The Unfinished Obelisk
A Sleeping Giant
In the southernmost city of Aswan there lies an Unfinished Obelisk, where because of a crack was never erected. Because of its massive size it is until today one of the most amazing structures to have ever been planned to build.
Today, you can visit the Unfinished Obelisk whenever you are visiting the city of Aswan. Not only that you will also be treated to many other important sites that made Aswan one of the top destination city in Aswan.
123EgyptTours.com provides the best tours and itineraries to Aswan for your ultimate travel experience. Check our site today to start planning your Aswan adventure.
The Story behind the Unfinished Obelisk
The Unfinished Obelisk is one of the largest obelisk ever to have been constructed in the whole of Egypt and the world, had it been successfully completed. Though it is not clear which pharaoh exactly started the construction of the obelisk, it would have been one that is a colossal in size and achievement.
It is nearly one third bigger than any other obelisk to have ever graced most of the temples in Egypt. It would have measured about 120 feet and weighed almost 1,200 tons.
What is it?
As the Obelisk stands now, it is nearly one third larger than any other ancient Egyptian obelisk ever constructed. Experts believe that if the Unfinished Obelisk were ever finished it would have measured more than 120 feet and weighed almost 1,200 tons! Many archeologists today speculate that it was intended to complement the Lateran Obelisks which originally used to be at Karnak and is now standing tall outside the Lateran Palace in Rome.
Since the city of Aswan is home to some of the best granite quarries in the whole of Egypt, it is no wonder that the creators decided to start carving a massive obelisk from the rock bed in this area. However, soon after they started the construction they found cracks within the granite that started to appear making it dangerous if erected as it may collapse. The project was eventually abandoned leaving the obelisk lying on its side incomplete. But even with it being abandoned it provided insights on the actual stone-cutting and working techniques of the ancient workers.
Additionally near the Unfinished Obelisk tourist can also see other important parts of the obelisk just like it’s base, as well as other rock carvings.
123EgyptTours.com offers trips to Aswan daily and included in all of our Aswan itineraries is a trip to the Unfinished Obelisk and the granite quarries.
