Aswan

Nature

Philae

An ancient Egyptian temple complex on an island in the Nile near Aswan. When the construction of the Aswan High Dam threatened to submerge it, UNESCO led an effort to relocate it to its current site, adding to its story.

Nature

Elephantine

An island in the Nile within the Aswan area, home to the Temple of Khnum. From the river, visitors can take in views of ancient ruins set against the landscape.

Nature

Agilkia island

Agilkia Island lies in the reservoir of the old Aswan Dam and is home to the Temple of Philae. When the temple's original site was submerged by the dam's construction, a UNESCO project relocated it stone by stone to this island.

Temples & religious sites

Temple of Isis in Philae

An ancient Egyptian temple complex situated on an island in the Nile at Aswan. Its striking setting makes it look as though it's floating on the water.

Nature

Qubbet el-Hawa

An ancient Egyptian necropolis on the west bank of the Nile at Aswan, whose name means "Dome of the Wind." Nobles and priests of the Old and Middle Kingdoms were buried here, and it remained in use into Roman times.

Heritage & monuments

Trajan's Kiosk

A roofless temple on Agilkia Island south of Aswan, originally serving as the gateway to the Temple of Philae. It is said to have been built during the reign of the Roman emperor Trajan, and its unfinished columns are striking.

Museums & galleries

International Museum of Nubia

An archaeology museum in Aswan, Egypt. It opened in 1997 in connection with a UNESCO campaign to save Nubian monuments, and displays artifacts from Nubian civilization.

Nature

Gebel Tingar

A small hill on the west bank of the Nile near Aswan, west of Elephantine, that served as a granodiorite quarry in antiquity. The stone used for the Rosetta Stone is said to have come from here.