On top of the dam
From the dam you look over Lake Nasser on one side and the Nile on the other, while your guide explains the dam's role in farming and electricity.
Home / Attractions / Aswan High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk
Aswan · The Nile south of Aswan and the city's granite quarries
The Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk
Two stops on the same Aswan day: the rock-fill dam that holds back Lake Nasser, completed in 1970, and an obelisk abandoned in the ancient granite quarries.
About Aswan High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk
The Aswan High Dam is a rock-fill dam across the Nile at Aswan, completed in 1970. It is 111 meters (364 feet) high with a crest 3,830 meters (12,562 feet) long, and holds back Lake Nasser; for the first time in history, the Nile's annual flood came under human control.
The Unfinished Obelisk lies in one of Aswan's ancient granite quarries, which supplied stone for many Egyptian monuments. Work on it stopped because of flaws and fissures in the stone; finished, it would have stood around 42 meters high and weighed 1,168 tonnes, taller than any other ancient Egyptian obelisk. The quarries are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae, inscribed in 1979.
A short history
- The Unfinished ObeliskBelieved to have been ordered by Queen Hatshepsut (c. 1473–1458 BCE) for the temple of Amun at Karnak, it was left in the quarry when the stone cracked, and lay under sand until it was found in the early twentieth century.
- The old damThe first dam at Aswan was completed in 1902 and raised in 1912 and 1933; it lies 6 km (4 miles) downstream from the High Dam.
- The High DamCompleted in 1970 and formally inaugurated in January 1971, at a cost of about $1 billion. Its 12 turbines can generate 10 billion kilowatt-hours a year.
- Lake NasserThe reservoir backs up the Nile about 320 km (200 miles) in Egypt and almost 160 km (100 miles) into Sudan. Its rising water forced the move of the Abu Simbel temples, and ninety thousand Egyptian farmers and Sudanese Nubians had to be relocated.
What you'll see
The Unfinished Obelisk
Still lying in the bedrock where it was cut, with the fissures that ended the work. Obelisks were made from a single piece of stone and usually stood in pairs in front of temple entrances.
The granite quarry
The quarry face around the obelisk shows how stone was worked; UNESCO calls the quarries the basis of knowledge of ancient Egyptian quarrying technology.
Opening hours and tickets
Opening hours
| Unfinished Obelisk, summer | 7:00 am · last entry 3:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Unfinished Obelisk, winter | 7:00 am · last entry 3:00 pm |
| Unfinished Obelisk, Ramadan | 7:00 am · last entry 3:00 pm |
Hours are for the Unfinished Obelisk.
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities ticketing portal, checked August 2026
Tickets, foreign visitors
| Adult | Student | |
| Unfinished Obelisk | EGP 220 | EGP 110 |
- Children under 6 enter free
- Students: valid ID, age 24 or under
Prices in Egyptian pounds, as of August 2026
Getting there and how the visit runs
Drive to the site
| From Aswan hotels to the High Dam | 20.6 km · about 20 min |
|---|
Without traffic, from our tours' map routing
On our Aswan day tour your guide starts at the High Dam, then drives 18.7 km, about 19 minutes, to the Unfinished Obelisk before the boat to Philae Temple. Our High Dam and Philae tour stops at the dam only. Entry to the sites is included.
Before you go
What to wear and bring
- Modest clothing
- Comfortable shoes for sand and stone
- Sun protection and a hat
Photos
- Photos with a mobile phone are free of charge
- Ask before photographing people
- Drones need Ministry of Defence permission
Average daily high in Aswan (°C)
The coolest months are December to February.
World Meteorological Organization climate normals (monthly averages, not forecasts)
Questions about Aswan High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk
How tall is the Aswan High Dam?
It is 111 meters (364 feet) high, with a crest 3,830 meters (12,562 feet) long.
When was the Aswan High Dam built?
It was completed in 1970 and formally inaugurated in January 1971.
Why is the obelisk unfinished?
Work stopped because of flaws in the stone and several fissures. Had it been finished, it would have stood around 42 meters high and weighed 1,168 tonnes.
Who made the Unfinished Obelisk?
It is believed to have been ordered by Queen Hatshepsut (c. 1473–1458 BCE) for the temple of Amun at Karnak.
How much is the Unfinished Obelisk ticket?
EGP 220 for foreign adults and EGP 110 for foreign students, as of August 2026.
How far is the High Dam from Aswan hotels?
20.6 km, about 20 minutes without traffic, and the Unfinished Obelisk is 18.7 km from the dam.
Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica; UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities; World Meteorological Organization.
Day tours
Tours that stop at Aswan High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk
Guides
Read before you go
Philae Temple from Aswan: the boat, the hours and the ticketsThe boat to the island, our Philae tours by day and by night, two sets of official hours, and the tickets.
Abu Simbel from Aswan: what the day looks likeA long road day from Aswan: the drive, the two temples, and the site's hours and tickets.
Day tours from a Nile cruise boat in Luxor and AswanWhich Luxor and Aswan day tours pick you up from a Nile cruise boat, and how to fit one in.
Egypt day tours by city: what you can do from each baseWhat you can do from each of our 8 bases, from the Giza pyramids to the Red Sea reefs.