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Set back at the end of a side street, there is little you can do other than a quick walk around and look. Worth the trip but only plan on 15 minutes there
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Date of experience: October 2020
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Like almost all people of medium culture, even before any visit to Egypt I have heard about Nilometers. I also know the large Roman mosaic of Palestrina (Italy), depicting the Nile and where a beautiful well-shaped Nilometer is also clearly visible. Finally, on a previous trip, I visited the Nilometers in Elephantine and in Kom Ombo. This one in Rodah (according to the chronicles, built in 715 and rebuilt in 861 AD) is certainly the most beautiful and elaborate among the Nilometers I have seen, and is a "not to be missed", even with all the wonders that there are to see in Cairo and its surroundings . After the trip, however, I got the curiosity to understand if and how this medieval Nilometer had on-site ancestors in the Pharaonic era (which is often understood); and if there is evidence of this. So I came across the highly documented article by Étienne Drioton (former curator of the Egyptian section at the Louvre museum), "Les origines pharaoniques du Nilomètre de Rodah" (1952). From this writing it's clear that actually a Nilometer located in the nearby area should be the oldest in Egypt (it would even date back to the predynastic era, ie before 3100 BC). But it's important to know that it - according to the religious texts examined by Drioton - was not located here in Rodah (where after all the diggings carried out didn't reveal such ancient remains), but in Per-Hâpi; location to be identified with Helwan, 20 km further south. It's evocative to imagine the Pharaoh who, having heard from his officials of the arrival of the flood, lays his hands on the river intimating "get up, Nile", thus arousing amazement and reverence in his subjects. But this image is no less effective if the scene is believed to take place in Helwan instead of Rodah.…
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Date of experience: October 2019
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at first I didn't think it was going to be so interesting, but it really is!!!! the guard let us go down the stairs to the bottom. the decoration of this structure is amazing, especially considering it was a functional building (why bother with so much beautiful detail?) so interesting to see the simple engineering which helped solve an enormous problem. we all loved it. worth a look - and it won't take a lot of your time. also note, on the wall is a drawing made by one of Napoleon's scientists.…
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Date of experience: February 2020
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this was a great place to visit especially for those who dont do more than Cairo , the Nilometer is a amazing piece of engineering that allowed the farmers in the Nile Delta know whether the year would bring famine o floods and is a great explanations about how cubits (measurement was invented) the building is topped with a intricately decorated dome that was added later on but adds to the atmosphere inside this amazing structure. Also take advantage and visit the Manial Palace next door originally a villa built for a French noble family and then sold to the Prince Mohamed Ali who redecorated it to suit his tastes , it has great gardens ( which can only be viewed from the Palace) and interesting small mosque with lovely blue tiles from Turkey and some interested wooden decorations inside the living quarters . all in all both visits together take around 2 hours and Roda Island can be combined with a visit to to Zamalek island to see some of the old belle epoque villas that today mostly house foreign embassies , if you do carry on to Zamalek stop off at the Loft Gallery where the souvenirs are better quality than the bazar and really good prices .…
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Date of experience: June 2019
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As we planed to Visit Manila Palace with Grandchildren and this Nilometer is near and Unique for all of us so we went to see what’s about First it’s a historical building it’s used to calculate the River Nile level especially during Floods it’s a very short visit but educative
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Date of experience: June 2019
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