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Dakhla is the oasis that lies furthest off the main
settlements of Egypt. Unlike many other oases, it is
situated above sea level, as high as 122 metres.
Still it is fed by more than 520 springs and ponds.
75,000 people live in 14 different settlements, each
strong local identities and customs.
 Only
Mut and Al-Qasr qualifies as towns. Before the road
came here, Dakhla must have felt like a planet of
its own, where only few inhabitants ever came as far
as to the neighbouring oases Kharga and Farafra.
The main towns are Mut and Al-Qasr, the latter the
main attraction in the entire oasis. If you have
time, the old town of Mut is also interesting.
Dakhla has been inhabited for millenniums, and of
old sights, the Muzawaka tombs and Deir al-Hagar
temple are the main attractions. At Balat, not far
from Bashendi, tombs from the 3rd millennium BCE
have been found, but generally the funerary complex
is closed to visitors.
For many visitors to Dakhla, Al-Qasr is the most
memorable part. With an old town with many streets
in excellent condition, it offers the best
illustration of the oasis' past.
Although modern "progress" has been gentle on Al-Qasr,
the old quarters are almost completely abandoned. It
is really sad, old Al-Qasr is beautiful and offers
smart protection against summer heat, while the
modern houses needs electric air-conditioning to
stay pleasant.
The Tourism Well about 5 km out in the desert is a
nice attraction for many, where it is popular to
spend the night.
The 12th century Nasr el-Din Mosque is clearly the
most known building of Dakhla, but it is most
impressive when seen from a distance, when the town
lies clearly beneath it, and with the pink mountains
in the behind.
The 21 metre high minaret is in fine condition, even
if much of two wooden terraces have been dismantled
after the mosque lost its functions. It's pepperpot
finial is typical of Ayyubid architecture.
The interior is quite simple, but decorations are
charming, which should be clear from the two photos.
The madrasa dates back to the 10th century, and
predates the mosques of Al-Qasr. The main
congregation hall, which served as both lecture room
and prayer hall is really nice, with painted liwans
(see top picture) which were used as libraries.
A
madrasa was a mixture of a high school and a
university, an all subjects were related to Islam,
with perhaps law as the most important.
As the only old town of Dakhla, it is possible for a
first time visitor to get lost here. It really does
take some time to cover the area.
The old town holds many fine and creative details
and shapes. Many of the doorways are centuries old,
some dating even back to Mamluk times.
Walking the area is best done together with one of
the guides that meet up at the small space in front
of the new white mosque. Not that a person speaking
only his native tongue will tell you stories, but he
knows which streets hold the good stuff, and most
important: He carries a key to open closed doors.
The Ethnographic Museum of Al-Qasr is a private
initiative, aiming at presenting how life was on the
inside of the house walls before locals left the old
quarters. You will see exhibitions of the rooms of a
house, work places and several photos.
Qalamoun is a quick ride out of Mut and much of its
old quarters are still inhabited, and well-kept. It
is clearly one of Dakhla's nicest settlements, and
the setting doesn't make it any worse. Coming to
Qalamoun you will pass luscious lakes (keep
repeating to yourself: This is in the middle of
Sahara) while the the hilltop village grows in front
of you. Upon leaving the village, the village is
immediately replaced by golden sand dunes.
I think that Qalamoun is the closest I have come to
the romantic image of a desert village.
Mut represents the original settlement of Dakhla.
Today it is the largest and most modern settlement
in the oasis. Not without charm it clearly not what
visitors come far away to see. Mut's main attraction
is the hotels and the basic but friendly
restaurants.
There is an old town here as well, a labyrinth of
mud-brick houses and winding lanes. Little now
remains of the old town citadel still remains, but
on its original location you will have the finest
views over the town and the palm groves.
It appears that old Mut is about to be abandoned,
there are few inhabited houses, but much is
neglected. It is like the people just wait for a
signal that they can move into a standard concrete
flat. And it is sad, old Mut must have been
beautiful some decades ago.
Around Mut, there are numerous sulphur pools, but
most are a short bicycle ride out of town. |
