President to inaugurates open air museum
Egypt, Local, 5/20/2002

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will soon inaugurate the open-air museum on the island of kalabshah south of the Aswan High Dam, Minister of Culture Farouq Hosni said yesterday.

The museum includes the temples of kalabshah, kertassi and Beit Al-Wali, the Minister explained on an inspection visit to the island to prepare for the- President's visit.

The Temple of kalabshah would have been submerged forever under the rising waters of the Nile, if it had not been moved 40km north of its original site.

The relocation project was completed in 1975. Today the temple stands on the West Bank of Lake Nasser, south of the Aswan High Dam.

It was originally constructed c.20 BC during the reign of Emperor Augustus, and was dedicated to the Nubian god Mandulis, the equivalent of the Egyptian God Horus.

Hosni said the museum project comes within the overall project of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) to restore and maintain the many temples on the banks of Lake Nasser between Aswan and Abu Simbel.

"The island of kalabshah museum also includes a Roman temple, and two temples of Rameses II- Beit Al-Wali and Gerf Hussein (which were recently there).

So, the whole island is now a complete site," the minister said.

"Kalabsha temple was the largest free-standing temple of Egyptian Nubia and its design is classical for the Ptolemaic period, with pylons, courtyard, hypostyle hall and a three-room sanctuary.

"Within the framework of technological development in the area a security network connecting the museum with the Temple of Philae and the Nubian museum will be built," Hosni said.

The temple of kalabshah will be open daily from 8am to 5pm. Admission costs LE 10, or LE 5 for students.

Previous Stories:
  Oldest skeleton found   (5/18/2002)
  Mubarak opens four Pharaonic, Roman temples in Kalabsha   (5/18/2002)
  Mrs. Mubarak visits British library   (5/17/2002)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search