EGYPT built two large dams to control the flow of the Nile and to preserve its flow for later irrigation of crops. One dates to the turn of the 20th century; the other (a much more massive undertaking) was built in the 1960s. The latter dam created Lake Nasser, the largest man-made lake in the world. The Old Dam: The British built the first Aswan Dam between 1898 and 1902 using blocks of local granite. The structure stands 130 feet tall, 8,000 feet long, and has a capacity of 7 billion cubic yards of water. In its day, it was one of the world's largest dams, and one of the sights to see in Aswan. These days, the High Dam dwarfs it, and you can only drive over the Old Dam, because no stopping is allowed. The Old Dam is five minutes south of town, on the way in from the airport. The Fisherman's Port: Just before you get to the High Dam, on the way out from Aswan, turn left down the road to the water to get to this ramshackle port, with its jumble of African Queenstyle fishing boats and launches for the Temple of Kalabsha. The launch to New Kalabsha Island costs LE45. Aswan High Dam: Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser (who ruled from 1954 to 1970) conceived of building the dam, which began in 1960. It took Soviet financing, plus the sweat of 30,000 Egyptians working around the clock, to complete the work by 1971. The volume of the dam itself is 17 times that of the Great Pyramid. Lake Nasser is the world's largest man-made lake, 500 km (310 mi) long …quot; 50km (93 mi) of which is in Sudan …quot; and it has a storage capacity of 210,000 billion cubic yards of water. The dam doubled Egypt's power-generating capabilities, and it ensures a net surplus of 26 billion cubic yards of water as a reserve against low annual floods upriver. The disadvantages of damming the Nile included the loss of fertile silt that the floods brought, which has made the use of chemical fertilisers a necessity. An incalculable loss is Nubia, which now lies beneath so many cubic yards of water that its 100,000 inhabitants relocated along the river valley. Visit the stylised lotus monument commemorating the Russian Egyptian collaboration, and try to convince the guard to take you up the tiny elevator for a view of unsurpassed splendour. The lake and Nubian desert stretch out to one side; on the other stretches the now-tamed Nile. The High Dam is 15 minutes south of town by taxi. Allow 1 to 1 1/2 hours to take in the spectacle. Admission fee: LE20. Opening hours: Oct.-May, daily 6-5; Jun -Sept., daily 6- 6. Lake Nasser: Until a few decades ago, Lower Nubia, the area south of Aswan below the First Cataract, was much like the Nile Valley north of Aswan …quot; save for the fact that the primary inhabitants were Nubian Egyptians, rather than Egyptians of Arab, Turkish, or Bedouim descent. As in Upper Egypt, Nubia's thin ribbon of green, fed by the Nile, was hemmed in by desert. Nubians cultivated their fields, and massive pharaonic monuments line the river banks. The Aswan High Dam and Lake Nasser put an end to that of course, forcing the Egyptian Nubian population inhabiting the flooded areas to move downriver to areas around, and to the north of, Aswan. Many of the monuments from antediluvian Nubia were also relocated to higher ground, or salvaged and removed to foreign countries. Unfortunately, others could not be saved, and they were swallowed up by the waters of Lake Nasser …quot; some were hastily excavated first, while the rest were submerged without a trace. Except for Abu Simbel and Philae, the temples along the shores of Lake Nasser are less visited than those along the lower reaches of the Nile. It's possible to take a cruise on Lake Nasser to see many of these, and Kalabsha is reachable by boat from Aswan. New Kalabsha: (About 30 minutes south of Aswan by taxi (or bus) and ferry). The temples from the sites of Kalabsha and Beit al-Wali were moved to the island of New Kalabsha near Aswan. This rocky island, redolent of fish, is uninhabited save for a few dogs, foxes, and the Antiquities guards that care for the temple and monitor the ticket booth. The view of the lake and the dam is very fine from the island, and especially charming from the landing dock. The largest free-standing Egyptian temple in Nubia, Kalabsha was built by Augustus Caesar (who reigned from 27 BC to 14 AD) and dedicated to Osiris, Isis, and Mandulis, the latter a Nubian fertility god with a very elaborate headdress. Although the temple building was almost completed in antiquity, its decoration was never finished. Only three inner rooms, as well as portions of the exterior, are completely decorated with reliefs. Kalabsha's halffinished column capitals and fragments of relief decoration do, however; provide a great deal of information about ancient construction and carving techniques. And the view from the pylon and the roof area is wonderful and well worth the climb. The temple complex includes a birth house, in the southwest corner, and a small chapel in the northeast corner, dating to the Ptolemaic period. Alarge rock stela dating to the reign of Seti I has also been erected at this site. Its original location was Qasr Ibrim. Courtesy of Fodor's Egypt, a guidebook published by the American University in Cairo Press.
