairo and his burial there on February 20th, 1959 was a major international event. The inside is mostly marble with inscriptions from the Quran. The tomb is open daily (except Mondays) from 8am to 4pm. Admission is free, thanks to the wish of Agha Khan's wife. The tomb is also known as Agha Khan's Mausoleum.

Also known as Deir Saaman, this monastery was founded in the 7th century, but was destroyed; the present-day Monastery dates from the 10th century. The building is consists of two levels and a surrounding 6-meter- high wall, giving it the look of a military fortress. A flight of steps from inside the church leads to the upper floor, which holds the sleeping quarters. It is one of the best-preserved monasteries in Egypt and might be worth a visit. Opening hours are from 9am to 5pm. Admission costs 8LE (half for students). The monastery is also on the west bank and could be reached from the tomb of Agha Khan. Another alternative is to ride a camel up to the monastery.

Also on the western bank of the Nile are the tombs and chapels of the princes, governors, and other officials from ancient Yeb. Better known as the Tombs of the Nobles, they date from the Old and Middle Kingdoms. The best way to get there is again by felucca, or just take the daily ferries. Opening hours for the tombs are from 8am to 5pm. Admission is for 11LE (half for students).

Like Philae, the Temple of Kalabshah was about to be submerged forever under the rising waters of the Nile, had it not been moved 40 km north of its original site. The relocation project was carried out and completed in 1975. Today the temple stands on the west bank of Lake Nasser, south of the Aswan High Dam. It was constructed at around 20 BC during the reign of Emperor Agustus, and was dedicated to the Nubian god Mandulis, the equivalent of the Egyptian god Horus. Right next to Kalabshah are the temples of Kertassi (to the north) and Beit Al-Wali. The Temple of Kalabshah is open daily from 8am to 5pm. Admission costs 10LE (half for students).