Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan Tours, Egypt | Best Things to Do in Aswan & Facts Pharaonic Monuments
‘History Of Egyptian and secrets of the most important Pharaonic obelisks of the ancient Egyptian Civilization.
The secret of carving Egypt’s oldest unfinished obelisk and why it is not yet transported, where it is located, ticket prices, visit dates and more to start your sightseeing trip & Things to Do in Egypt.
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Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan, Egypt
Height = 41.7 m
Weight = 1168 tons
Base area = 4.2* 4.2 meters
What is the unfinished obelisk?
It is an obelisk cut in pink granit in Aswan.
The construction was done at the time of:
The purpose of the construction of the obelisk:
Installed at the front of Karnak Temple in Luxor.
Why was it not completed?
Engineers and workers of ancient Egypt discovered a large crack in which it is not suitable for restoration after being entirely carved in three directions.
King Thutmosis III “Egyptian Pharaohs kings” attempted to restore the obelisk but failed.
Where is the unfinished obelisk?
The unfinished obelisk is in the northern region in a quarry near the city of Aswan, about 1 km east of the Nile.
About The Unfinished Obelisk:
The unfinished construction of the obelisk (incomplete) in Aswan is the best reference that can enlighten us on the Pharaonic monuments built by the ancient Egyptians during their reign.
One of the most important effects, which has remained unshakable to this day, is the unfinished obelisk.
The unfinished obelisk, believed to have been built in the time of Hatshepsut, is about 137 feet (42 meters) long and weighs about 1,200 tons. It is believed that the Pharaonic queen Hatshepsut commissioned engineers and workers to work there during the 18th dynasty, more than 3,500 years ago.
Obelisks are usually placed at the entrance of temples, a feature of ancient Egyptian ingenuity and engineering, and the temples mentioned in the Old Testament and Middle Ages and are the oldest monuments that have existed so far, with the Romans worshipping them particularly, perhaps why 13 obelisks are already present in Italy.
The most important feature of the unfinished obelisk is that it is a living example of ancient Pharaonic culture and antiquities, and an open-air museum that gives insight into the construction techniques of ancient Egypt.
This unfinished obelisk was produced by the direct rock carving method, which was a basic technique for carving statues and obelisks in a common way, and stone balls were used by builders to nibble away at all defects until the surface became smooth.
There are still examples of these balls of dolorite, in the obelisk production sites in Aswan, and although the obelisks are made of granit, which is the most difficult material in the process of sculpture, because it can only be broken by repeated blows, and the precision of the sculpture on it, it is very difficult, to get out of the way the sculptor wants, the splendor of this obelisk is that it is made of granit and the finesse of the reliefs engraved on its sides is incredible literally.
The secrets of how the obelisks were transported.
One of the most interesting aspects of the unfinished obelisk is the Egyptian example’s ability to free the giant structure from its foundation in the heart of the mountain.
Although it seemed logically unreasonable, wet wood was the solution, as workers carved small cavities into the stone and made a line that resembled a piece of perforated paper, where the openings were filled with sun-dried wooden corners.
The corners are then repeatedly immersed in water, and believe it or not, the expansion of this wood will release the carved rocks from their home.
The history of the construction of obelisks in the Pharaonic civilization:
Historians explain that the obelisks were covered from the pointed upper area with a golden copper cover to remain bright with the sun’s rays reflecting on them.
The first appearance of obelisks took place in the city of Ain Shams (Iono) from the first stone of creation (Ben Ben), on which appeared a bird (the Benou) that laid an egg from which the sun came out, and then developed this pointed stone and the end triangle until the obelisks were formed.
Since the Fifth Dynasty, obelisks have become part of the temples, and two obelisks have begun to appear on either side of the entrance to the temple, and these obelisks under a one-piece stone base, engraved with the name and titles of the king, and the base of the obelisk in the form of a square, and gradually narrow its sides until it ends with a pyramidal vertex of the shape, usually stacked with gold, shines in the sunlight and creates sacred prestige in souls.
In Dynasty 12, the obelisk of King Sesostris I, one of the most famous pharaohs, appeared in front of his father’s temple in Heliopolis, north of Cairo, recording his celebration of Jubilee Day, the Heb Sed (the anniversary of the coronation after 30 years).
The address of the unfinished obelisk:
Ancient granite quarries, Aswan Department, Aswan, Egypt
Dates of visit of the unfinished obelisk:
Sunday 7h00-16h00
Monday 7h00-16h00
Tuesday 7h00-16h00
Wednesday 7h00-16h00
Thursday 7h00-16h00
Friday 7h00-16h00
Saturday 7h00-16h00
Prices for unfinished obelisk tickets:
Price of an entrance ticket for Egyptians = 15 Egyptian pounds
Price of an entrance ticket for an Egyptian student = 10 Egyptian pounds
Entrance ticket price for foreign tourists = 75 Egyptian pounds
Entrance ticket price for a foreign student = 50 Egyptian pounds
Hotels near the unfinished obelisk:
- Hotel Hello Palace
- Hotel Sofitel Old Catracte Aswan
- Hotel Helnan Aswan
Author & Writer The Sphinx of Giza: Tamer Ahmed Abd elfatah Yousif | Tourism Expert | Best Tour Operator in Hurghada
The unfinished obelisk in Aswan, Egypt, |’ history and secrets of the most important Pharaonic obelisks of the ancient Egyptian civilization.
