Aswan City Information

Aswan is a Nubian city in the south of Egypt located on the east bank of the Nile river connected to Cairo with train stations, railways and domestic flights,its the population almost about 900,000, The city of Aswan is about 85 meters above sea level, it is 879 km from Cairo, and its area about 34,608 km2.

Aswan City

often called the “land of gold,” served as a vast necropolis for pharaohs and their treasures for thousands of years. The city’s original inhabitants, the Nubians, make up 30% of the population and speak Nubian. The remainder are Arabs who arrived after the Islamic invasion and speak Arabic. We have a blog dedicated to Nubian villages and culture—be sure to check it out.

city of Aswan is renowned for its beauty and charm, making it an icon of the Middle East. The city enjoys a warm climate and features rare plant islands. Additionally, rock islands on the Nile stretch from the High Dam to the north of Edfu. Some Nubian villagers rely on farming and handmade crafts for their livelihood, while others work in government positions.

Not only does the main city of Aswan offer comprehensive services, but the surrounding islands also provide hospitals, schools, and transportation. However, some islands remain uninhabited due to their status as archaeological sites, such as Crocodile Island and Elephantine Island, which historically connected southern and northern Egypt in trade with the rest of Africa. Aswan is considered the gateway to southern Egypt, alongside Luxor, and serves as a major economic resource for the country.

Typically, visitors explore Aswan on a Nile river cruise combined with Luxor, which lasts about four days. Alternatively, day tours from Cairo or Luxor offer flights to Abu Simbel Temple or excursions to islands like Elephantine and Philae.

Aswan history

Aswan, known as “Sonu” in ancient Egyptian times, served as a vital commercial center for convoys traveling to and from Nubia. Pharaohs shipped pink and black granite stones, along with limestones, from Aswan to construct their pyramids. For example, Queen Hatshepsut used these materials to build her temple and obelisks. The city’s importance emerged during the ancient kingdom when pharaohs focused on securing the southern borders. Aswan also became a key military center, playing a significant role in the war against the Hyksos.

During the Roman era, temples in the traditional Egyptian style were constructed as Romans admired Egyptian mythology and gods. Emperor Trajan built a small temple on Philae Island to strengthen ties with the Egyptian people. The Temple of Isis, the main temple in the Philae complex, was dedicated to the love of a loyal wife for her husband, who was betrayed by his brother Set, the god of evil.

In the early Christian period, Christianity spread across the country by the fifth century, and the temples transformed into churches. Later, during the Islamic era, Aswan became an important center of learning, with three schools established in the sixth and seventh centuries.

 attractions in Aswan

In addition to the richness of nature in the Egyptian city, Aswan is full of the ancient pharaonic civilization and many touristic destinations including pharaonic, Islamic, and Nubian.

• The Upper Dam
• The Aswan reservoir
• The Tabiya Mosque
• The Nile Museum
• The Princess Ferial Park
• The West Suhail area
• The Nile Islands
• kom Ombo temple
• The twin temple of Abu Simbel

• The Temple of Philae
• Elephantine island

Choose what are the attractions you want to visit from our Aswan day tours, Egypt Tours & Nile River Cruise