Nilometer Information:
A brisk walk along the Nile at the Corniche is complimented by a captivating structure erected at the peaceful southern tip of Roda Island. ‘Al Miqyas’ or ‘The Measurer’ is one of Cairo’s major tourist highlights, as it is Egypt’s oldest structure built after the Arab conquest (641 AD), retaining its originality. Historically, measurers were found all over ancient Egypt to record the level of the Nile’s annual floods with a key function of regulating the water’s distribution. Consequently, farmers forecasted the coming year’s agricultural harvest, and the Ruler levied taxes paid by Egyptians. The latter not only justifies why the structure was of significant importance to the Egyptians, but also clarifies why it is currently known as the “nilometer”; derived from its principle function: measuring the Nile’s water. Constructed by the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakil in 847-61, the Nilometer is the only surviving structure of its kind in Egypt, enjoying a matchless location overlooking a soothing wide view of the River Nile while hugged by sheer greenery.

A visit to the site is a tranquilizing experience for both locals and tourists who simply want to enjoy the Nile’s soothing effect, while lying under thick shady trees, listening to birds’ enchanting tunes with history as an exceptional backdrop.

Getting there/Visitors’ Checklist :
The easiest way to get to the nilometer is to cross Abbas Bridge from Giza and turn right at the end of the bridge to al-Malik Abd al-Aziz al-Saud Street along the Nile. A wooden footbridge connects Roda Island to the Corniche, and by crossing the bridge, one reaches the nilometer’s entrance located on the east side. The nilometer is open daily from 10am-5pm, and tickets are available at the entrance: L.E.3 for Egyptians and L.E.6 for tourists. If you plan to visit the nilometer on a Friday, make sure to arrive at the site earlier than Midday, as Friday prayers take place, and so, visitors might not be able to enter the nilometer’s internal structure. The southern tip of Roda Island also encloses Monasterli Palace and Umm Kalthum Museum.

Celebrating the flooding of the Nile:
Before the construction of high dams in Egypt, the River Nile used to overflow its banks during the months of August-September, fertilizing the land with its rich slit. Based on the flood level, agricultural harvest was determined, as well as the taxes paid by the Egyptians as a tribute to Egypt’s Caliph (ruler). The nilometer communicated with the Nile through tunnels, allowing the water to enter its circular pit, enclosing a marble column lined with around 29 cubits – more than half a meter- as indicators to measure the water’s level. The entire Egyptian population, and its rulers anxiously waited for days for the flood to occur, and it is in Al Mutawakil’s nilometer, where Cairo’s greatest celebrations took place: Fath al-Khalij or the Festival of the Opening of the Canal. During the summer, Al Khalij or the Canal was filled with the flood’s water, and the Egyptians drifted on the Nile with small boats surrounded by a spectacular array of greenery, waiting excitedly for the Caliph to announce the opening of the Khalij. The shore was also lined with entertainment facilities, where people mingled and enjoyed the serene scene. When flood’s water filled the nilometer’s pit to the 16th cubit-level, the Caliph sailed in a big, decorated boat to the blocked Khalij, opening it for the water to flood the land. Spectacular celebrations followed for days and Egypt’s air fragrantly smelled of musk and saffron, as both were poured into the nilometer’s shaft before the flooding occurred.

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