Al Fayoum is famous for its more than 200 waterwheels, which have become a prominent symbol of the town and the oasis. These four rather rickety and unassumingly small examples are slap in the centre of Medinat Al Fayoum. The Greeks invented the waterwheel, and the first depictions of them are seen in Ptolemaic Egyptian sources, so it’s quite likely that since Pharaonic times these devices have kept the town well irrigated despite its irregular topography of rolling hills and steep depressions.
Waterwheels
Al Fayoum
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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Nearby Al Fayoum attractions
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This red granite obelisk, dedicated to 12th-dynasty pharaoh Senusert I, stands proudly in the centre of a traffic roundabout overlooking the northern…
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About 8km southeast of Medinat Al Fayoum, on the north side of the canal Bahr Yusuf, the canal that connects Al Fayoum to the Nile, stands the dilapidated…
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About 10km southeast of Hawara are the ruins of this mudbrick pyramid, built by Pharaoh Sesostris II (1880–1874 BC). It’s not worth a separate trip, but…
15.55 MILES
Lake Qarun is a popular weekend spot for Cairenes looking to cool down, and the lake edge is dotted with cafes and wedding pavilions. It’s not a big…
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About 30km northeast of Medinat Al Fayoum is the ruin of the first true pyramid attempted by the ancient Egyptians. It began as an eight-stepped structure…
18.74 MILES
This ancient city is one of the most isolated in Al Fayoum, but this is part of its appeal, as you’re often alone out in the blowing sand that drifts over…
21.51 MILES
Established in the 1970s by Swiss artists, Evelyne Porret and Michel Pastore, this school, which trains children and adults in the local potting…
8. Fayoum Art Center Residency
22.5 MILES
This project run by painter Mohamed Abla hosts classes and resident artists from around the world in the cooler months of January and February; email him…