Aswan

Aswan - most southern of large the Egyptian cities is had on the bank of Nile, approximately in 1000  km to the south Cairo . In him numbers nearby 300  thousand inhabitants. In an antiquity Aswan was the main centre of trade Egypt with Sudan and Ethiopia. To the north of it Nile easy bears the waters up to Mediterranean sea, and to the south - impervious thresholds for courts begin. At the first threshold on Nile the hydropower complex of the old Aswan weir 2  km is had by extent. To the south from it the new high-rise Aswan weir (extent - nearby 5  towers; km, altitude - 111  m, width at the establishment - 1  km). By volume this structure in 17 times surpasses enormous drevneegipetskuju tripod signal Heopsa. The conservation reservoir of the high-rise Aswan weir contains 130  billion both  cubic and  m that has allowed Egypt to create a perennial deposit of moisture for any drought year, having increased a cultivated area on 1/3 and also to prevent possibility of destructive inundations.

In connection with a coming into operation of the high-rise Aswan weir the water level in Nile to the south of the weir has considerably grown, that has led to waterflooding of a part of a valley of Nile. Dazzling drevneegipetskie temples Abu-Simbel, cut down in a stone rock 3200 years ago in honour of pharaon Ramzesa II, have undergone to waterflooding threat and consequently have been dismantled and moved in a safety place. Almost five years it was required snug to saw temples Abu-Simbela - big, pharaon Ramzesa II, and small, his wives Nefertari, - and to collect them then on a new place - in 200  m from old, on a 60-metre rock.

Ramzes II has chargeed to erect the big temple in Abu-Simbele in commemoration of its victory over hettami. At an entry in a temple four 20-metre sculptures of the pharaon sitting on a throne are had. Inside the temple represents consistently decreasing four right-angled halls with auxiliary lateral rooms. In last, most small hall four sculptures are installed: gods Amon, Ra and Birds with persons Ramzesa II and the pharaon. Temple Ramzesa II has been builted in such a manner that twice in a year, on February, 22nd and on October, 22nd, the first rays of a rising sun, having overcome 55  m from an entry, penetrate into a small hall and drop on a choir of the pharaon. Annually these days inhabitants Abu-Simbela suit for tourists feasts with music, songs and dances.

In Aswan there is a tomb Aha-khan, the sect founder ismailitov, involving pilgrims from among adherents of sect.

Near Aswan, on islands Elifantina, places a world famous Museum of antiquities where the most valuable monuments drevneegipetskogo arts are stored.