Siwa Oasis
Siwa Oasis is a major desert oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert, in Matrouh Governorate, distinguished by its palm groves, natural springs, salt lakes, traditional settlements, and archaeological remains. The oasis contains important historic sites including the Temple of the Oracle at Aghurmi, the Temple of Amun at Umm Ubaydah, and the Mountain of the Dead necropolis, while the historic settlement of Shali preserves a distinctive architectural tradition based on kershef, a local salt-and-mud building material. Siwa is also known for natural attractions such as Cleopatra’s Spring, Fatnas, and its salt lakes, giving the destination both archaeological and ecological significance. The “Siwa archaeological area” has been on Egypt’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 1994; it is not currently an inscribed World Heritage Site.