Fodor's Expert Review Nilometer

At the southern end of Rodah Island, al-Miqyas (The Nilometer) was used from pharaonic times until the completion of the Aswan Dam in the late 1950s to measure the height of flood waters using carved measuring marks. Needless to say, this was something that the populace followed with great interest—and, if the waters were abundant, with great celebration.

Built in 861 on the site of an earlier Nilometer, the present structure is considered the oldest extant Islamic building, though the conical dome is a 1895 restoration. Inside, Qur’an verses that speak of water, vegetation, and prosperity are carved onto the walls. Nearby is a small museum for Umm Kulthum (a famous Egyptian singer-songwriter and actress) that showcases some of her personal effects, including her iconic wardrobes.