Aga Khan

(Baden's 1999 Mediterranean Jaunt / Overview)

Fuji Superia 400 / Pentax ESPIO 90MC (1999-11-30 ~13:30)
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This shows the palace (white building) and tomb of the Aga Khan, who was the leader of the Ismaili people. He was quite wealthy, and used to relax in Aswan. He built a palace across the river, and resided there about half the year with his wife and servants. Not only was he wealthy, but fat too. On his special anniversaries, his followers gave him his weight in precious metals and stones. On his last significant birthday, he got over 100 Kg in gold, and he died in 1957 at 79 before he was to get his even greater weight in diamonds.

His tomb was constructed above the palace on the barren hillside, and his widow, who lives in France, apparently still occasionally visits it.

This photograph was taken from a felucca on the Nile River on the far side of Elephantine Island from Aswan. The tower at the river's edge was a signal tower from earlier years when river boats used to sail the Nile past Aswan.