Just above the entrance to the Fortress of Shali is the old mosque with its distinctive chimney-shaped minaret. The mosque was recently restored and a pathway leads from the central square to the doorway. The recently restored mosque survives today as the oldest monument built in Shali, as well as the oldest mosque in the world built with kershef, a mixture of mud and salt.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.08 MILES
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…
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13.24 MILES
A favourite Siwa excursion is the freshwater lake at Bir Wahed, 15km away on the edge of the Great Sand Sea. Once over the top of a dune, you come to a…
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23.23 MILES
Sixty kilometres west of Siwa Town, this stunning salt lake on the edge of the Great Sand Sea is ringed by palm trees. It’s a popular stopover for…
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0.77 MILES
This small hill, at the northern end of Siwa Town, is honeycombed with rock tombs peppered with wall paintings. Its name, Gebel Al Mawta, means 'Mountain…
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1.49 MILES
The 26th-dynasty Temple of the Oracle sits in the northwest corner of the ruins of Aghurmi village. Built in the 6th century BC, probably on top of an…
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2.35 MILES
This fairly secluded pool is on a small island in the salty Birket Siwa, accessible across a narrow causeway. Nicknamed ‘Fantasy Island’ for its idyllic…
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1.89 MILES
Following the track that leads to the Temple of the Oracle and continuing past the Temple of Umm Ubayd will lead you to Siwa’s most famous spring. The…
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14.23 MILES
Abu Shuruf, a clean spring said by locals to have healing properties, is 27km east of Siwa Town and 7km east of Ain Qurayshat spring in the next palm…
Nearby Siwa Oasis attractions
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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…
0.14 MILES
This small museum contains an interesting display of traditional clothing, jewellery and crafts typical of the oasis. It’s worth the entry fee just to…
0.32 MILES
The closest spring to central Siwa is Ain Al Arais, a cool, inviting waterhole with a grotto-like bottom, just five minutes’ walk from the main market…
0.71 MILES
In the Tomb of Niperpathot, one of the oldest in the oasis, the inscriptions and crude drawings are made in the same reddish ink you can see on modern…
0.71 MILES
This tomb's name comes from its wall painting of a yellow crocodile representing the god Sobek. Many of the paintings inside are badly deteriorating.
0.72 MILES
The best of Gebel Al Mawta's paintings are in this tomb, where beautifully coloured reliefs portray the dead man – thought to be a wealthy Greek landowner…
0.76 MILES
The unfinished Tomb of Mesu-Isis in Gebel Al Mawta is interesting for its beautiful depiction of cobras in red and blue above the entrance. The tomb was…
0.77 MILES
This small hill, at the northern end of Siwa Town, is honeycombed with rock tombs peppered with wall paintings. Its name, Gebel Al Mawta, means 'Mountain…