The History of the Fayoum OasisThe Fayoum, sometimes referred to as the Fayoum Oasis, even though it is not a true Oasis, is situated not too far south of Cairo. It takes its name from the Coptic word, Phiom or Payomj, meaning lake or sea. During very ancient times, it was actually a sea, and today is well known for the finds of great, ancient whales. 

During prehistory, more people lived in the Fayoum than in the Nile Valley. The land here was lush, and there was an abundance of water. Between 7200 and 6000 BC, a time known as the Qarunian period, Southwest Asians, whom we call Epi-Paleolithic Qarunians, migrated to the area and settled it, making hunting and fishing their main occupations. At the time, plants and animals were just beginning to be domesticated. All of this took place around a much larger lake than is there now. 

Later, during Neolithic times (5500 to 4000 BC), two distinct groups of people existed around the lake shores. These were the early Neolithic Fayumian and Late Neolithic Moerian. It was during this period that the first agricultural communities sprang forth. These people dined on gazelle, hartebeests or catfish, cooked in rough faced bowls or cooking pots, and served their friends and family on red polished rectangular earthenware dishes. 

However, around 4000 BC, the climate of the Fayoum began to dry up, and over a period of many years, the people left their drought stricken homes and migrated closer to the Nile. By about 3500 BC, some were living east of the Nile in what is now Maadi-Digla, a modern suburb south of Cairo. From their ancient sites, we know that they had grain silos, made pottery and used sickles. Once the Nile Valley became dominant, the Fayoum was all but abandoned, because life along the river was much easier. The Fayoum became a hunting and fishing paradise, as well as a place to be mined for its salts, limestone and chert. 

The Fayoum Oasis has come in and out of favor with tourists to Egypt over the years. Only a few years ago, it remained a hunter's paradise but hunting also has its more ancient legends in the Fayoum. It was here, Diodorus tells us, that King Menes, the uniter of Upper and Lower Egypt, went on a hunting trip and almost lost his life when his own dogs attacked him near the lake. However, this legend records that his life was saved by a crocodile which carried him across the water to safety. As a reward, he declared the lake a sanctuary for crocodiles and founded the city of Shedet, known to the Greeks as Crocodilopolis but today called Kiman Faris. His city became the cult center of the crocodile god Sobek, Though the Fayoum was identified with Nun, the primeval ocean, the origin of all life in ancient mythology, Sobek remained the chief deity of the region throughout dynastic and Greek times and into the Roman era. All the known temples were dedicated, or at least co-dedicated, to one or another of his aspects. A sacred crocodile kept at the main temple at Crocodilopolis was seen and described by both Herodotus and Strabo. 

Nevertheless, during the early dynastic times, the Fayoum remained mostly undeveloped, much of it probably marsh and swamp, though it was a favored hunting ground for the

Egyptian elite. During the Old Kingdom, it was known as Ta-she, or She-resy (the Southern Lake). 

Then in the 12th Dynasty, numerous Egyptian kings brought new life to the area. They took up residence at Lisht, nearby in the Nile Valley. It was probably the founder of this dynasty, Amenemhat I, who, during the first half of the 20th century BC, flooded the Fayoum to create the famous Lake Moeris, which was described 1,500 years later by Herodotus. He also built his pyramid at Lisht. His successor, Senusret I, erected an obelisk of Abgig, and later, the Lahun pyramid was built for Senusret II. Amenemhat III, who had a long, peaceful reign towards the end of the 19th century BC, added a number of monuments to the region, including the colossi of Biahmu (al Sanam), the temples at Madinat Madi and Kiman Faris, and at Hawara he built the famous Labyrinth and his own pyramid, the only one to be built away from the Nile Valley. His successor, Amenemhat IV, also worked at the temple of Madinat Madi. 

However, after these Middle Kingdom kings, interest dropped off once again until the Ptolemies and their Greek rule (after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC). Really, very little is known about the Fayoum during Egypt's New Kingdom. 

We actually have considerable information about the Fayoum during Greek times because of the many hundreds of papyri that were discovered throughout the area during the past century. Mummies were wrapped in old papyrus scrolls, so old cemeteries were and continue to be excellent libraries of information about the Fayoum. 

These documents are diverse, revealing census records, household accounts, fictional stories and details about the army. So extensive are they that we not only know the names of towns, but also their districts and street names. We know that men married at around eighteen to twenty years of age, and women around fifteen. We also know that the Greeks practiced infanticide, especially if the child was female. Under Greek rule, there were 114 villages in the Fayoum, with sixty-six of them taking Greek names. There was considerable rivalry between these villages, sometimes resulting in open hostility. They stole crops, soil and water rights from each other. 

We also know that there was a thriving tourist trade even then, when pilgrims would come to feed the sacred crocodiles with fried fish and honey cakes. 

The first Greek ruler, Ptolemy I began a process of improving the region by draining a part of Lake Moeris, and thus reclaiming about 1,200 square kilometers of excellent land. His work was continued by his son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, who gave parcels of the new and very fertile land to his Greek and Macedonian veterans, which provided the region with a fresh profusion of humanity. With these efforts, the Fayoum blossomed into probably the richest and most productive area of the country. These new settlers made the Fayoum into the "Garden of Egypt" with new innovations such as the water propelled saqya, or water wheel, now a well known feature of the region. 

During the Ptolemaic Period, settlers in the Fayoum were mostly Greeks and Macedonians, but there were also groups of Jews, Persians, Arabs, Syrians, Thracians and Samaritans. Here, an interesting process took place for, unlike the  Greeks in Alexandria who remained mostly a homogeneous community for many years, the Greeks of the Fayoum intermarried with native Egyptians, as did the other nationalities. Hence, the Fayoum became a great melting pot in which racial purity did not long survive. 

Ptolemy II named one of the new settlements on the eastern fringe Philadelphia, meaning "brotherly love", in reference to the sister that he married, Arsinoe. In fact, he also renamed the whole province in her honor, calling it the Arsinoite nome. Prior to this, the Greeks had simply known it as "the Marsh". Now, it was divided into a number of districts (merides), which included Heracleides in the north, Themistos in the west and Polemon in the south. Upon her death, Arsinoe was deified by the Fayoum populous, and there was a great Arsinoeia festival held annually in the Fayoum during the month of Misra (August).

Though the Fayoum probably began to decline during the late Greek Period and even as early as the reign of Ptolemy II, after the fall of Cleopatra to Augustus in 30 BC, the prosperity continued for some time. What the Romans found in the Fayoum was a Hellenized landowner gentry in the towns, while the Egyptians worked and lived in the more rural areas. They also found clogged canals and broken dikes, and Augustus ordered the Roman army into the Fayoum to clean and repair the water system. 

But as that great empire became unstable and began to disintegrate, so too did the Fayoum. Under a corrupt local government and mismanagement, along with an atmosphere of general economic depression, the successful Ptolemaic irrigation system once again gradually fell into disrepair, and much good land was lost, some forever, to the desert. Between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD, the towns of Karanis, Bacchias, Philadelphia, Tebtunis and Dionysias declined and were eventually abandoned. 

In addition, while the income of the people in the Fayoum was relatively high, the average poll tax was twice that of any other place in Egypt. Finally, Rome exacted too much from the Fayoum, and the population, which was always rebellious, began to decline. The region was also hit hard by plague. 

In 395 AD, the Roman Empire was partitioned, and Egypt came under the rule of the eastern emperor, ruling from Byzantium. Christianity had become the official religion of the empire, and in the Fayoum their was once as many as thirty-five monasteries. But the Egyptian church split with the Byzantine in 451 due to a doctrinal issue. For much of Egypt, the Byzantine rule was not popular, and when the Arabs came in 640, they were generally welcomed. By then, many Egyptians believed that the new regime could not be more repressive than the old. 

However, the Fayoum held out against the Arab armies, and this was one of the last provinces of the country to fall to the new rulers of Egypt. The Fayoum was defended by a Byzantine garrison and a native Egyptian force led by John of Maros, who was

stationed at Lahun. When the Arabs threatened Bahnasa (Oxyrhynchus), south of Beni Suef, John met them and at first managed to repulse them. However, the Arabs soon returned with reinforcements and took the town. John and his men fled further south to Asyut, but there they were finally routed and killed. Nevertheless, a man named Theodorus continued to use the Fayoum as a base for unsuccessful sorties against Bahnasa.

Now, the main Byzantine forces retired to the fortress of Babylon (now in Old Cairo) leaving much of the remainder of Egypt in Arab hands. During April of 641, Babylon also fell, and this marked the end of the resistance from the Fayoum as well. Upon hearing the news of the fall of Babylon, Domentianus, who was the prefect of the Fayoum, fled with his troops during the night, leaving only a token garrison behind. At the time, Theodorus was away in Middle Egypt, and the Arabs easily took the Fayoum, killing the few troops left behind. Interestingly however, under the Arabs, their first governor of the Fayoum was a Coptic Christian named Philoxenos. 

Yet, despite the decline of the Fayoum during Roman times, it remained famed at the beginning of the Early Islamic Period as a very rich province. Even then, legend credits the Fayoum with some 360 villages, and it was said that each of these could provide the whole of Egypt with food for one day. Unfortunately though, the region continued its downward course. 

When the Fatimid army invaded Egypt, they reached the Fayoum in 914, invading and devastating it, before finally being driven out of the country. The Fatimids made a second attempt to invade Egypt five years later when they pushed into Upper Egypt as far as al-Ashmunein (hermopolis), south of al-Minya. This time, they sacked Alexandria, as well as the Fayoum. However, in the Fayoum, the invaders succumbed to famine and plague, and were consequently unable to gain the upper hand in a crucial battle at Giza. Though some forty-nine years later they would return and finally take the country, the Fatimids were again sent packing back home in the spring of 920. 

The Fayoum continued to decline, however. At the end of the 10th century, the annual fiscal return of the Fayoum was 620,000 dinars, but by the reign of Salah al-Din, during the latter half of the 12 century, this figure had dropped to a mere 145,162 dinars. Yet, Salah al-Din, known to Europeans as Saladin, granted land in the Fayoum to some of his Kurdish and Turkish officers, and even owned land in the province himself. In 1245, Abu 'Uthman al-Nabulsi, a Syrian Amir who was then governor of the Fayoum, wrote a book about the province which focused on its famous irrigation system. He found it to be so neglected that it was hardly functioning at all. The Bahr Munha canal, better known now as Bahr Yusuf, was so silted up that water only flowed through it during the Nile Flood, a period lasting about four months of the year, and the smaller canals were in no better state. He discovered that nothing had been spent on canal maintenance during the previous hundred years. He did set about making improvements during his governorship by cutting new channels and clearing old ones. Shortly after his brief governorship, there were also two great hydrological works commissioned, including the now ruined wall of

Shidmoh, and a new regulator at Lahun, which was still in use until the middle of the 20th century. 

However, the Fayoum continued its decline, particularly during the Ottoman Period. They controlled Egypt for over 200 years, between 1517 and 1798. During this time, the Fayoum was governed by a qadi sent once a year from Istanbul. During the remainder of the year, the qadi's deputy held a divan twice a week, attended by sixty Arab Sheikhs. In 1634, the annual revenue of the Fayoum is reported to have dropped to a mere 56,000 dinars. The region had many problems during this period, partly due to its remote location, which was difficult to access particularly during the flood season. It was also especially vulnerable to Bedouin and Berber attacks, a problem that was not completely brought under control until the middle of the 19th century. But another reason for the regions continued decline was the discovery of the Cape route to India, which seriously affected the Egyptian economy as a whole.

Then, in 1798, the French army of Napoleon invaded Egypt and defeated the two Mamluk Period Beys, Murad and Ibrahim, who then controlled Egypt. This was the famous Battle of the Pyramids, and afterwards Ibrahim Bey fled to Syria. However, Murad Bey retreated only as far as Middle Egypt, where a force of 5,000 men under General Louis Charles Antoine Desaix de Veygoux was sent to rout him. The French, however, never really succeeded in doing so. 

The two armies battled all around Middle Egypt and the Fayoum. First, Desaix tried to surprise Murad's camp at Bahnasa, but Murad was forewarned by local farmers and managed to slip away. Desaix pursued Murad to Beni Suef, where after another battle Murad once again escaped. Afterwards, they fought the next battle at Sidmant, just a little southwest of Lahun, but this confrontation was once again indecisive. Desaix camped at Lahun and then at Fayoum Town, where he was held up for a month by an epidemic of conjunctivitis. Yet, when Murad attacked the debilitated Garrison in the Fayoum on November 8th, he was repulsed. Desaix regrouped at Beni Suef and followed Murad into Upper Egypt, and finally Murad retreated to Nubia, leaving Desaix in control of Upper Egypt. 

Then, in 1799, Murad reappeared in the Fayoum, though by now, Bonaparte had retired from Egypt, leaving his deputy, Kleber, to negotiate a French evacuation. Part of the pressure on Kleber was Murad's activities in and around the Fayoum. In October, Desaix once again assembled two camel columns to march on Murad in the Fayoum. They met at Sidmant, but Murad took the offensive, was repelled and pursued, but once again managed to escape. 

In fact, peace was eventually made between Murad and the French. He was appointed governor of Upper Egypt for the Republic of France on May 30, 1800. However, it was a short governorship, for he died of the plague in Upper Egypt on April 22, 1801. 

When the French abandoned Egypt in 1801, a power struggle was created between the Turks and the Mamluks. Between these two powers was a brilliant Albanian coffee dealer

from Macedonian named Muhammad Ali. Once again, the Fayoum would suffer. In September 1806, Fayoum town was taken and sacked by the Mamluk Yasin Bey, and a large part of its population was massacred for its support of Muhammad Ali. Yasin managed to hold on to the Fayoum for almost four years, until Muhammad retook it in 1810. That following year, Muhammad consolidated his power with the famous massacre of the Mamluks at the Cairo Citadel.

Muhammad Ali, often known as the father of modern Egypt, revived the failing economy of the country with agricultural reforms, promoting cotton as a cash crop in areas such as the Fayoum. He also managed to largely subdue the nomadic tribes who raided the Fayoum, first by force, but when that did not work, by political appointments and large land grants. This approach was particularly successful in the Fayoum, where the problem had been most serious. 

In the more modern era, transport and communications improved in the Fayoum with the railway system that connected it to the Nile Valley in 1874, and the network of light (small gauge) railways that ran throughout the province. Around the turn of the 20th century, the British built good roads and revised the irrigation system, reclaiming some land for agriculture. Finally, the Fayoum began to recover from the slump that had begun during Roman times. 

Around the second decade of the 20th century, the British established camps within and around the perimeter of the Fayoum, including outposts manned by the infantry o protect it against the Sanusi, a threat that never materialized, at least in the Fayoum.

Since the 1950s and Egypt's final independence from colonialism, land reclamation, the establishment of cooperatives and the rural electrification program, among other projects, have led the way towards a revival of the prosperity of the Fayoum. Today, it is poised to also gain new tourism trade as more and more visitors seek out this ancient breadbasket of Egypt. 

The Fayoum is a wonderful area of Egypt with a rich and interesting history. It is an area where Egyptians often vacation and which is constantly growing more popular among Europeans. This 692 sq. mile depression was a lush paradise during prehistoric times. It's water level was eighty-five meters higher than today (currently 45 meters below sea level) and the Nile regularly flooded through the low mountains separating it from the Fayoum. At 215 square km, the current lake Qaroun remains Egypt's largest salt water lake. The prehistoric people who lived here were, at first, nomadic hunters and gatherers, but later began harvesting plants near the lake. This developed into what is said to be the earliest agricultural area in the world, where fences were erected and guarded warehouses built. It has remained an agriculture center, well known for its fruits, vegetables and chickens.

But agriculture is not the Fayoums only claim for being first.  The Greek mummy portraits found in the Fayoum are said to be the world’s first true life portraits, and examples can be found in area museums.  In addition, a paved road, which has been

noted as a landmark of engineering by engineering societies along side the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty, is said to be possibly the first paved road in the world and dates to over 4,500 years.  And finally, the world’s first dam was probably built here in order to control the Nile floods into the area.

The peacefulness of the area is a relief from the hustle and bustle of Cairo, from which it is a brief trip. Bird life still abounds around Lake Qaroun, bordered by semi-nomadic Bedouin settlements and fishing villages. Here, on the edge of the desert, you can sail, windsurf, swim and fish. Other places of outstanding natural beauty near Fayoum are the hot springs at Ain al-Siliyin, where you can bath and the waterfalls at Wadi al-Rayan, 40km towards Bahariyya, also suitable for swimming and picnics.

Fayoum is not a true oasis since it depends on Nile water instead of underground springs or wells. The ancient Bahr Yussef canal runs through the center of the city and irrigates the land. Only two hours from Cairo by road, Fayoum is renouned for its year-round warm climate, numerous water wheels (introduced by the Ptolemies in the 3rd century) and lush agricultural land. Cotton, clover, tomatoes, medicinal plants and fruit are all grown here. The local Souk (market) in Fayoum City sells copperware, spices and gold jewelry and there is a special pottery market once a week.

Other small villages in the area too small to document independently include Qasr Qarun at the western end of Birket Qarun and Shakshuk also by the lake on a bay.

How to get to Fayoum

From outside Egypt

International flights direct to Cairo, then either an internal flight (see below) or overland by bus or by car. 

From Cairo

OverlandYou may like to book a tour through a travel agent or hire your own transport. Bear in mind that desert driving has special requirements and be sure to get a suitable vehicle and guidance on possible hazards. 0therwise you can travel to each location by bus or service taxi and arrange trips from there.

Fayoum:

Service taxis from Midan Giza (Giza Sq.) or buses from the Ahmed Helmi or Giza terminals. By train from Ramses or Giza stations.

FAYOUM OASIS Fayoum Oasis is Egypt's largest oasis, populated by more than 2 million. It is not a pure oasis like the other ones of Egypt, as most of its water comes from the Nile.But it is a depression, and it has its own artesian wells, allowing water to reach the surface

from underground reservoirs.The extent of it is quite grand, and the green gardens seem to go on and on. Its villages are simple and far too often filthy, making a stark contrast to the gardens and the splended past.Fayoum's history goes back in time as far as Egypt's. Its earliest recorded name, in the time of the pyramid builders, was To-She. With the construction of irrigation canals in the 19th century BCE, the oasis became the most fertile region in Egypt. The 4th century BCE king Ptolemy 2 Philadelphus named it after his sister/wife Arsinoe.With the introduction of Roman control a few centuries later, a new taxation system ruined local farmers and resulted in a decline of the oasis that would last for almost 1600 years, before Mohammed Ali introduced new programmes, promoting agriculture.

Fayoum CityFayoum city is a pleasant village gone town. More than 300,000 people live here. Some have called it a miniature version of Cairo, but it is really more a village of larger houses. The river scene, however, is nice, cutting through the most popular downtown sections of the place.Apart from the downtown, Fayoum has fairly little to offer. There are really just two sights in town. In addition to the water wheels, the most memorable is the obelisk of Sesostris 1 which stands in a roundabout 10 minutes walk from downtown. It is about 13 metres high and is the only obelisk with a rounded tip. Sesostris 1 made Fayoum into the most important centre of Egypt in his time, almost 4000 years ago.

Lake QarunWater not moving is apparently a great attraction in Egypt, and Lake Qarun is the largest lake in the entire country, 45 metres below sea level. It is gradually developing into a resort, both with beaches, beach resorts and now also holiday houses. Early in the day, green fishing boats rest on the eerie calm lake, almost melting with the sky. Only the backdrop of the Egypt desert in the north breaks this unity.Bird watchers can have nice time here, with 88 species nest around the lake, including flamingoes. Lake Qaroun was too salty for fish for a long time, until marine species were introduced in the 1970's. These include eel, mullet, sole and shrimp.But apart from a beautiful sight or two, I believe that most foreigners can calmly leave Lake Qarun to the Egyptians themselves. The amenities here area limited, and if a lazy day on the beach is your thing, the Red Sea resorts, as well as Marsa Matruh and Alexandria has a better offer.I remember a trip with a rowing boat here one day in 1999. Out on the lake, I discovered the true depth of the expression: "So what!"

DimaiDimai was originally a Graeco-Roman town called Soknopaiou Nesos, which means "Island of the Crocodile god" in Greek. Although it dates back to Ptolemaic period, it was probably settled for milennias before this.Dimai was the first of the original ancient settlements of Fayoum to be abandoned, and lies today in an arid region where no agriculture is any longer possible. Dimai one of is the sight around Fayoum offering least information of its past, although a processional way to the remains of a temple dedicated to Soknopaios still exists. There are also remains of the mudbrick wall that ringed the city, a wall that was 10 metres high and 5 metres thick.

KaranisThe history of Karanis goes back to the 3rd century BCE, when Greek mercenaries founded it, and lasts until the 5th century CE. The location was strategic, midway between the old centres of northern Egypt and the increasingly important Fayoum Oasis.It was clearly a rich town, although never large. Perhaps up to 5,000 people lived here, but 2 temples were built to worship variations over the god Sobek; Petesouchos and Pnepheros.Southern Temple at Karanis.The Temple of the South is slightly better preserved than the Temple of the North. The layout of the two is quite similar, and they both contain the fascinating house of the crocodile, where

a live crocodile lived and was venerated. It lies in the heart of the temple, and has a small door on the side leading into a room about 6 square metres large. Around this, there area a number of rooms and staircases leading one story up, from where humans could deal with the crocodile.The town of Karanis is all over the area, but most of it is little excavated. The Greaco-Roman bath house mentioned in guide books is little more than a bath tub with a roof where there now only are some remains of the original wall-decorations left.Crocodile sanctuary at Northern Temple at Karanis.

Medinet Madi, or NarmuthisEntrance to the temple area at Medinet Madi.Facade of the Sobek part of the twin temple at Medinet Madi.Remains of the Spinx avenue.The best-preserved interior decorations from the temple part dedicated to the serpent-goddess Renenutet.Second temple at Medinet Madi. This has a twin sanctuary.Well-excavated ruins of Narmuthis.Getting to Medinet Madi, or Narmuthis, is half the fun. I had a taxi driver zigzagging through the poorest villages of Fayoum, on badly surfaced roads late in the afternoon. When we finally made it out there, all you could see from a distance was a small square shape on top of a long mound.After running across the field and climbing up the mound, and seeing that the shape was only a palm frond hut, I shouted a bad word. But then suddenly, I saw Medinet Madi appearing underneath me. And it was quite a surprise, with its long temple and a ruined city in the background.Medinet Madi is considered to be the most interesting site around Fayoum, yet it is one of few such places in Egypt where there is no entrance fee.The main temple of Medinet Madi was built under the pharaohs Amenemhet 3 and 4, who belonged to the 12th Dynasty. It was dedicated to two deities, the popular crocodile-god Sobek and the serpent-goddess Renenutet. Inside the latter sanctuary some wall-decorations can still be made out.

Monastery of the Archangel GabrielThe legendary background for the Monastery of the Archangel Gabriel, or Deir al-Malak Ghobriel, goes back to the 5th century, when the grandson of the king had a vision of Virgin Mary and the two archangels Gabriel and Micheal at this place.For centuries the monastery was neglected to the advantage of other nearby monasteries. It lies on an elevated limestone rock on the slope of the Naqlun Moutain.Although some parts of the present structure may date back to the 5th century, it is believed that the main church was largely rebuilt and redecorated late in the 19th century. But during a 1997 restoration, 11th century paintings of saints like Gabriel, Virgin Mary and Jesus were discovered.In 1991 mutilated 12 skeletons were discovered near the monastery. The Coptic Church declared them martyrs, and relics of the find has been distributed to churches all over Egypt and even abroad.After more than 1000 years of activity, the monastery would be abandoned. But in modern times, it is being repopulated by Coptic monks.There is an annual moulid dedicated to Gabriel on December 18. This is one of few times through the year, when the place gets crowded

PracticalitiesHotels and AlternativesFayoum city's selection of hotels are mainly 1 star or less, with one 3 star exception. Out of the main city there are a few more elections, and one high standard hotel. Prices are OK.

Restaurants and alternativesThe selection of nice restaurants in Fayoum resembles the selection of hotels. But the hotel

restaurant at Queen Hotel does a decent dinner in fine surroundings (but without a single window), but they should learn to put on some music when both hotel and restaurant is empty.Your best choice in Fayoum is one of the many stylish fast food joints. Some of these are sit-down places, and although their interior seem to be inspired by McDonald's, they actually serve good food.

TransportationOf reasons described below, moving around Fayoum is best done by taxi. Moving around 2WD destinations should cost E£200 or less (I paid 200, but am not a great haggler) for 1-3 travellers.Getting to and from can be done either by bus, minibus, train or hired taxi. There is no specific rule to what is best, ask at your hotel for information.

Police and SecurityOver recent years, Fayoum has of some odd reason joined the rest of the Nile south of Cairo in having police control every movement of Western visitor. This involves that you will most likely have to hire a taxi for travelling, and get a police man get into the front seat. This is not all bad, most of the police men try to help you as much as they can.

Local destinations

Going next

DestinationDistance

Direction

Travelling time

Best with Alternatives

Lake Qarun 20 km N 30 min Car, taxi Local buses

Qasr el-Sagha 80 km N by NE 2-3 hours 4WD car -

Dimai 60 km N by NE 1.5-2 hours 4WD car Rowing boat

Karanis 25 km NE 30 min Bus Car, taxi

Umm el-Brigat 50 km S 1.5 hours 4WD car -

Monastery of Archangel Gabriel

35km S 1 hour 4WD car Local bus + walking

Medinet Madi 40 km W 1 hour Car, taxi Local buses

Qasr Qarun 35 km NW 1 hour Car, taxi Local buses

Wadi Rayan 60 km W by NW 1.5 hour Car, taxi -

Pyramid at Hawara

15 km W 30 min Car, taxi -

Pyramid at Illahun

25 km W 50 min Car, taxi -

Pyramid at Meidum

40 km W 1 hour Car, taxi -

Qasr el-SaghaIn between the petrified remains of a thick forest from antiquity, and on an outlying scarp of the Qatrani Mountain, lies a temple now called Qasr el-Sagha. We do not know to which god or gods it was intended to be dedicated. Since it never was completed, there is a total lack of friezes and inscriptions.Its date has been set to no later than the Middle Kingdom. This can be seen from its plan, but the construction technique is unique in Egypt. The blocks used are irregularly shaped, but have corners and angles that fit together as a jigsaw. By this the structure is held together, but it calls for more imagination: It resembles an Inca stucture of South America.It appears that there were no nearby settlements to the temple, but there were villages in prehistoric times on a flat plain to the south.

Qasr Qarun and DionysiasQasr Qarun is a a temple dedicated to the Fayoumi god Sobek, built during Ptolemaic times. It appears immediately as strangely simple and square from the outside, since it is like a complete rectangular box with slightly tilted walls.Its interior is distinguished by a maze of rooms, and stair cases, all ending on th roof. And this is part of the attraction, since only few of Egypt's temples have roofs and only few of these have access allowed.There is not much to see inside the temple, since all decorations are gone, all but the ones above the doors. But for early European travellers, Qasr Qarun was a destination motiving quite active travelling. There was for long a theory that the maze of the temple, as well as the city near it, was the famous ancient Labyrinth described by Herodotus and Strabo.Of the city Dionysias, little of interest remains. The foundations and sometimes even walls of many houses peek through the sand, but no systematic excavations have been conducted here and you get no feeling of how the ancient city must have looked like

Umm el-Baragat, or TebtunisNear the modern day village of Umm el-Baragat lies the ruins of the ancient town of Tebtunis. While dating back to the New Kingdom, the ruins are from the period from the Ptolmaic rulers to the Romans, 4th century BCE until 3rd or 4th century CE.At the site, there is a small temple dedicated to a local variation of Sobek, Soknebtynis, and a stone-paved processional way leading to the temple. This is protected by two lion statues

DestinationDistance

Direction

Travelling time

Best with Alternatives

Cairo 80 km N 1h 15min Bus Train

Monastery of St. Anthony

180 km E 2.5-3 hours Car, taxi Bus + hitch hiking

Minya 150 km S 2h 30min Car, taxi Bus

made from limestone. There is also a crocodile cemetery, where more than 1000 mummified crocodiles and sarcophagi were found in 1900.Tebtunis was also the site for the find of a valuable temple library with numerous literary, medical and administrative documents as well as religious texts

Water wheels Fayoum has a great number of water wheels, perhaps as many as 200. This was an important addition to Fayoum's economy in the 3rd century BCE, allowing the stream of the river to have water lifted up to a level where it could be transported into the fields for irrigation.The two best places to see water wheels are either in Fayoum City, which has 4 standing next to another. 3 km north of town, there is a cluster of 7 water wheels.

Wadi RayanIn 1966 the old plan of leading surplus water from the Qarun Lake to the empty depression of Wadi Rayan was realized. Since then, a new world, limited in vegetation, but quite rich in bird life, has developed.Wadi Rayan has two fairly large lakes, connected by a little river and Egypt's only water falls. Egyptians are quite thrilled by the place, and excursions and trips are arranged out here for both school children as well as adults.For me as a Norwegian, a 3 metre high water fall is nothing special, but I do get the point of travelling out here. The entire setting is both weird and quite beautiful. Yellow, creamy sand dunes creep in on the new lakes, the water has a sweet, blue colour, and the bird life is richer than most other places around Egypt.Trips with rowing boats appears to be the thing to do, next to swimming and sipping a cold soft drink or a tea in the nearby coffee shops.