Aswan High Dam
السد العالي
The Nile dam completed in 1970, with Lake Nasser, one of the largest artificial lakes in the world, on one side and the Nile on the other.
The High Dam was built with cooperation between Egypt and the Soviet Union. Construction began in 1960 and was completed in 1970. The dam is about 3.8 km long and 111 m high. It ended the Nile's annual flooding but also submerged large areas of Nubian homeland and sparked the international campaign to save temples such as Abu Simbel. From the top, you can see the vast Lake Nasser to the south and the Nile to the north. At the western end stands the Egyptian-Soviet Friendship Monument, known as the Lotus Tower. A ticket is required to pass through the checkpoint. The dam is a security zone, and drones are prohibited. It lies about 15 km from the city center and is often visited together with Philae Temple.
Opening hours
About 07:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Temple of Kalabsha
- Philae Temple (Temple of Isis)
- Sehel Island (Famine Stela)
- Nubian Village (Gharb Soheil)
- Unfinished Obelisk
- Nubian Museum
- Sofitel Legend Old Cataract
- Elephantine Island