Fortress of Shali
Central Siwa is dominated by the spectacular organic shapes of the remains of this 13th-century mud-brick fortress. Built from kershef (chunks of salt from the lake just outside town, mixed with rock and plastered in local clay), the labyrinth of huddled buildings was originally four or five storeys high and housed hundreds of people. A path leads over the slumping remnants, past the Old Mosque with its chimney-shaped minaret, to the top for panoramic views.
Mountain of the Dead in Siwa | Gebel al-Mawta
The mountain contains a number of tombs. The tombs, which cover every inch of its base and are situated on its terraces and on all sides of the conical part, date from the 26th dynasty, the Greek and the Roman periods, though there appear to be no Christian burials.
One of the most famous tombs is that of Si-Amun which is considered the most beautiful one in the oasis of the Western desert. The tomb dates to about the 3rd century BC. It was discovered in October 1940, and unfortunately, some of its decorations were badly damaged by soldiers in Siwa at that time, who cut away parts of the painted plaster. The tomb, as with others in the area, was robbed during the Roman period.
Temple of Amon
The impact of this site in ancient times appears slightly strange and fascinating at the same time, to modern visitors. The actual temple is so small, but the entire setting is like one of a fantasy novel. The temple complex, complete with a well (quite well-preserved), takes all of a little mountain rising up from the oasis. Seen from a distance, the site is like a white island floating on green palms. Upon entering, a wall rises above you, and when standing next to the temple, you will have fabulous views. Unfortunately, there is little to fascinate a visitor with the temple structure itself; no wall paintings or fine details have survived. It is best when seen from a distance. Not far from the temple, a water pool glistens where, it is said, Cleopatra used to bathe.
Traditional Siwan houses
Siwa House Museum
The Museum at Siwa is an example of what the traditional house looks like in Siwa Oasis, Siwa House Museum also has a great collection of displays for daily-life tools and accessories used by Siwan people.
The Siwan house ceilings and doors are made of palm wood, and mud and olive leaves help strengthen the roof against the rain. Most of the houses in Siwa as we can see them during Egypt Tours, have two floors and a rooftop terrace, where they sleep in the summer or sit in the evening for dinners and chats in the open air.
The second floor of the house in Siwa has bedrooms, a sitting room, and a kitchen. If we go to The first floor through Egypt Day Tours, we usually have one room called the winter room, or “gear fit nshtee.” It’s a very warm room because it’s small, down below and has small windows. On the cold winter evenings, the whole family sits around a heath called “al kor” – a plate of glowing hot olive wood coals placed in the middle of the room. The rooms of the houses of better classes are large and high.
Cleopatra’s Bath
Cleopatra’s Bath is located in the town center, and it is well populated. For that reason, people should take care when choosing to bathe here.
Keep in mind that women from other parts of the world may look at clothing quite differently from the people of Egypt. If you choose to step into the waters and you are a woman, it would be best to stay fully clothed. If you are a woman, you need to expect stares no matter what you may be dressed in. If you do choose to change into other clothing before stepping into Cleopatra’s Bath, you will find that changing rooms are open to the public at Tanta Waa Café, which is adjacent to the bath itself.
The Magical Salt Lakes of Siwa
In the popular culture, Siwa has this reputation of having a “special energy”. Many attribute that to the salt that covers the landscape, as many believe it expels negative energy that recuperates not only our physical bodies but our energetic bodies as well. The Siwan lakes are extremely safe to swim in; the salt content is so high that you automatically float, making drowning impossible. The only thing to take care of is not to get water directly into your eyes, as it is extremely salty and might cause stinging and irritation. There are no fish or marine life to be found in these lakes due to their hyper-salinity.
Siwa Oasis is well known for its variety of Tourism excursions, including Historical tourism, Medical tourism, adventure tourism, etc. People from all over the world come to Siwa to swim in the desert! Yes, swim in the desert, as it has thousands of natural springs and famous Salt lakes!
Fatnas Island and dinner
This small island is located 10 minutes from Siwa town. You will find dates farm on this island and it has a freshwater spring that you can swim in. It offers a spectacular view of Siwa Lake for sunset. having our dinner and tea
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