Aswan, and how to get there:
Egypt’s 3rd largest city, and the largest in Upper Egypt, is
situated at the foot of the Nile Valley to the North end of Lake
Nasser. It is a major mining area for aluminium and iron as well as also
being one of the favourite places for tourists to visit due to it
being a major stop for cruise boats; for the River Nile as well as Lake
Nasser. It has a local market that is an excellent place to do your
holiday shopping; this is especially true if you want spices as you
will find the best types of fresh spices here
Aswan is capital of its own Governorate which has a population of
about 1.2 million people. Most of these are Nubians, and local tribes
of Kenzo.
The city became very important after the construction
of the High Dam as it became a refuge for those Nubians who chose to
flee to Egypt after the waters flooded their homelands, as well as
becoming the worldwide rescue campaign of the Nubian monuments during
and after its construction.
Aswan’s name is derived from the ancient Egyptian word
“Swan”, which means “the market”! This is because it was located on
the main trade route between Egypt and the southern lands; with gold,
slaves and ivory passing into Egypt. The governors of the 6th Dynasty
sent many expeditions to explore the many African countries located to
the south, and most of these started from Aswan. It was also the major
source of granite, sandstone and quartzite used in the construction of
the various monuments throughout Egypt.
In ancient times the God Khnum was the major God of the city, but he
was later replaced by the Goddess Isis, Goddess of magic and maternity,
in the Greco Roman period. A temple was built for her on the Island of
Philae, which had to be moved, along with other structures, when the
waters of Lake Nasser engulfed the island. Though still known as “the
Temples of Philae, they can now be accessed on the nearby Agilika
Island.
Because of the location of Aswan, just north of the
Tropic Of Cancer, the city enjoys a very hot climate throughout the
year and it is advised to cover your head when walking about and drink
water constantly.
Aswan is situated 890Km (553 miles) to the south of
Cairo and 220Km (137 miles) to the south of Luxor. It is the third most
popular place to visit in Egypt, behind Cairo and Luxor, and is
accessible in a number of ways.
The population of the Aswan governorate is around 1.2
million and mostly consists of Nubians and local tribes of Kenzo. The
city became very important after the construction of the high dam, and
the worldwide rescue campaign of the Nubian monuments during and after
its construction.
Aswan is derived from the Ancient Egyptian word Swan,
which means "the market"! It was located on the main trading route
between Egypt and the southern lands, where gold, slaves and ivory
passed into Egypt. The governors of the 6th Dynasty sent many
expeditions to explore the many African countries located to the south,
and most of these started from Aswan! It was also the major source of
granite, sandstone and quartzite used in the construction of the various
monuments throughout Egypt!
In Ancient times the God Khoum was the major God of the city, but in later periods the Goddess Isis, Goddess of magic and maternity, became the main patron God, with a temple being built for her at Philae.
In Ancient times the God Khoum was the major God of the city, but in later periods the Goddess Isis, Goddess of magic and maternity, became the main patron God, with a temple being built for her at Philae.
Because of the location of Aswan, just north of the
Tropic Of Cancer, the city enjoys a very hot climate throughout the
year! It is advised to cover your head when walking about and drink
water constantly.
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