Aswan
City guide · Upper Egypt · Egypt
Philae temple complex · Aswan High Dam
About Aswan
Aswan is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of the Aswan Governorate, located on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract. It is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities, with recorded history spanning over 2,600 years. The city was the southern frontier of Ancient Egypt, and its local quarries supplied granite to many ancient Egyptian monuments. Aswan includes five monuments within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae, including the Old and Middle Kingdom tombs of Qubbet el-Hawa, the town of Elephantine, the stone quarries and Unfinished Obelisk, the Monastery of St. Simeon, and the Fatimid Cemetery. The city's Nubian Museum is an important archaeological center, containing finds from the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia before the Aswan Dam flooded all of Lower Nubia. Aswan is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the category of craft and folk art and joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2017. The modern city has expanded to include the formerly separate community on the island of Elephantine, and it is considered a global tourist winter destination.
Who this destination fits
Highlights worth planning around
Strong fit
- Among the oldest continuously inhabited cities, with recorded history spanning over 2,600 years
- Home to five monuments within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae, including the Unfinished Obelisk and the Nubian Museum
- Part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the category of craft and folk art
- Local granite quarries supplied stone for many ancient Egyptian monuments, and these quarries are still operating today
- Considered a global tourist winter destination
Tradeoffs
- As a southern frontier city, summer temperatures can be extreme, though specific current climate data is not covered by the admitted source
Plan the trip
Best time to visit
Winter months, as Aswan is considered a global tourist winter destination (TIMELESS editorial characterization; source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aswan; role: EDITORIAL_CONTEXT)
Decision factors
Getting around
Aswan is located just north of the Aswan Dam on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract (TIMELESS geographic fact; source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aswan; role: EDITORIAL_CONTEXT)
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