Siwa's Shali Village Concludes Restoration, to Get Opened Soon

Media reports said today that Tourism and Antiques Minister Khaled El Enani is scheduled to inaugurate Siwa's Shali village, a historical site, after a 2-year restoration process.

Fully funded by the European Union, the project aimed at reviving the village's old town and streets in addition to strengthening the ancient wall of the village.

Almost 300 workers from Siwa oasis participated in the process of restoration. The project also targets setting the location as an eco-tourism destination.

In 2018, the restoration work of the city was initiated by opening Tetnady Mosque which dates back to the 13th century. It had a pulpit, columns, a minaret made of kershif, and 2 entrance gates. Its inner design is pided into three sections and still bears its original shape and designs.

Siwa's Shali Village is an outstanding 13th-century destination in the center of Siwa oasis. It was originally established to be a secure place for oasis inhabitants, protecting them from attacks by Bedouin tribes.

The village was a fortified town with three gates, and according to Al-Maqrizi there were some 600 people in the larger oasis, which appears to have retained its unofficial status as a kind of independent state.

Unfortunately,  Shali village is currently abandoned due to heavy rains occurred at beginning of the 20th century forcing its people to leave the village.