Aswan Dam

The structure stretches across the Nile, forming a massive weight of rock and earth layers clad in granite. Turbines inside transform the river into electricity while behind the wall a vast lake gathers.

Work began after Western financing withdrew and Moscow stepped in, sending engineers from the Soviet Union to realize the project. Construction changed the Nile landscape forever, controlling the annual floods that had shaped Egypt for thousands of years.

The structure named after Nasser marks both Egyptian sovereignty and the vanished Nubian homeland upstream. Visitors observe the wide waters covering villages and fields where generations of Nubians once kept their homes.

Most visitors come during morning hours when light shows the granite wall clearly and heat remains bearable. The view from the crest is impressive, though the climb may tire some travelers.

During construction, ancient temples were dismantled stone by stone and rebuilt at higher locations to save them from rising water. This monumental move mobilized UNESCO and experts from many countries across a decade.

Location: Aswan Governorate

Inception: 1960

Elevation above the sea: 171 m

GPS coordinates: 23.97143,32.88019

Latest update: December 4, 2025 14:20