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A sci-fi film set or lunar landscape? The Shali in Siwa Oasis, Egypt

Sometimes when I travel I come across a place that is so cinematic or downright weird that I think it could be the perfect location for a sci-fi movie – Star Wars or perhaps James Bond. I feel sure that the Shali, a ruined fortified town in Siwa oasis in Egypt, would make an excellent film backdrop – perhaps Dr Who’s Tardis will be landing there in the next series.

The Shali in Siwa in Egypt Photo: Heatheronhertravels.com
The Shali in Siwa in Egypt

Picture an honeycomb of close built houses, each one built by hand with mud bricks strengthened by local salt rock known as karsheef, with plenty of alleyways and hidden courtyards where women could relax with their families without having to be veiled from prying eyes. This was once a fortress with only one gate in, where the Siwi people could feel protected from raiders from the desert and unwelcome outsiders were kept outside the walls.

I hope you enjoy the video below with a panorama from the ruined Shali fortress in Siwa, Egypt

If you can’t see the video from the Shali in Siwa, Egypt below, view it on my blog here
Download the Siwa oasis in Egypt – Panorama from the Shali fortress -Video [MP4]

The Shali was built up from the 13th century onward and the buildings were originally several stories high, but now you can only see the outlines of the broken down walls, creating something of a lunar landscape. The original town of Siwa was probably located close to the site of the Temple of the Oracle, but due to attacks from Nomadic tribes, it was decided to move the town or ‘Shali’ in Siwi language, to a safer location on the hill. In this century, families started to move to more modern houses and in 1926 three days of constant rain damaged many of the houses beyond repair.

The Shali in Siwa in Egypt Photo: Heatheronhertravels.com
The Shali in Siwa in Egypt

Climb to the top of the Shali and you get the view all around the oasis – it’s one of the high points of Siwa, the others being the Temple of the Oracle and Gebel al-Mawta or the Mountain of the dead, which you can see like a big, dried out cow pat behind me in the picture. From here you can view the endless date palm plantations, with the odd square of blue-green of a walled spring that is used for irrigation and sometimes for swimming and beyond them just desert for hundreds of miles.

More tales from Siwa in Egypt

The Siwa sunset at Fatnas Island
Date Palms and Donkey carts – 8 things to see in Siwa Oasis, Egypt
What makes the perfect holiday in Marsa Matrouh, Egypt?

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com

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Travel Podcast in Western Egypt - Alexandria, Marsa Matrouh and Siwa | Heather on her travels

Sunday 26th of February 2012

[...] We also visited Gebel al Mawta or the Mountain of the Dead, the ancient burial place of Siwa. We climbed to the top of the mound and looked down on all the rock hewn tombs below, some of which can be viewed with a guide and are painted inside. You can hear the wind blowing at the top and from there I got a great panorama over the oasis, looking across to the ancient fortress town of the Shali. [...]

valerie Griffin

Monday 28th of November 2011

Siwa was the most magical place I have experienced, The local merchants were outstanding. We were fortunate to meet several local women and the hospitality always was remarkable. Especially as we were a Mother/ Daughter traveling alone.

Heather

Monday 28th of November 2011

@Valerie That's so good to know that you enjoyed Siwa as much as we did - I was also there with a girlfriend and we were very well looked after. The Siwans are very conservative and I hardly saw any local women other then fully covered on the back of a donkey cart, so I'm interested that you managed to engage with some of the local women.

The Mountain of the Dead or Gebel al-Mawta in Siwa Oasis, Egypt - video | Heather on her travels

Sunday 6th of November 2011

[...] add to the sci fi landscape of the Shali in Siwa Oasis, I must mention Gebel Al-Mawa or The Mountain of the Dead which I visited while I was [...]

» A Journey into Siwa Oasis I AM Egypt

Wednesday 26th of October 2011

[...] ]The Shali is the old fortified town of Siwa, build in the 13th century of mud brick mixed with salt rock, known as karsheef, which is hardened by the sun. Originally there was only one gate in to the hill town, so that the Siwa population could be protected from nomadic raiders and control the admittance of any outsiders. In the 19th century, families started to move away from their houses in the Shali and it was further abandoned after three days of heavy rain in 1926 reduced many houses to ruins. Now the Shali has crumbled into a lunar landscape of broken down mud walls, but you can climb up to the top through the old houses that were once filled with families and get a great view over the town. From the top you can see that some of the houses in the old quarter have been restored and are being used as hotels or private homes where you can stay for the authentic Siwa experience. Standing at the top with the wind blowing it seemed like an alien landscape from another planet where you might come across a character from Star Wars or Doctor Who. [...]

Date palms and donkey carts – 8 things to see in Siwa Oasis in Egypt | Heather on her travels

Monday 17th of October 2011

[...] The Shali is the old fortified town of Siwa, build in the 13th century of mud brick mixed with salt rock, known as karsheef, which is hardened by the sun. Originally there was only one gate in to the hill town, so that the Siwa population could be protected from nomadic raiders and control the admittance of any outsiders. In the 19th century, families started to move away from their houses in the Shali and it was further abandoned after three days of heavy rain in 1926 reduced many houses to ruins. Now the Shali has crumbled into a lunar landscape of broken down mud walls, but you can climb up to the top through the old houses that were once filled with families and get a great view over the town. From the top you can see that some of the houses in the old quarter have been restored and are being used as hotels or private homes where you can stay for the authentic Siwa experience. Standing at the top with the wind blowing it seemed like an alien landscape from another planet where you might come across a character from Star Wars or Doctor Who. Read more about the Shali. [...]