Mausoleum of the Aga Khan

The Mausoleum of the Aga Khan crowns a ridge on the west bank of the Nile in Aswan, Egypt, overlooking the river and Elephantine Island. It was built between 1956 and 1960 for Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, who died in 1957 and had long spent winters in Aswan for his health. His widow, the Begum Om Habibeh, oversaw the project and designed the villa that stands below. The architect was Farid Shafi'e, and the tomb follows the style of the Fatimid dynasty, which ruled Egypt from 969 to 1171 and whose caliphs were Ismaili imams. It is built of pink limestone from the region and rises in a compact block with a domed roof, carved stone details and a long stairway climbing from a landing on the river. Inside, a sarcophagus of Carrara marble carved with Qur'anic verses lies in a chamber with a hall and lamps. By custom, the Begum placed a red rose on the tomb each day after her husband's death, a practice that continued after her death in 2000, when the flowers have been placed by staff. Since 1997 the interior has been closed to the public, so visitors view the exterior from the river or from the path and cannot enter. The building is not a museum, has no collections and offers no guided interior tour. The mausoleum is kept in good condition by the Aga Khan family and trust, and its hilltop position makes it one of the most recognisable landmarks on the Aswan skyline. It is usually visited together with the Monastery of St Simeon, as boat tours of the west bank commonly pass beneath it.