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Valley of the Queens

Valley of the Queens is a necropolis in ancient Thebes

The Valley of the Queens is a necropolis in ancient Thebes and is in the south of the Valley of the Kings. Members of the pharaohs of the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th dynastie were discovered here in more than ninety graves.

In contrary to what the name suggests, not only queens were buried here. The Valley of the Queens, the Valley of the Kings, Karnak and Luxor have been part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 1979.

The tomb of the Nefertari is also located here, which marks one of the highlights in Luxor.

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Valley of the Queens

The impressive wall paintings and the complete decoration of the tomb show Nefertari’s position as the favourite wife of Pharaoh Ramses II. The magnificent tomb of Pharaoh Hatshepsut is also located on the west bank of the Nile in Thebes.

The impressive temple was carved into the rock like a terrace and is a proves great architecture. It is the best preserved monument in the necropolis.

The valley itself is located in a wadi of the mountain range behind Thebes and – unlike the Valley of the Kings – is freely accessible and not hidden between the rocks. Thus, the tombs there were more likely to be looted than those in the Valley of the Kings.

The neighbouring wadis also contain tombs. It is not known why this place was chosen for burial. However, it is considered likely that the shape of the mountain el-Qurn was the reason since it strongly resembles a huge pyramid.

There are three types of tombs:

The graves of the 18th dynasty are mainly princes, but princesses and prominent civil servants are also among the buried. However, the simple layout of the grave complexes without decoration and painting makes it difficult to identify the owners.

The tombs of the queens from the 19th and 20th dynasties are close to real apartments that consist of two large rooms with up to five secondary chambers.

They are usually richly decorated and always have similar depictions that show the journey of the deceased into the realm of Osiris and the light of Re.

There are also prince graves from the 20th dynasty, which are long and tubular. Only the burial chamber is slightly larger.

All tombs in the Valley of the Queens have one thing in common: they lack the superstructure.

The surrounding area also does not provide any evidence of formerly existing cult buildings or grave stelae. It is not possible to ascertain exactly whether the superstructure once existed or whether there was never a tomb cult.

Another possibility: The built chapels may have been destroyed in the course of history. One explanation may be that the grave and cult building were in different locations.

The majority of the tombs in the Valley of the Queens are well documented and maintained, while some of the tombs are insufficiently documented. Protective actions have been implemented with various organizations to maintain or restore the graves.

Excavations in the Valley of the Queens took place at the beginning of the 20th century mainly through the Italian Ernesto Schiaparelli, who also discovered the well-known tomb of the Nefertari. Till today it is not clear if there are still undiscovered graves,

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Valley of the Queens is a necropolis in ancient Thebes
Valley of the Queens is a necropolis in ancient Thebes
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Philae temple

Philae temple Its reputation preceded the temple Aswan attractions

Its reputation preceded the temple: the Temple of Isis on Philae temple was considered of being the Pearl of the Nile. It is located around eight kilometers south of the city of Aswan in Upper Egypt on the island of Agilkia.

The original location of the temple, the island of Philae, could not be maintained because it was within the area of what is now Lake Nasser.

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The construction of the Nasser Dam endangered not only the archaeological sites there, but also the living space of around 150,000 people. The construction of the first dam around 1900 led already to an almost permanent flooding of the island of Philae.

The massively growing population made all season cultivation of agricultural land next the Nile necessary and also the annual flooding through the Nile should be contained. In the years 1960 to 1971, a new dam was therefore planned, which caused Lake Nasser to rise 60 meters more.

The 35 settlements in this area were relocated to Kom Ombo and Aswan. But it was also important to move the archaeological sites to other places. In 1964, the largest rescue operation in the history of archeology was launched by UNESCO.

Most of the monuments were documented, found their place in museums or – like the Philae Temple – were relocated. However, not everything could be saved: fortresses or rock temples and graves, but also mosques and localities sank in Lake Nasser.

Philae temple:

The island of Agilkia, on which the Philae Temple found its new place, is about 600 meters further north on higher ground. Since the nature of Philae Island was different from that of Agilkia Island, a topological adjustment became necessary.

The most important monuments, including the temple, were sawn into 37,363 parts weighing between 2 and 25 tons and rebuilt on Agilkia, but without the foundations of the temple.

Since the 26th Dynasty, Philae Island has been a place of worship for Isis, the goddess of birth, rebirth and magic. It was one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Egypt in the late period.

The main building of the temple complex was therefore directed to the goddess Isis and is located on the west bank of the island. Other small monuments are arranged around this temple.

These include the Trajan and Nektanebos I. kiosk, the small temple of Hathor, the temple of Harendotes, the Hadrian bastion, the temple of Imhotep, the kiosk of Pasmmetich II., the chapel of Mandulis and the temple of Arensnuphis-Dedun.

The main temple of Isis was built from Ptolemy II. onwards. Its construction took over seven centuries and served not only as a place of worship for the Ptolemies, but also for the Bedouins resident there.

Although the Roman emperor Theodosius later declared Christianity to be the state religion by edict, the Temple of Isis was firmly in the hands of its followers.

Emperor Justinian I. finally closed the temple by force and then converted it into a church. As a result, a Christian community settled here, which lasted until the 12th century; other churches followed.

Although questionable ethically and morally, the relocation of the archaeological sites had one advantage: it drew public interest to the area and thus significantly promoted the development of the region,

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Philae temple Its reputation preceded the temple Aswan attractions
Philae temple Its reputation preceded the temple Aswan attractions
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Colossi of Memnon

Colossi of Memnon are not far from the Valley of the Kings

The Colossi of Memnon are not far from the Valley of the Kings. They are two colossal statues of ancient Egypt, originally opening the temple of Amenophis III, a pharaoh of the 18th dynasty.

Their construction is dated to the 14th century BC. The colossi are incorrectly named after King Memnon, who occurs in Greek mythology.

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This can be attributed to the breeze that took place in the morning at sunrise and passed through a crack in the statue at the time of the greatest temperature difference between the outer layer of air and the air trapped in the pores of the stone.

Thus it produced a sound which was regarded as a greeting from the mother of Memnon to Memnon himself.

The two statutes represent Amenophis III. sitting on a throne, his hands resting on his knees, looking towards the Nile. His face is no longer recognizable, nor is the crown on his head.

The Nemes headscarf is still well preserved. Both statues are framed by female figures; the one on the right is his wife Teje, on the left is the mother of Amenophis III, Mutemwia. Between the legs of Amenophis were small statues that represent an unknown daughter, but they are badly affected and are therefore barely recognizable.

On the sides of the throne wall paintings show the unification of the empire: Hapi, the god of the Nile flood, ties together lotus plants with papyrus bushes.

The former symbolize Upper Egypt, while the latter stand for Lower Egypt. The origin of the building material is also shown: the Gebel al Ahmar quarry on the Nile bank northeast of Cairo has been the source. According to recent studies, however, the material originates from the western bank of the Nile near Aswan.

Colossi of Memnon:

The statues are impressive from afar; they are almost 18 meters high and overlook the Nile. At 18.36 meters, the northern statue is slightly higher than the southern one (17.27 meters).

If the previously existing crowns are included, the statues were originally around 21 meters high. The bases of the statues are enormous: 10.50 meters x 5.50 meters at a height of 3.30 meters, with half of the base sunk into the ground.

An investigation conducted in the early 1970s was to determine the approximate weight of the colossi. Using the stone material, the southern statue was calculated at 720 tons, the base at 500 tons.

Although the colossal statues are now viewed more as individual monuments, they once stood at the side of the entrance to Amenophis III. mortuary temple. It was located behind the statues on an area of 700 meters length and 550 meters width.

The main building material used was clay, which made the temple less resistant to weather influences.

Above all, the annual flooding of the Nile severely damaged the temple. Around 1200 BC most of the temple was already gone. Parts of the ruins were also exploited by later pharaohs to build their own temples.

The Egyptologist Flinders Petrie found references of the statues on a stele on which Amenophis III. described the colossi. The temple of Amenophis III. was already from about 332 BC. on not existing any more. Why the Memnon colossi show severe damage could not be clarified fully. Either the Achaemenid king Kambyses II or possibly an earthquake caused it,

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Colossi of Memnon are not far from the Valley of the Kings
Colossi of Memnon are not far from the Valley of the Kings
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Medinet Habu

Medinet Habu Luxor, The Mortuary Temple of Ramses III.

Medinet Habu, The Mortuary Temple of Ramses III. is located across from Luxor as part of the necropolis in Medinet Habu.

The cult building, built as a million-year house, was used in particular to worship the god-like pharaoh. In addition to the main temple, the temple complex also includes other monuments: an Amun temple, funerary chapels of the wives of Amun and the Holy Lake.

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The temple complex in Medinet Habu is 315 meters long and 205 meters wide. A mud brick wall which was around 10 meters thick and 18 meters high, surrounds the temple and is still very well preserved. It generously surrounds the temple complex.

The so-called “High Gate” is the main entrance, the well preserved wall reliefs show the downfall of the pharaoh’s enemies. Rooms above the main gate were used by Ramses III. himself. A quay was once located in front of the gate, which ensured shipping on the Nile from Medinet Habu.

The passage to the forecourt of the mortuary temple within the surrounding wall is framed by two tower-like buildings, inside the passage itself there are two statutes of the goddess Sachmet.

In the northwest, shortly after the gate to the forecourt of the temple of Ramses III. are the tomb chapels of the wives of Amun, to the northeast is the Amun Temple, the oldest building in the temple complex.

Medinet Habu:

The palace joined with the actual mortuary temple and served as a residence for both this world and the hereafter.

The mortuary temple of Ramses III is built like an ordinary Egyptian temple for worshipping gods: 1st pylon, 1st courtyard, 2nd pylon, 2nd courtyard, Most Holy place. In Ramses III.’s mortuary temple, the first pylon has monumental dimensions (63 meters wide and 20 meters high).

The first courtyard is lined on the right by Osiris pillars, on the left a colonnade of columns defines the temple and the cult palace behind. The second, somewhat smaller pylon is followed by the second courtyard. It is symmetrical and smaller.

Its passages at the front and back are dominated by eight Osiris pillars. Five columns are on the right and left in the shape of papyrus rolls. The last part of the mortuary temple is the place of the holy sacrament, which is surrounded by formerly roofed rooms. Two groups of rose granite statues mark its place.

The special feature of the mortuary temple in Medinet Habu are the numerous reliefs, in which the former painting can even still be seen.

Mainly reliefs of war decorate the walls on the inside of the temple, the reliefs on the outside walls are also still in good condition; the relief of wild bull hunting as well as the land and sea battle against the sea peoples should be mentioned here.

Excavations around the temple at Medinet Habu near Luxor brought an entire city from the Pharaonic era to light. What makes it unusual: the west side of the Nile was actually considered the realm of the dead in ancient Egypt,

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Medinet Habu Luxor, The Mortuary Temple of Ramses III.
Medinet Habu Luxor, The Mortuary Temple of Ramses III.
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Temple of Kom Ombo

Temple of Kom Ombo is another historic sight in Upper Egypt

Temple of Kom Ombo is another historic sight in Upper Egypt. Located on the eastern bank of the Nile, the temple is around 3.5 kilometers southwest of the city of Kom Ombo.

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As a double temple, it represents a peculiarity, because in it – unlike in other holy places of ancient Egypt – two gods were being worshiped.

Sobek, the god of water and fertility with the crocodile head, was worshiped in the southeastern part of the temple, while in the northwestern part it was Haroeris, the god of light, sky and war. Because Haroeris appeared as a manifestation of Horus, his epithet is also “Horus the Great” or “Horus the Old”.

Because of its two deities, the temple was also called “House of the Crocodile” or “Falcon Castle”. The double temple of Kom Ombo was built between 305 and 31 BC during the Ptolemaic rule.

The parts of the temple that can still be visited, date from this period as well as partly from the Roman era. However, like the Colossi of Memnon near Luxor, the temple complex was badly affected by the weather and the annual flooding of the Nile.

Temple of Kom Ombo:

Jacques de Morgan first uncovered and restored the ruins in 1893. Previously, over half of the temple’s remains were covered with sand. It is believed that the building in its current form under Ptolemy VI. was built on top of the remains of other buildings.

Those buildings probably belonged to the 12th, 18th and 19th dynasties of the Middle and New Kingdom. The wall that encompasses the temple, 51 meters wide and 96 meters long, as well as the western pylon and the Mammisi, the birth hall, were destroyed by the flooding of the Nile.

The influence of the Roman Empire becomes clear from the wall paintings of the Emperor Domitian on the still existing, southeastern tower of the large pylon. As a result, he pays homage to the triad Sobek, Hathor and Chons. Behind the two entrances in the encompassing wall was a courtyard with sixteen columns, of which only the base is still preserved.

Yet, the formerly extensive decoration with reliefs and hieroglyphs can be recognized. The altar, the place of the holy barque in the middle of the courtyard, is still partially present.

On the side of the openings leading to the first pillared hall, cleaning ceremonies are depicted, the pillar shafts and reliefs of the hall show not only hieroglyphs but also scenes of the worship of gods by pharaohs, including Cleopatra.

The second pillared hall leads through the two entrances to the double sanctuary. Depictions of other pharaohs in the form of wall reliefs are shown there, too. Lastly, three antechambers follow the two sanctuaries of the gods Haroeris and Sobek.

Inside the temple, two corridors lead along the inside to the center of the temple. Behind the sanctuaries are seven rooms, from the middle of which a staircase leads up to the terrace.

Overall, the rich decorations of the double temple by Kom Ombo are striking; they are among the most important buildings of the Ptolemies and is a significant part of Egyptian history,

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Temple of Kom Ombo is another historic sight in Upper Egypt
Temple of Kom Ombo is another historic sight in Upper Egypt
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Dam Aswan

Dam Aswan Egypt practically ends here, Nubia begins.

Dam Aswan, Aswan is the southernmost city in Egypt and is therefore also often called “Gateway to Africa”. The city lies below the first cataract on the eastern bank of the Nile. Egypt practically ends here, Nubia begins.

Because of its dry climate, Aswan was already regarded as a health resort in the previous century. Sand baths against all types of joint diseases in particular were a popular form of therapy. However, aside from the classical sightseeing places there, one of the “landmarks” of the area is for sure the Aswan Dam.

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Because of the yearly occurring flooding it was almost impossible for farmers to manage the Nile efficiently, thus the construction of a dam would ensure regular harvesting in the future. The population wouldn’t have to face longer periods of drought or floods, while electricity would also be generated.

The old dam, which had been in operation since 1902 and was once considered the largest building in the world, turned out to be too small over the time. Here also the goal was to compensate for the low-water phases in such a way that irrigation of the canals and thus cultivation of the fields would be possible all year round. Agricultural engineer Adrian Daninos submitted to the Egyptian government the idea of a larger dam replacing also the previous one. After the downfall of King Faruq, Muhammad Nagib and Gamal Abdel Nasser liked the idea and decided to implement it. In their view, this was an important advantage: Egypt alone could control this dam.

Because the USA withdrew its originally promised aid in financing the dam due to political differences, the then Soviet Union stepped in. In addition to financing the project, Soviet engineers and construction equipment were sent to Egypt. With Arab Contractors, an Egyptian company was also involved in the construction. In 1960, the construction of the Aswan high dam started with a blasting. After the completion of the first construction phase four years later, Nile water was introduced into the reservoir for the first time. The dam was finally completed in 1970, and Anwar el-Sadat opened it in 1971. It took around six years to fill the reservoir.

Dam Aswan:

The dam consists of a ballast fill with a clay core and a concrete casing. The massive structure is more than 3.8 kilometers long, almost 1 kilometer wide and 111 meters high. At the time of installation, a built-in hydropower plant produced almost half of the electricity needs of Egyptian households; today it is still around 10%. 451 workers lost their lives in the 2.2 billion euro project.

However, the construction of the Nasser dam had consequences for the numerous monuments that were nearby. Even an entire town had to be replaced and its residents were relocated. The remains of a village can still be found on the bottom of Lake Nasser today. In view of the rising floods, dozens of threatened monuments had to be saved by UNESCO in a complex relocation processes. These included the famous Philae Temple and Abu Simbel. The Philae Island was flooded completely as a result of the dam construction,

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Dam Aswan Egypt practically ends here, Nubia begins.
Dam Aswan Egypt practically ends here, Nubia begins.
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Edfu Temple

Edfu Temple Located around 85 kilometers south of Luxor

Edfu Temple, Located around 85 kilometers south of Luxor, the Temple of Edfu is in the West of the city of Edfu in Upper Egypt. The temple there is one of the best preserved in Egypt.

It was dedicated to the “Horus of Edfu”, the local god Hor-Behdeti, and was built during the Ptolemaic rule in Egypt. The term “Behdeti” can be assigned to the description of the region as “southern Behdeti”. Hor-Behdeti was part of one of two triads of local faith, forming a triad with Hathor of Dendera and Ihi, while Isis, Harsomtus and Harsomuts-pa-chered formed the other. Horus also embodied other deities in Edfu. Edfu was the capital of the second gau in Upper Egypt, where according to the legend Horus won an important fight against Seth.

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In Ptolemaic times, the temple of Edfu was primarily a place of important festivals. In addition to the New Year, this included the wedding of Horus of Edfu with Hathor of Dendera. The celebration of the victory of Horus over Seth also took place here.

The temple was built in 237 BC and founded in the tenth year of Pharaoh Ptolemy III Euergetes I’s reign.  The further construction work on the temple by his successor Ptolemy IV. was interrupted by riots which broke out as a result of the reign of the opposed kings Harwennefer and Anchwennefer.

Ptolemy VI. continued the construction around 30 years later, but it was not until Ptolemy VII. that the temple of Edfu was finally completed. He ultimately consecrated the temple sanctuary in 142 BC.

Edfu Temple:

During the subsequent rulers, other structural changes were made to the temple, such as the moving forward of the portico or the construction of the courtyard with a pylon by the rulers Ptolemy IX. and X.

After 180 years of construction, 57 before Christ during the reign of Ptolemy XII. the work was eventually being ended. Finally the temple was 137 meters long and 79 meters wide.

A 36 meter high pylon is located at the entrance, which consists of two towers. The forecourt of the temple is framed by 32 columns, on three sides in the form of colonnades.

The fourth side of the courtyard is the entrance to the actual temple. The portico of the temple building has a width of 25 meters, is almost 14 meters long and has 18 columns.

A second portico is located behind it. The divine coronation of Ptolemy IV can be seen on its eastern wall. The second columned hall leads into the sanctuary to the “middle hall”, which represents the center of the temple.

Here is the so-called Sancta Sanctorum, which is considered to be the holy sacrament and is an independent building. The picture of the main god was kept here in a gray granite block, a so called naos.

The good condition of the Temple of Edfu can mainly be attributed to the fact that the temple was covered with sand for most of the time.

While Auguste Mariette uncovered the temple, numerous buildings had to be demolished, which were built on the edge of the sand that covered the temple,

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Edfu Temple Located around 85 kilometers south of Luxor
Edfu Temple Located around 85 kilometers south of Luxor

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Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile Luxor Egypt

Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile Luxor Egypt

The Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile is a magnet for tourists from all over the world.

The necropolis is located near the ancient Egyptian Thebes, in which 64 graves and pits have been uncovered till today, including the Tutankhamun’s tomb with its famous gold death mask, which is exhibited in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

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Especially the rulers of the New Kingdom, which included the 18th to 20th dynasties and existed from 1550 to 1069 BC, are buried in the Valley of the Kings. Although the most massive tomb robbers and looters have tackled the tombs over the millennia, very valuable excavation finds have still been made in the Valley of the Kings. Howard Carter, for example, discovered the almost unpublished tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922 after an intensive search – it is considered one of the most spectacular finds.

Finds show that the area of Thebes was already used as a necropolis during the First Intermediate Period. Mentuhotep II built the first mortuary temple in the necropolis Deir al Bahari, which is north of Thebes. Graves of at least three kings from the 11th dynasty were discovered northeast of the valley, including Antef I, Antef II and Antef III.

Dra Abu el Naga already served as a necropolis for the burial of Theban princes during the 17th dynasty. Thebes West was probably also used as the final resting place by the rulers of the 18th dynasty, who built numerous mortuary temples in front of the mountains that frame Thebes.

These include Hatshepsut, Amenophis III and Ramses II and III.

Valley of the Kings:

The tomb of Thutmosis I. was the first tomb to be clearly assigned to be his. The tomb of Thutmose III. is also located in the Valley of the Kings, its date of death could even be dated exactly: February 17, 1425 BC.

Other tombs such as that of Ramses I, who was the founder of the 19th dynasty, and Sethos I as well as Ramses XI. were also discovered in the valley. Ramses XI.

was considered the last ruler to have his grave built in Thebes. Grave looting took place during this time and graves were also robbed in search of gold during the 21st Dynasty.

In the course of this, Sheschonq I from the 22nd Dynasty arranged for the mummies to be transferred to other graves.

In 1708

Jesuit Father Claude Sicard identified the ruins of Luxor and Karnak as burial sites of ancient Thebes. He was the first person to locate Thebes.

The following discoverers of another twenty graves were Richard Pococke, James Bruce and William George Brown from Britain.

The reign of Napoleon brought more researchers and scientists to Egypt. This was the start of the systematic opening of graves, in which of numerous graves with mummies and grave goods were found.

The most sensational discovery was Tutankhamun’s grave, which Howard Carter uncovered in 1922, almost without being looted. In the nineties of the last century, the American Egyptologist Kent Weeks discovered further passages in a grave complex.

It is considered the largest of the tombs discovered so far. Another discovery caused a sensation in 2005: a burial chamber near the Tutankhamun tomb contained coffins and sealed clay pots. In 2012, a team from the University of Basel opened a grave containing the mummy of Nehemes Bastet, a singer of Amun,

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Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile Luxor Egypt
Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile Luxor Egypt

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Sphinx Giza Egypt | Chephren between 2520 and 2494 BC

Sphinx Giza Egypt | Chephren between 2520 and 2494 BC

The purpose for which the Great Sphinx in Giza was built is still unknown nor is it known who the statue is supposed to represent or who is its builder. What is certain, however, is that it is by far the largest and most famous sphinx in the world.

What can also be proven beyond any doubt: their appearance is modelled on the body of a lion.

The body consists of the trunk, front and rear legs and a tail. The human head sits on the trunk of the Sphinx.

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The whole monument is about 73.5 meters long and around 20 meters high. The Great Sphinx is made of limestone, which could be found on site.

It was most likely carved out of a limestone hill and is therefore located in a hole that got filled up with flying sand.

Most of the time, the Sphinx was therefore probably covered in sand, which ultimately contributed to its conservation over the thousands of years.

Although the head covered by a Nemes headscarf was the part that stuck out of the sand most of the time, it is better preserved. Some researchers therefore conclude that the head was originally significantly larger and was changed over time.

This would also explain the disproportion between head and body. However, this theory could never be proven. Since the Sphinx has undergone several restorations, it is quite possible that these were applied to the head, too.

Sphinx:

But who does the monument represent? Scientists have speculated that the statue may impersonate Pharaoh Cheops, represented as Horus. Even who built the Sphinx lies in the dark.

Some ascribe  the monument to Cheops as “his” building, others assume Chephren as the builder. By using modern methods, other statues or images of the two pharaohs were compared to the look of the head of the Great Sphinx, but this has not led to a clear result.

It was probably built during the reign of Chephren between 2520 and 2494 BC. Right next to the Sphinx, a temple was set up from the same stone. It is also in line with the valley temple of the Chephren pyramid and is very similar in its structure. This suggests that the two temples were created around the same time as the Great Sphinx.

The cause of the broken nose was not Obelix, however, but a devout sheikh of a Sufi order from Cairo. In order to enforce the religious ban on images, he cut off the sphinx’s nose.

According to conveyed stories, the angry crowd then killed him. Abd al-Lateef al Baghdad, a historian and doctor from Baghdad, described the Great Sphinx with a nose, which indirectly confirmed the story about the Sufi sheikh. In addition to the nose, the goatee has broken off.

Parts of it are now exhibited in the British Museum in London,

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Sphinx Giza Egypt | Chephren between 2520 and 2494 BC
Sphinx Giza Egypt | Chephren between 2520 and 2494 BC

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Sphinx Valley Temple Egypt | The lying lion body with the human head

Sphinx Valley Temple Egypt | The lying lion body with the human head

In addition to the Sphinx Valley Temple, another contemporary witness joins below the Giza plateau: the Great Sphinx, which sits majestically in front of the graves of its alleged builders.

The Sphinx in Giza is therefore not only the most prominent, but also the largest Sphinx in Egypt. The proximity to Cairo makes a visit to the Sphinx and the pyramids almost a must when visiting Egypt.

The Sphinx was uncovered mostly by Giovanni Battista Caviglia in 1818. Fragments of the beard of the huge monument were found, but the remains of the chipped nose are missing till today.

There are various theories existing as to how the nose got lost. One of these theories states that a fanatic sheikh suffering from iconophobia is said to have cut off his nose.

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Sphinx Valley Temple:

But this could never be proven. According to rumours, soldiers of Napoleon Bonaparte destroyed their noses during target practice, but this turned out to be wrong because Napoleon Bonaparte himself had a great affinity for Egypt; he described the country as the “cradle of science and the arts of all mankind” (l’Égypte – le berceau de la science et des arts de toute l’humanité). In addition, scientists were already drawing the Great Sphinx without a nose at that time.

Due to the rainier climate in Egypt in the past, there were increased signs of erosion on the Sphinx. Another cause is believed to be a drainage channel that led down from the Chephren pyramid and led into the area of the Sphinx. However, this channel was later closed.

The importance of the sphinx and the purpose for which it was built still remains a mystery till today. It is obvious, however, that the construction of the Great Sphinx was ordered by Cheops himself and should therefore also represent the pharaoh in Horus form.

Elsewhere, it is believed that the sphinx serves as the guardian of the pyramids. However, its dimensions alone suggest an important role. The lying lion body with the human head has a length of 73.5 meters, is six meters wide and twenty meters high and was made out of a limestone hill,

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Sphinx Valley Temple Egypt | The lying lion body with the human head
Sphinx Valley Temple Egypt | The lying lion body with the human head

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Sakkara pyramid Egypt burial site during the Old Kingdom

Sakkara pyramid Egypt burial site during the Old Kingdom

The ancient Egyptian necropolis Sakkara is located 20 kilometres south of Cairo at the west bank of the Nile.

Almost 20 pyramids and monumental tombs are located there. It houses numerous graves of high officials, which are covered with amazingly well-preserved inscriptions and hieroglyphs.

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The painted walls tell the life story of the deceased. But the central monument of Saqqara is the step pyramid of Djoser, which has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

It is probably the oldest pyramid in ancient Egypt and is considered the oldest monumental building in the world. With it, the monumentalization of the royal tombs began.

Sakkara pyramid:

Sakkara was already known as a burial site during the Old Kingdom. The death god Sokar was probably the godfather for the name given to the necropolis.

The oldest tombs, which are several Mastabas, have been found in Sakkara-Nord. Mastabas resemble the shape of a truncated pyramid, but only have a relatively low height and sloping side walls with a flat roof.

During the later second dynasty, the burial of the first kings took place south of Saqqara. Of these only the underground burial chambers can be seen today.

Already towards the end of the second dynasty, countless mastabas were found in the necropolis. King Djoser, who is assigned to the third dynasty, basically founded the construction of pyramids with his step pyramid around 2650 BC.

As the necropolis of the residential city of Memphis, many prominent officials are buried there, but the kings of the fifth and sixth dynasties also had their pyramids built in Saqqara.

architectural:

The architectural tradition of the Old Kingdom was continued during the first period, during the Middle Kingdom rather small mastabas were scattered around the pyramid of Teti II and in the very south of Sakkara.

The New Kingdom brought an uplift for Saqqara; the necropolis was of particular importance. Especially during the reign of Amenophis II, many officials were buried in Saqqara.

The grave complexes differ from the mastabas in their construction, they rather resemble small temples and are largely in poor condition. Only a few graves can be assigned to the third period, whereas in the late period many officials were buried in impressive grave.

Sakkara was significant as a necropolis until the Ptolemaic period, because temple complexes were still being built at that time. Even animals found their final resting place in Saqqara in the form of extensive graves.

With that saying the construction of pyramids has its roots in Sakkara with the step pyramid of Djoser, has been refined and perfected over the centuries and finally led to the pyramids of Giza, which are still considered an architectural marvel and a masterpiece of craftsmanship,

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Sakkara pyramid Egypt burial site during the Old Kingdom
Sakkara pyramid Egypt burial site during the Old Kingdom

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Pyramids originated around 2500 BC & located 15 kilometres from Cairo

Pyramids originated around 2500 BC & located 15 kilometres from Cairo

Pyramids, It’s not too much to say that everyone knows them. They are the topic of countless documentaries, appear in films and are a – if not the – symbol of Egypt.

The Giza pyramids. They take one’s breath away and are visible from afar, as if being from another world. The mere thought of their age has the ability to cause intense goosebumps.

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They are much more impressive and larger than what could ever be shown in a documentary or in a photo. Being among the wonders of the ancient world is for a reason – and they are the last existing monument of this size.

They originated around 2500 BC and are located 15 kilometres from the center of Cairo.

The mighty limestone plateau on which the monuments were built, measures around two square kilometres and offers a great view of Cairo.

Although the wheel was probably already known to the Egyptians back then, apparently no vehicles were used to build the pyramids.

The transport was most likely carried out on wooden sledges, however the way the tons of stones were ultimately put into their place cannot be said validated till today. There are different explanatory approaches, but none of them can be proven.

Pyramids:

The largest and certainly best known pyramid is the Cheops pyramid. Its former golden tip  disappeared irretrievably in the turmoil of history. It used to measure 146 meters, but is now only 137 meters.

Around 3 million stone blocks were used for the pyramid, with a single stone block alone weighing 2.5 tons.

Inside the pyramid there are even blocks that weigh around 40 tons, which were were carved out of the rock with primitive tools.

The pyramid consists mainly of limestone, the cladding was made of white Tura limestone, but this was almost completely removed during the Middle Ages. Cheops had the pyramid aligned in four directions.

The accuracy with which work was carried out at that time is till today simply astonishing. Little is known about Cheops himself, and his fame is mostly due to his building – the pyramid. He was the second pharaoh of the ancient Egyptian fourth dynasty of the Old Kingdom and his reign is dated around 2620 to 2580 BC.

It is not entirely clear whether Snofru, whom Cheops succeeded, was his father or stepfather. The only existing representation of Cheops is a 7.5 cm figure made of ivory.

The Chephren

pyramid is the middle one of the three pyramids. It appears higher than the Great Pyramid of Cheops, which is due to its steeper angle of inclination and its somewhat higher position.

It is though considered the second highest of all pyramids within Egypt and was built around 2550 BC. The slope of the terrace was balanced out by digging the steps of the base into the existing rock and elevating the opposite side.

With looking closer, it quickly becomes clear that the construction of the Chephren pyramid was less precise than that of the Cheops pyramid.

The exterior of the pyramid also suggests poorer craftsmanship; the joints are very wide, the mortar is often missing. However, the remains of the cladding can still be seen at the top.

Ramses II used parts of the limestone cladding to build a temple in Heliopolis, and other parts were used in the 14th century to build the Sultan Hassan Mosque.

When studying the pyramid, Italian experts also noticed a sharp shift in the corner edges, which probably can be ascribed to an earthquake.

Chephren himself was the son of Cheops and fourth pharaoh of the 4th dynasty of the old empire. He succeeded his half-brother Radjedef and ruled from 2570 to 2530 BC.

As with Cheops, little information exists about Chephren. A double mastaba in Giza on the east cemetery proves his existence.

The Mykerinos pyramid

is the smallest of the three pyramids in Giza. It measures only 65 meters and is therefore not even half as high as the other two pyramids.

This was due either to space problems on the Giza plateau, to too much construction work or to the increased focus on the sun cult which resulted in more temple building for the sun god.

The Mykerinos pyramid consists of limestone, which was found on site, but only a little has been preserved from its cladding aside from the top.

The granite slabs used in the lower 16 meters are largely unfinished, which is probably related to the death of the pharaoh before its completion.

Mykerinos Pyramids

is the son of Chephren and was the throne successor, but probably only after his cousin Bicheris reigned in between.

Mykerinos was the sixth king of the fourth dynasty in the Old Kingdom and held the throne from 2530 to 2510 BC. Like his father and grandfather, he is mainly known for his building, other than that there is not much reference about him,

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Pyramids originated around 2500 BC & located 15 kilometres from Cairo
Pyramids originated around 2500 BC & located 15 kilometres from Cairo

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Old Cairo Even mausoleums in cemeteries are used as housing

Old Cairo Even mausoleums in cemeteries are used as housing

Because Cairo is about to burst; illegal settlements and slums have always been part of the city.

Even mausoleums in cemeteries are used as housing. The city of the dead, which is just right below the Mokattam Mountains, is home to around 300,000 people and part of the Islamic old town of Cairo. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 as well as the Coptic Quarter since the 1990s.

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The Babylon military fortress, used in Roman and Byzantine times, is the center of Old Cairo. Because of its location directly on the Nile, it was of great strategic importance.

A legion was already stationed there after the Roman seizure of power, and towers and walls have been preserved till today.

Old Cairo has an important Jewish and Christian tradition. A Jewish community is said to have existed in the area of today’s Ben Esra Synagogue since many centuries.

According to a legend, Moses was found here as an infant during the reign of Merenptah and is said to have prayed here one last time before leaving Egypt. It is also reported that the prophet Jeremiah and his followers discovered the traces of Moses here and then built a synagogue in the name of Jeremiah.

Old Cairo:

The Coptic Museum of Old Cairo houses a large collection of Coptic works of art and is dedicated exclusively to Egyptian Orthodox Christianity.

It is located on the site of the Babylon Fortress near the Hanging Church. In 2006 the museum was reopened after a restoration and reorganization by Hosni Mubarak.

Church buildings have existed in this district since the fourth or fifth century. The Hanging Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in Egypt.

The church got its name because its nave is located above the southern gatehouse of the Babylon fortress. Patriarchs were chosen and enthroned in the church for centuries, and it also was as a residence and burial site.

The age of the church can be determined relatively precisely by an entry into a wooden lintel: a depiction of the entrance of Christ dates the church to the fifth or sixth century.

Next to the Hanging Church is the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, which also serves as the burial ground for Greek patriarchs.

Theodosius probably mentioned the church for the first time in the 6th century, it was definitely mentioned in the chronicle of Eutychius in the 10th century.

The church of St. Barbara was dedicated to the daughter of the Roman governor Markaian, who had her murdered after her conversion to Christianity. The church was built at the end of the 7th century and was originally dedicated to St. Cyrus and St. John.

The Ben Esra Synagogue:

which is also located in the old town, is known as a Jewish church, primarily because of its spectacular Genisafound, which is dated to the year 800.

It is the oldest synagogue in Egypt and was extensively restored in the 1980s. The original church was converted into a synagogue under Ben Esra.

The mosque of Amr ibn el-As is the oldest mosque in Africa north of the fortress.

However, their current appearance no longer corresponds to their actual appearance; the mosque was demolished and rebuilt in the 18th century,

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Old Cairo Even mausoleums in cemeteries are used as housing
Old Cairo Even mausoleums in cemeteries are used as housing

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Memphis Egypt former capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom

Memphis Egypt former capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom

Memphis Egypt, Slightly south of Cairo is Memphis, the former capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom.

The city’s historical past is as significant as it is final: Memphis once held a strategically important position in the Nile Delta, but with the rise of Alexandria, Memphis became less important and was finally forgotten.

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The city was apparently founded by Menes, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who ruled 3000 BC and became famous as the founder of the 1st dynasty.

He probably also accomplished the first unification of the empire, the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.

Menes built a dam, which was to protect the later built city, and a lake fed by Nile water with a Ptah temple. The dam is known today as Sadd al Kaffara.

Memphis Egypt:

Since Menes empire unification, Memphis has played an important role in religion, art and science in the country. During ancient Egypt, Memphis was considered a religious center.

The priests there established their own cult, which focused on the worshipping of a living bull that was considered sacred. They also developed their own theory of the history of creation.

There were also various gods and patron gods that served very different purposes, some of them were even imported from abroad.

The tombs in Memphis most likely belonged to prominent figures of the time. The city’s rise also began with the burial of the last three kings of the second dynasty. Until the end of the sixth dynasty, Memphis was considered the residence and administrative city of ancient Egypt.

The foundation was made for a first, organized administration with a central government from which all important decisions regarding the whole country were made.

From the third to the sixth dynasty, numerous royal and civil servant necropolises developed in Saqqara. After the end of the sixth dynasty, Memphis lost its importance as an administrative seat and capital.

Mentuhotep:

who ruled from Thebes during the Middle Kingdom, brought artists from Memphis and thus ensured that Theban art received an enormous revival.

While Thebes rose as the new imperial capital in the New Kingdom, Memphis also began to regain its importance, particularly in the military field.

While the numerous Ramses kings were in power, the army’s command center remained in Memphis. In the aftermath and under the later Roman rule, Memphis remained a dynamic trading city – despite multiple conquests by foreign rulers.

During the succeeding Arab rule, Amr Ibn al As founded the city of Fustat north of Memphis, which would later become the center of Cairo.

Memphis was used as a material source to build the city’s buildings. All the temples and palaces existing there were thus destroyed over time, and the material was used for buildings and mosques in Cairo.

The few remaining ruins fell victim to nature,

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Memphis Egypt former capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom
Memphis Egypt former capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom

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Luxor Egypt Tours open air museum in the world | temple district in ancient Egypt

Luxor Egypt open air museum in the world | temple district in ancient Egypt

Luxor Egypt Tours – the city of palaces. It is probably the most impressive open air museum in the world. Its name most likely goes back to its role as a temple district in ancient Egypt.

The magic of history is tangible, Luxor’s wealth of historical treasures is one of a kind. The Nile divides the city into east and west, which symbolized life and death in ancient Egypt.

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While the modern city developed on the east bank, the west bank is known for its necropolises and magnificent temples.

This magic is so present in the Karnak Temple that the sudden appearance of an Amun priest behind one of the huge pillars would surely not be a surprise. The Karnak Temple is the largest temple complex and has been repeatedly rebuilt and expanded.

Since 1979, the temple, together with the Luxor temple and the Theban necropolis, has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

In the middle of the city, directly on the banks of the Nile, is the Luxor Temple. Visiting this temple in the evening with its wonderful lighting is an almost surreal experience, hence its impressive past appears even more manifest.

The beautifully lit boats and feluccas on the banks of the Nile illuminate the Egyptian night and immerse the Nile in a sea of dancing reflections.

The Luxor Museum, located between the Luxor and Karnak temples, houses finds from the royal metropolis Thebes and the surrounding area. With its beautiful statues, it is worth a visit.

Luxor Egypt Tours:

The Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile is a magnet for tourists from all over the world.

The renowned necropolis is located near the ancient Egyptian Thebes, in which 64 tombs and pits have been uncovered, including Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Howard Carter discovered the almost complete tomb in 1922 after intensively searching. The famous golden death mask of the pharaoh is exhibited in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

One of the highlights of Luxor is the tomb of Nefertari, located in the Valley of the Queens.

Its impressive wall paintings and complete decoration of the tomb show Nefertari’s position as the favourite wife of Pharaoh Ramses II. The magnificent tomb of Pharaoh Hatshepsut is also found on the west bank of the Nile in Thebes.

With the impressive temple carved into the rock like a terrace, it is a witness of great architecture and the best-preserved monument in the Deir al-Bahari necropolis.

Standing on its stairs, it gives visitors a glimpse of the green Nile valley – a tremendous view. Talking about superlatives, the Colossi of Memnon, the stone giants that stand at the entrance to the sights of the West Bank, appear.

In ancient times, the Colossi of Memnon were considered a wonder of the world. The 15-meter and 18-meter statues embody Amenophis III and are the remains of his temple.

Not far away, the Nile winds through its valley and invites you to take a boat trip on one of the countless feluccas – a welcome change of perspective that directs the view to the beautiful nature in the desert landscape,

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Luxor Egypt open air museum in the world | temple district in ancient Egypt
Luxor Egypt open air museum in the world | temple district in ancient Egypt

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Luxor temple Egypt directly on the banks of the Nile

Luxor temple Egypt directly on the banks of the Nile

In the middle of the city, directly on the banks of the Nile, is the Luxor Temple located. It was built during the New Kingdom for the god Amun, his wife Mut and their son Chons.

The temple consists of many different elements. The Sphingen alley, which originally connected the Luxor temple with the Karnak temple from the forecourt of Nektanebos, leads in a northeasterly direction and was only uncovered in the early 2000s.

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Once surrounded by a surrounding wall, it is now barely existent. A pylon borders the courtyard in the southwest. In ancient times there were two seated figures in front of it, standing statues and two obelisks. Three statues and an obelisk are missing today.

That one obelisk sits today on the Place de la Concorde in Paris and was a gift from Sultan Muhammad Ali to the King of France.

The pylon that borders the courtyard consists of two massive walls on each side of the entrance. The outer walls of the towers are decorated with portraits of the Ramses.

This pylon leads to the courtyard of Ramses II, its walls are decorated with scenes of sacrifice and the sons of Ramses II. The rooms of the so-called three-nave chapel of Queen Hatshepsut are intended for the gods Amun, Mut and Chons.

Luxor temple:

The Abu el Haggag mosque is located in the eastern part of the courtyard. The grave of Abu el Haggag lies underneath the mosque. Because the temple was buried at the time of building the mosque, the mosque is about five meters above the level of the temple.

A colonnade of columns follows the courtyard. The entrance to it is lined with a pharaoh statue and a seating group, which embodies Amun and Mut.

They are assigned to the 18th Dynasty, although they carry the name of Ramses II. The courtyard of Amenophis III is located after the colonnade of columns. Statues of pharaohs, gods and sphinxes found here several meters below, are exhibited in the Luxor Museum.

Similar pillars as in the previous courtyard can be found in the southern pillared hall.

To the right and left of the courtyard are two small chapels dedicated to the goddess Mut and the god Chons. Amenophis III. is seen on the reliefs before the gods of Thebes. They also show his coronation.

A door in the middle leads into an apse, which was converted into a tetrarch sanctuary during the Roman empire.

The apse is framed by two Corinthian columns, which is followed by another smaller portico. In the sanctuary behind, the barque of Amun was placed. The other rooms can be reached through the room to the east.

In the birth room, the story of Amenophis III. from the conception of Queen Mutemwia by Amun till birth is shown. The other side of the wall shows his accession to the throne.

In the evening, visiting the Luxor Temple with its wonderful lighting is an almost surreal experience, the impressive past then appears even greater. The beautifully lit boats and feluccas on the banks of the Nile illuminate the Egyptian night and immerse the Nile in a sea of dancing reflections,

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Luxor temple Egypt directly on the banks of the Nile
Luxor temple Egypt directly on the banks of the Nile

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Luxor Egypt temples in Karnak & the Valley of the Kings

Luxor Egypt temples in Karnak & the Valley of the Kings

Luxor Egypt – the city of palaces. The name “Luxor” with its meaning probably relates to the Arabic words Al-Qusur (the castles) or Al-Qasr (the barracks). It is one of the most impressive open air museum in the world.

Luxor is located east of the Nile and represents the largest city in Upper Egypt with almost 500,000 inhabitants.

Since 2009, Luxor has also been the capital of the back then newly founded Al Uqsur Governorate.

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Due to the large and important archaeological sites in Egypt, Luxor is the center of the region.

The city’s main economical power comes from tourism. In addition to the sightseeing places, many other businesses have therefore emerged, such as trips to Banana Island or the alabaster factories.

Famous places are such as the temples in Karnak and Luxor, the Valley of the Kings and the ruins in Thebes.

In Pharaonic times, Luxor was part of the fourth Upper Egyptian administrative center, a so-called Gau. This Gau was first mentioned on a statue related to King Mykerinos.

Towards the end of the Old Kingdom, this Gau increasingly shifted to the north. At that time Luxor was part of Thebes with Karnak and the cemeteries on the west bank.

The lords of the 11th and the kings of the 12th dynasty were able to expand their power and influence both north and south. Thebes represented an important religious center at that time.

According to various archaeological finds, construction activities could be assigned to the 13th dynasty under King Sobekhotep. Parts of his buildings were used to build the Luxor temple.

Luxor Egypt:

In the meantime, with the immigrants from Syria and Palestine, the Hyksos, new rulers came to Thebes, who could be evicted again during the 17th dynasty.

Amenophis I. was the first pharaoh to rule over a reunited country, establishing the New Kingdom. He made Egypt a flourishing country again.

The capital of the newly unified empire was moved to Thebes, while Thebes developed into a religious center. Today’s Luxor Temple is believed to have taken the place of earlier sanctuaries located here.

During the Third Intermediate Period, the imperial capitals were again located in the north, since Thebes was devastated by Assurbanipal, king of the Assyrian Empire, and became increasingly less important.

Roman times brought Christianity to Luxor. In the course of this, churches were built, the first diocese can be dated to 325 AD. Christian communities developed in both Luxor and Armant in the following centuries.

The most important Islamic Saint in Luxor is Abu el Haggag, whose son had a tomb mosque built for him and his father over the Luxor temple.

In the 17th century Luxor became famous in Europe for the first time. Capuchin monks described the Luxor temple and Christian housings, whereupon the Catholic Church built a Franciscan monastery in Luxor, which was followed by the settlements of other Christian religious communities.

Napoleon’s reign:

expeditions to Luxor were initiated and at the end of the 19th century the Luxor temple was starting to be uncovered by scientists and explorers.

As a result, Luxor turned more and more into a tourist destination, which was traveled by paddle steamers traveling the nile as well as trains. At the end of the 1950s, the Luxor Temple was accessible for the first time; at the beginning of the 2000s, the Sphingen alley was also mostly uncovered.

Today Luxor is a fully developed touristically. The Nile is still considered an important transportation route that takes tourists on their cruises between ancient Abydos in the north and Aswan in the south to the numerous sights on the right and left of the Nile,

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Luxor Egypt temples in Karnak & the Valley of the Kings
Luxor Egypt temples in Karnak & the Valley of the Kings

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Karnak Temple luxor largest temple complex in Egypt

Karnak Temple luxor largest temple complex in Egypt

The Karnak Temple is the largest temple complex in Egypt and has been repeatedly rebuilt or expanded. Since 1979, the temple, together with the Luxor temple and the Theban necropolis, has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

This magic is so present in the hall of the Karnak Temple that the sudden emergence of an Amun priest behind one of the huge pillars would not be a big surprise.

Where the name “Karnak” originates is not known. It is believed to be due to the existence of a wall surrounding the village, thus meaning fortress or fortified village.

The former village is therefore the namesake of the temple. Karnak as a town was south of today’s temple.

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The Sphingen alley, which connects the Karnak with the Luxor temple, leads through the former village. During the 20th century, construction took place north of the temple that represents New Karnak.

The earliest evidence of the existence of the Amun cult in Thebes is assigned to the Middle Kingdom. During the 11th dynasty Amun rose to the local deity of Thebes. Changes of the temple were carried out even during the Greco-Roman period.

Karnak Temple:

The temple complex consists of three districts: the district of Amun, the district of Month and the district of Mut. In addition to these large temples, there are smaller ones, such as the Aton Temple, which was built by Akhenaten. In the district of Amun are the following monuments located: great temple of Amun-Re, the temple of Chons, the barque sanctuary of Ramses III, a temple of Ipet, a small sanctuary of Ptah and the temple of Amenhotep II.

The Temple of Amun-Re has existed since the 11th Dynasty and was considered a chosen place in the Pharaonic period.

It is the largest Egyptian temple, while it is not really a classical temple than rather several different sacred buildings that were built together.

Over time, parts of the temple were torn down to use the building material for other purposes. Only the center of the temple has remained untouched until today.

The temple of Chons is a temple dedicated to the god Chons which is also located in the temple district of Amun. Chons was known as the son of the fertility god Amun and the goddess Mut. Its temple measures 80 meters long and 30 meters wide.

Ipet, who was also honored with a temple, was the goddess of birth and mother of Osiris. She is also considered the mistress of magical protection and was regarded as being equivalent to Hathor.

The district of Amun also includes the following facilities:

  • White chapel
  • Red chapel
  • Alabaster chapel
  • Temple of Ramses III.
  • Holy Lake

With an almost square area (151 mx 155 m), the District of the Month is right next to the large district of Amun-Re.

There are other structures within the surrounding wall, which dates from the time of Nektanebos I.: a temple of the Maat and a temple of the Harpare, as well as a treasure house of Thutmosis I outside the surrounding wall.

The Mut district is located approximately 350 meters south of the Amun-Re temple and covers almost 90,000 square meters with approximate side lengths of 250 and 350 meters.

The two temples were connected by an avenue of sphinxes. The Temple of Mut is also surrounded on three sides by the Holy Lake,

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Karnak Temple luxor largest temple complex in Egypt
Karnak Temple luxor largest temple complex in Egypt

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Islamic Cairo historic city center is home to numerous sightseeing places

Islamic Cairo historic city center is home to numerous sightseeing places

Islamic Cairo, The city of the dead, which is just right below the Mokattam Mountains, is home to around 300,000 people and part of the Islamic old town of Cairo. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

The historic city center is home to numerous sightseeing places, including the Saladin Citadel with its integrated alabaster mosque (Muhammad Ali Mosque) as well as the famous Khan el-Khalili Bazaar.

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The Alabaster Mosque is one of the biggest mosques in Cairo and was built under Pasha Muhammad Ali.

After a powder explosion in 1824, part of the destroyed Citadel of Saladin was replaced by the Alabaster Mosque.

The colloquial name was derived from the magnificent alabaster-clad walls inside the Muhammad Ali Mosque. The citadel itself is located on a hill, at the foot of it is the Islamic old town with the Sultan Hassan and Ibn Tulun mosques.

The latter is considered to be the oldest mosque in Cairo, which has been preserved in its original form. It is not only the oldest, but also the largest mosque with over 26,000 square meters.

Islamic Cairo:

The namesake Ibn Tulun built the place of worship in the 9th century, which was also the center of the Tulun dynasty. Ahmad Ibn Tulun was the founder of the Tulunid dynasty in Egypt and ruled from 868 to 884.

The extraordinary building and its surroundings can be perfectly seen from the spiral minaret. Another great mosque in Cairo’s Islamic Old Town is the Al Azhar Mosque.

It is not only of great spiritual importance, it is also still considered as one of the central institutions of Sunni Islam. It was the second mosque to be built in Cairo. Al Azhar University, under which the mosque is subordinate, is the spiritual seat of Sunni Islam and Islamic law.

From here, verdicts or judgments are mostly adopted throughout the Muslim world. The mosque is therefore like no other a symbol of islamic Egypt.

One of the highlights of the old town is certainly the Khan al Khalili bazaar.

The name of the bazaar goes back to its founder Emir Jarkas al Khalili, whose hometown was Hebron (Arabic: al Khalili). With its winding streets, the souk from the late 14th century is one of the attractions of Cairo and has not lost its oriental charm.

The spirit of the Orient is still alive in it, the shopkeepers are reminiscent of the former traders from 1001 nights,

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Islamic Cairo historic city center is home to numerous sightseeing places
Islamic Cairo historic city center is home to numerous sightseeing places

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Hatshepsut Temple Luxor Egypt | unusual architecture of the temple differs

Hatshepsut Temple Luxor Egypt | unusual architecture of the temple differs

Hatshepsut Temple, Hatshepsut was a female pharaoh in ancient Egypt who belonged to the 18th dynasty.

She was the daughter of Thutmose I and his wife, Queen Ahmose. Hatshepsut was born around 1495 BC. Her name means “The one who leads the noble ladies”.

Hatshepsut married her brother Thutmosis II, who died early. With a concubine he had Thutmosis III, who was only two or three years old at the time of the death of his father.

The stepson of Hatshepsut was thus the legal successor of his father, but Hatshepsut took over the interim government.

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After a few years of her temporary rule, she actively took power and appointed herself as pharaoh.

Although the young Thutmosis III. was officially the co-ruler, the threads ran together at Hatshepsut; she alone led the politics of Egypt.

In order to protect herself against possible critics and to declare her reign as legitimate, she announced the Egyptian god Amun as her father. Her divine procreation can be seen on the walls of the legendary mortuary temple. Hatshepsut ruled for around twenty years.

Hatshepsut Temple:

During this time she became more and more a male pharaoh; her breasts disappeared and she had an artificial goatee. Egypt flourished under her economically, while she was concentrating particularly on architecture and trade, she imported gold, frankincense and ivory from Punt, which is probably today’s Somalia or Eritrea.

After her death, her stepson Thutmosis III ruled alone and tried to erase the memories of the reign of Hatshepsut. He had her name removed from the temple walls afterwards, to suggest that he had always been in power and the reign of Hatshepsut had never existed. During this time, her temple was also partly destroyed.

Hatshepsut Temple was built over a period of around 15 years. The steward Senenmut was the architect of the impressing building.

The unusual architecture of the temple differs from the classic temples, which usually follow a certain pattern in their structure: 1st pylon – 1st courtyard – 2nd pylon – 2nd courtyard – portico. In the Hatshepsut temple, the pylons were replaced by pillar halls.

The adjoining courtyards are constructed in ascending terraces and connected by ramps.

An approximately one kilometer long processional road leads to a large courtyard, where the first portico, a columned hall facing east, is located.

It is framed on both sides by two colossal statues of Hatshepsut. The depictions on the walls of the left portico show the production, transport and installation of two obelisks in the Karnak temple, on the walls of the right portico the focus is mainly on hunting scenes; it is therefore also called the hunting hall.

A ramp in the middle leads to the first terrace, which is divided by another ramp, which again leads to the second terrace. The Punt hall forms the second portico on the left side of the ramp, where the wall depictions show a commercial expedition to Punt.

The Hathor Chapel is located next to the Punt hall. The depictions on the right side of the portico show the divine birth of Hatshepsut. The Anubis Chapel adjoins him on the right.

On the second level there is a portico directly in front of the actual terrace. There are 26 statues of Hatshepsut here. The work of her stepson is very clear at this point: the west wall was once decorated with a larger text under Hatshepsut’s reign.

Thutmosis III.

had it replaced by other reliefs. The southern and northern walls are decorated with ritual runnings.

A gate in the third portico leads to the terrace, from where the main sanctuary of Amun-Re, the sun sanctuary, the southern chapel of Amun-Re, the chapels of Hatshepsut, Thutmosis I, the northern chapel of Amun-Re and another room can be reached.

The courtyard of the second terrace is also considered a festival courtyard. Here the representation of the procession decorates the wall during the valley festival,

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Hatshepsut Temple Luxor Egypt | unusual architecture of the temple differs
Hatshepsut Temple Luxor Egypt | unusual architecture of the temple differs

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Giza pyramids being among the wonders of the ancient Egypt

Giza pyramids being among the wonders of the ancient Egypt

Giza pyramids, It’s not too much to say that everyone knows them. They are the topic of countless documentaries, appear in films and are one – if not the – symbol of Egypt.

The Giza pyramids. They take the  breath away, the mighty colossi, visible from afar, as if being from another world.

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The mere thought of their age has the ability to cause intense goosebumps. They are much more impressive and larger than what could ever be shown in a documentary or in a photo.

The Giza pyramids being among the wonders of the ancient world is for a reason – and are the last existing monument of this size. They originated around 2500 BC.

Giza pyramids:

The largest and certainly best known pyramid is the Cheops pyramid, of which its golden top disappeared irretrievably in the turmoil of history. It used to measure 146 meters, but is now only 137 meters.

Around 3 million stone blocks were used for the pyramid, with a single stone block alone weighing 2.5 tons.

Inside the pyramid there are even blocks that weigh around 40 tons – imagine that these stone colossi were carved out of the rock with primitive tools. The Chephren pyramid is the middle one of the three pyramids, the Mykerinos pyramid with a height of only 65 meters is by far the smallest of the three.

Unlike the top of the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the one of the Great Pyramid of Chephren is still there and tells the glory of ancient times.

The mighty limestone plateau on which the monuments were built, measures around two square kilometres and allows a fabulous view of Cairo. At the foot of the pyramids, they are guarded by the Great Sphinx with its mighty, 20 meter high and 73.5 meter long lion body with a human head.

A little further south of Cairo is Memphis, the former capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom.

The city’s historical past is as significant as it is final: Memphis once held a strategically important position in the Nile Delta, but with the rise of Alexandria it became increasingly less important and was eventually forgotten.

The torso of a large Ramses II statue is one of the finds that embodies the importance of this metropolis.

The ancient Egyptian

necropolis Sakkara is located 20 kilometres south of Cairo at the west bank of the Nile. Almost 20 pyramids and monumental tombs are located there.

It houses numerous graves of high officials, which are covered with amazingly well-preserved inscriptions and hieroglyphs. The painted walls tell the life story of the deceased.

But the central monument of Saqqara is the step pyramid of Djoser, which has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

It is probably the oldest pyramid in ancient Egypt and is considered the oldest monumental building in the world. With it, the monumentalization of the royal tombs began.

The pyramid building has its roots in Sakkara, has been refined and perfected over the centuries and finally culminated in the colossal buildings near Cairo – the pyramids of Giza, which are still an architectural marvel and a masterpiece of craftsmanship till today,

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Giza pyramids being among the wonders of the ancient Egypt
Giza pyramids being among the wonders of the ancient Egypt

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Egyptian Museum in cairo treasure trove of ancient Egypt

Egyptian Museum in cairo treasure trove of ancient Egypt

Not far from the Tahrir Square is the Egyptian Museum; it is both a treasure trove of ancient Egypt and a journey through time to a former highly developed culture.

Egypt was confronted with the large plunderings of its precious finds by local and foreign treasure hunters.

In order to defend itself against this and to prevent further plundering of this kind, the government founded the Service des Antiquités de l’Egypte in 1835.

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This was the basis of the first collection of ancient Egyptian art. In 1858 the Frenchman Auguste Mariette founded a museum to store the grave finds in Bulaq.

However, the museum was quickly overcrowded due to the mass of finds. The regular flooding from the nearby Nile also increasingly endangered the collection.

In 1897, the foundation stone was laid for a new museum. It took four years to build the 15,000-square-meter Egyptian Museum, which cost 240,000 Egyptian pounds. In 1902 the artifacts were finally brought to Cairo over the Nile river.

The official opening of the Egyptian Museum as we know it today took place on November 15, 1902. Since 2010 there is also a children’s museum in the Egyptian Museum, which teaches children the history of Egypt in a child-friendly way.

Egyptian Museum:

The walls of the neoclassical-style building are packed with over 100,000 exhibits, with even more in the inaccessible basement and on the second floor.

The highlight of this collection are most likely the objects around the famous Pharaoh Tutankhamun, which includes his impressive mask made of around ten kilograms of solid gold.

The Egyptian Museum is also the resting place for the mummies of many pharaohs from the New Kingdom, such as Amenophis, Thutmosis and Ramses for example, as well as countless other grave goods and artefacts from the Middle Kingdom.

This also includes items which were discovered during excavations in other parts of Egypt. The finds are arranged in chronological order on the ground floor of the museum.

The artefacts of the New Kingdom with the statues of Amenophis II and III. and Thutmosis III. consume most space. In the north gallery is the Amarna Hall with Akhenaten, the head of Nefertiti and paintings, in the south half finds from the Old Kingdom, which include a statue of King Cheops.

The center hall focuses on Hatshepsut and the Palace of Amarna. In the east wing of the Egyptian Museum there are monuments from the late and Greco-Roman times.

Jewellery from several eras is exhibited in the north wing, while the west wing shows coffins from different periods. In addition, around 600 sarcophagi are waiting to be processed in the basement,

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Egyptian Museum in cairo treasure trove of ancient Egypt
Egyptian Museum in cairo treasure trove of ancient Egypt

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Abu Simbel lies further south of Aswan

Abu Simbel Temple lies further south of Aswan Egypt

Abu Simbel lies further south of Aswan. The place became famous for the great rock temples of Pharaoh Ramses II and his royal wife Nefertari.

The name Abu Simbel comes from a Europeanization of the Arabic term Abu Sunbul, a derivative of the ancient place name Ipsambul.

The Swiss Jean Louis Burckhardt discovered the temples in 1813 during a research trip and learned about the existence of a temple from locals.

He first came across the Hathor temple of Nefertari and then found the temple of Ramses II, which was largely covered by sand.

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The interior of the temple was not yet accessible to him.

Today the rock temples are located on an island in Lake Nasser, which is connected to Abu Simbel by a dam. This transfer was necessary due to the construction of the artificial reservoir.

For the implementation of this project, blocks were sawn from the rock and taken around 65 meters higher. In order to ensure an almost true-to-original construction, the developers built a reinforced concrete dome structure at the higher location, which ensured that the monument would be seamlessly integrated into its new surroundings.

Masses of sand and stone cover the reinforced concrete dome  today, so that the temples appear as being in their original place. The Abu Simbel project cost $ 40 million and was realized with the help of other nations and UNESCO.

Abu Simbel temple:

Both the large temple in honour of Ramses II and the smaller Hathor temple, which is dedicated to the royal consort Nefertari, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

The four giant Ramses statues impress with their sheer size. The idea that these monuments were actually created by humans thousands of years ago gives goosebumps.

The large temple measures approx. 38 meters wide, is 31 meters high and 56 meters long, while the smaller one is 28 meters wide, 12 meters high and 20 meters long – the dimensions are enormous, photos or filming do not really capture them properly.

The historical magic that surrounds Ramses II and his royal wife Nefertari becomes almost haptic at this point. Next to the legs of the huge monuments are smaller statues that represent the twelve children of the couple.

Six statues of Ramses and Nefertari rise on the facade of the smaller Hathor Temple of Nefertari.

The same heights of the two show how important his wife was for Ramses II. Both temples are beautifully equipped and richly decorated.

They mainly show the battle between Egyptians and Hittites. In various points of historical tradition, Ramses II is said to have concluded the first peace treaty in history.

A precise west-east orientation still ensures that the sun shines in the larger temple of Pharaoh on February 21 and October 21, illuminating a statue of Ramses and the gods – a truly magical experience,

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Abu Simbel Temple lies further south of Aswan Egypt
Abu Simbel Temple lies further south of Aswan Egypt

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Hurghada, the lively holiday resort on the Red Sea

Hurghada, the lively holiday resort on the Red Sea

Hurghada, the lively holiday resort on the Red Sea, is actually known for its excellent diving opportunities and package holiday.

Since the 1980s, Hurghada has been developed primarily by foreign investors to become one of the leading seaside resorts on the Red Sea.

It currently has around 160,000 inhabitants, of whom a little less than a tenth come from the Nile cities and work in Hurghada. But apart from a lot of hotels, the former fishing village has more to offer.

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Those who come to Hurghada are usually looking for relaxation from a hectic everyday life.

Hurghada can almost guarantee amazing weather given the annual rainfall, as the temperatures are warm all year round compared to Europe. Only in the winter months from December to February it can be a bit cooler during the day.

However, sunshine is usually present even then. More and more people are now discovering Hurghada as a great holiday destination to escape the cold European winter.

Hurghada:

The coral reefs of the Red Sea are famous, which is one of the reasons that the Red Sea has also become one of the main destinations for divers from all over Europe.

But not only divers enjoy the extensive reefs and colourful fish, but also snorkelers. The range of snorkelling tours with various programs is large.

Directly in front of Hurghada in the Red Sea is Giftun Island, a nature reserve that is home to around 80 % of the species in the Red Sea.

The island consists of several islands, which are surrounded by magnificent reefs. Different beaches in the bays of the large Giftun Island offer catering and other attractions.

Beach sections such as Orange Bay, Paradise Island and Mahmya as well as Utopia Island further south are well-known. Extensive snorkelling is possible on all excursions, and in some cases, food on the beaches is also part of the program.

The Red Sea habitat fascinates with its incredible diversity, its heavenly colours and of course its colourful inhabitants.

If you don’t fancy going on a boat trip, you can admire over 1200 animals of various species in the 2015 opened Grand Aquarium, including large marine mammals such as sharks.

attractions:

The desert behind Hurghada could not be more contrary. With its rocky mountains, it is part of the Arabian desert and offers motorsport enthusiasts a great opportunity to have fun on quad and jeep trips.

If you have a soft spot for the loneliness of the desert and want to get to know the culture of real Bedouins, you will also get your money’s worth there.

Of course, the Red Sea is the biggest attraction in Hurghada, but it is worth leaving the hotel to get to know the other side of the lively town. The souk in the oldest district of Hurghada,

Dahar, offers a huge selection of fresh fruit and vegetables. Not far from the souk is the largest Coptic church in Hurghada, which is worth a visit.

The largest mosque, however, is located in the Sekalla area, right on the harbor.

A visit to the magnificent new building is definitely worthwhile to get an insight into Islamic culture. With its countless restaurants and cafés, Sekalla is the liveliest.

Hurghada on the Red Sea has much more to offer in addition to hotel miles and package tourism. With a little curiosity and fearlessness you can still discover the original Egypt here

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Hurghada, the lively holiday resort on the Red Sea
Hurghada, the lively holiday resort on the Red Sea

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Cairo Those who haven‘t seen Cairo, haven‘t seen the world

Cairo Those who haven‘t seen Cairo, haven‘t seen the world

Those who haven‘t seen Cairo, haven‘t seen the world. That’s how a lot of texts, travelogues and descriptions of the Egyptian capital begin.

The quote comes from the famous stories of the Arabian Nights and tries to put the uniqueness of Cairo into words. The mega-metropolis is indeed incomparable.

An estimated 25 million people live in the city on the Nile, the city buzzes like a beehive, all day every day. This is probably why Cairo is also called “The city that never sleeps”.

It is the largest city in Africa, the female Arabic name al-Qahira means “the victorious” or “the conqueror”.

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This is why Cairo is many times referred to with a “she” or “her”. Every day, she still conquers her millions of inhabitants and the countless cars that pour through the metropolis in seemingly endless traffic jams.

Cairo:

Because Cairo is about to burst; illegal settlements and slums have always been part of the city. Even mausoleums in cemeteries are used as housing.

The city of the dead, which is just right below the Mokattam Mountains, is home to around 300,000 people and part of the Islamic old town of Cairo. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 as well as the Coptic Quarter since the 1990s.

The historic city center is home to numerous sightseeing places, including the Saladin Citadel with its integrated alabaster mosque (Muhammad Ali Mosque), the Hanging Church and the Ben Esra Synagogue as well as the famous Khan el-Khalili Bazaar.

The Alabaster Mosque is one of the biggest mosques in Cairo and was built under Pasha Muhammad Ali. After a powder explosion in 1824, part of the destroyed Citadel of Saladin was replaced by the Alabaster Mosque.

Cairo attractions:

The colloquial name was derived from the magnificent alabaster-clad walls inside the Muhammad Ali Mosque. The citadel itself is located on a hill, at the foot of it is the Islamic old town with the Sultan Hassan and Ibn Tulun mosques.

The latter is considered to be the oldest mosque in Cairo, which has been preserved in its original form. The Hanging Church, on the other hand, is one of the oldest Christian churches in Egypt.

The church got its name because its nave is located above a gatehouse. As a representation of the Jewish faith, the Ben Esra Synagogue is especially famous because of its spectacular Genisa, which was supposed to be found around the year 800.

The synagogue is also part of the old town. Aside from the great diversity of worshipping places, one of the highlights of the old town is certainly the Khan al Khalili bazaar.

With its winding streets, the souk from the late 14th century is one of the attractions of Cairo and has not lost its oriental charm. In it the spirit of the Orient is still alive, the shopkeepers seem to be reminiscent of the former merchants from 1001 nights.

attractions:

The history of the Cairo comes to life in countless corners, especially the recent past seems almost tangible on the famous Tahrir Square.

It was the epicentre of the Arab Spring, became part of more recent historiography, and was both a joy and a theatre of war for the Egyptian people. Not far from the Tahrir Square is the Egyptian Museum; it is both a treasure trove of ancient Egypt and a journey through time to a former highly developed culture.

The walls of the neoclassical-style building are packed with over 100,000 exhibits, with even more in the inaccessible basement and on the second floor. The highlight of this collection are most likely the objects around the famous Pharaoh Tutankhamun, which includes his impressive mask made of around ten kilograms of solid gold.

The Egyptian Museum is also the resting place for the mummies of many pharaohs from the New Kingdom, such as Amenophis, Thutmosis and Ramses for example, as well as countless other grave goods and artefacts from the Middle Kingdom.

This also includes items which were discovered during excavations in other parts of Egypt.

Giza:

The great past of Egypt becomes clear once again at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Cheops.

Together with the Chephren and Mykerinos pyramid, it is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

The walk across the forecourt becomes a gateway to the past: around 4,500 years ago, people left their foot prints in the sand.

In addition to the valley temple, another contemporary witness joins below the Giza plateau: the Great Sphinx, which sits majestically in front of the graves of its alleged builders.

The evening sound and light show illuminates the impressive monuments, while the narrators’ voices bring the pharaohs and their families to life. While historic Cairo basks in the splendour of its great past, contemporary Cairo is a young, almost fluid structure.

It does not follow any laws as it was and is the saving haven for a whole range of people: war refugees, artists and intellectuals. Cairo is neither one-dimensional, nor simple or quiet, on the contrary; it is loud, charismatic and lively – it is “the victorious”

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Cairo Those who haven‘t seen Cairo, haven‘t seen the world
Cairo Those who haven‘t seen Cairo, haven‘t seen the world

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Aswan is the southernmost city in Egypt and is therefore also called “Gateway to Africa”.

Aswan is the southernmost city in Egypt - Gateway to Africa

Aswan is the southernmost city in Egypt and is therefore also called “Gateway to Africa”.

The city lies below the first cataract on the eastern bank of the Nile. Egypt practically ends here, Nubia begins.

Because of its dry climate, Aswan has been already valued in the past as a health resort. Especially sand baths against all types of joint diseases were a popular form of therapy.

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Aswan was of great importance as a supplier of granite and rose granite, which was mined by workers at great expense in the nearby quarries and then shipped north over the Nile. In addition to statues, obelisks were pounded out of the rock and delivered in finished form. The famous unfinished obelisk is an unfinished rose granite obelisk.

Before its completion, it showed cracks in the rock and was therefore probably not completed. With its height of 41.75 meters on a square base of 4.2 meters and an approximate weight of 1168 tons, it would have been the largest obelisk in ancient Egypt.

Aswan:

The quarries of Aswan extended to the island of Philae and have been under the protection of UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1979.

The idea that these handcrafted achievements were performed with the most primitive means thousands of years ago gives the unfinished obelisk a great historical charisma.

A building that is almost as impressive as it is economically important is in the immediate vicinity: the Aswan Dam. The high dam, built in 1970, dams the Nile over a length of around 1.9 kilometers and thus forms the 5250-square-meter Lake Nasser. The huge lake was originally created to protect Egypt from major economic damage in case of droughts.

However, the construction of the Nasser dam had consequences for the numerous monuments that were nearby. Even an entire village had to be given up, its residents were relocated.

Temples:

The remains of this village can still be found on the bottom of Lake Nasser today. In view of the rising floods, dozens of threatened monuments had to be saved by UNESCO in complex implementation processes.

These included the famous Philae Temple and Abu Simbel. The Philae Temple is therefore no longer in its original location, but on the higher Agilkia Island and was rebuilt there. The main building is the temple of the goddess Isis, which is located on the west bank and is surrounded with several smaller buildings. The Philae Island was eventually flooded as a result of the dam construction.

The Aswan Botanical Garden is located on Lord Kitchener’s Island. The island impresses with its lush vegetation, which goes back to the former owner of the island, Horatio Herbert Kitchener.

He arranged the planting of various exotic trees and flowers, which formed the basis for today’s botanical garden.

As the southernmost point of Egypt, Aswan escapes the usual tourist flow and offers the historically interested visitor not only a glimpse into the Egypt of the pharaohs and kings, but also into the more recent past of the last century with its high dam and Lake Nasser and more

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Aswan is the southernmost city in Egypt - Gateway to Africa
Aswan is the southernmost city in Egypt – Gateway to Africa

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Alexandria second largest city in Egypt

Alexandria second largest city in Egypt & rich historical

Alexandria – the pearl of the Mediterranean with an extension of more than 32 kilometers on the coast is the second largest city in Egypt after the capital Cairo.

It is the only metropolis with a direct access to the Mediterranean Sea. Most of Egypt’s foreign trade is handled through its port.

The city’s founder and namesake was Alexander the Great, which is why the Greek “Polis” Alexandria was not considered part of Egypt during the Hellenistic period.

Its namesake, Alexander the Great, found its final resting place in a golden sarcophagus in the royal mausoleum, which was probably located on the site of today’s Nebi Daniel Mosque.

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The Corniche is the promenade that borders the Mediterranean Sea with a view towards Europe.

Although the multi-lane main street is right next to it, the Corniche is still nice for a walk. While the Qaitbay Citadel is at its western end, the famous Montaza Palace is at its eastern end.

The Qaitbay Citadel is located on the east side of the Pharos Peninsula and is connected to the mainland by a dam. The citadel was built as part of the defense strategy against the Ottomans.

One of the ancient wonders of the world once was near the peninsula: the lighthouse of Alexandria. It was considered the tallest lighthouse ever built.

Alexandria:

The famous Pompeius column, which is one of the largest monolithic statues in the world, is located in the southern part of Alexandria and rises above the ruins of the Serapeum.

The foundations of the former temple in honor of the deity Serapis are still visible.

As the largest known burial site of the Romans, the underground tunnels of Kom el Shoqafa in the east of Alexandria are one of the last monuments built in honor of the religion of ancient Egypt.

The various architectural styles from the Pharaonic and Greek times that have flowed into the building are particularly obvious in the catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa. In a depth of 35 meters there are impressive tombs and chambers across three levels.

The Bibliotheca Alexandria was founded in 2002 near the ancient library of Alexandria, of which the decay has many legends. Its end can hardly be dated since numerous sources determine very different dates.

The reason for the devastation has not yet been clarified. It was the intellectual center of the ancient world and, with its countless scrolls, it was the basis for sciences during that time.

library:

The ancient library was closely related to the nearby Museion, which provided a spiritual home for artists, scientists and philosophers. T

o today’s Bibliotheca Alexandrina a large cultural center is connected that houses several museums, institutes and galleries.

The library itself can hold up to 8 million books.

At the very eastern end of the Corniche is the magnificent Montaza Palace, which dates from 1892 and has its origins in the smaller Salamlek Palace, which was expanded with the larger Al Haramlik Palace in 1932 under King Fuad I.

Alexandria not only offers a rich historical past that was remarkably influenced by different architectural styles and epochs, but also shows a touch of Europe with its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea and more

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Alexandria second largest city in Egypt & rich historical
Alexandria