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Mysteries of Egypt EGT80
- Country: Egypt
- Cities: Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Sharm El Sheikh
- Duration:12 Nights / 13 Days
- Tour Runs:Daily
- Overview:
Tour include visit to Pyramids, Sphinx , Egyptian Museum , Citadel of Salah el Din , Khan El Khalili, Philae temple, high dam, Unfinished obelisk,karnak temple, luxor temple, valley of kings & Queens, Qaitbay citadel , Montaza Gardens and Sharm el sheikh`s beach and sea
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Tour Info
Includes:
Excludes:
Accommodation:
2 nights Cairo including breakfast Basis
1 nights Sleeping train ( Cairo / Aswan) including Half board Basis
2 nights Aswan including breakfast Basis
2 nights Luxor including breakfast Basis
3 nights Sharm El Sheikh including All inclusive (Full board + drinks) Basis
2 nights Cairo including breakfast Basis
Services Included:
Airport`s meet, assist and transfers
Tours to Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis and Sakkara
Tours to Egyptian Museum, Citadel of Salah El Din, Old Cairo and Khan El Khalili Bazaars
Tours Phila Temple, Unfinished Obelisk and Aswan High Dam
Tours Abu Simble Temple
Tours East Bank of Luxor
Tours West Bank of Luxor
Tours Alexandria Montazah, Qaitbay Citadel, Library and Catacomb of Kom Al Shukafa
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Accommodation and Sightseeing as listed
Professional Multilingual tour guide and tour leader
All services in private basis
Entrance fees as sights listed in itinerary
Excludes:
Any Flights booking
Entry Visa to Egypt
Any Kind of Insurance
Personal expenses
Optional Tours
Tipping
Notes
Entering the pyramids chamber from inside & solar boat
Entering the Mummies room at the Egyptian Museum
Tour Itinerary Details
Day 01: Arrival Cairo
Arrival at Cairo international airport where you will be met and assisted through Visa and Customs by our staff and escorted to your hotel in Cairo- over night in Cairo
Meals: NO
Day 02: (Cairo) Tours to Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis and Sakkara
After breakfast at hotel (normally start from 0700 am to 0900 am), our tour guide will meet you at Lobby to pick up and start the day tours to Pyramids and Sphinx after that transfer to restaurant to get your lunch meal, continue to visit Memphis and Sakkara , transfer back to your hotel - over night in Cairo
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch
Day 03: (Cairo) Day Tours to Egyptian Museum, Citadel of Salah El Din, Old Cairo and Khan El Khalili Bazaars
After breakfast at hotel (normally start from 0700 am to 0900 am), our tour guide will meet you at Lobby to pick up and start the day tours to Egyptian Museum and Citadel of Salah El Din after that transfer to restaurant to get your lunch meal, continue to visit Old Cairo and Khan El Khalili Bazaars, At end of the day 0630 pm, transfer to Giza Rail way station for your train depart on 0830 pm – dinner on board - over night Train
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch
Day 04: (Aswan) Tours Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk and Aswan High Dam
After breakfast, our staff will pick up you from Aswan Railway Station, you will be met and assisted by our staff then escorted you to your hotel, and start your day tours to Philae Temple, after that transfer to restaurant to get your lunch meal, continue to unfinished Obelisk and Aswan high Dam, transfer back to your hotel - over night in Aswan
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch
Day 05: (Aswan) Tours Abu Simble Temple
After breakfast at hotel (normally start from 0700 am to 0900 am), our tour guide will meet you at Lobby to pick up start the day tours to Abu Simble temple, transfer back to your hotel - over night in Aswan
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch
Day 06: (Luxor) Tours East Bank of Luxor
After breakfast, our staff will pick up you to transfer to Luxor city; you will start the day tours to Karnak Temple, after that transfer to restaurant to get your lunch meal, continue to visit Luxor Temple, transfer back to your hotel - over night in Luxor
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch
Day 07: (Luxor) Tours West Bank of Luxor
After breakfast at hotel (normally start from 0700 am to 0900 am), our tour guide will meet you at Lobby to pick up and start the day tours to Valley of kings, The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at El Deir El Bahari and Colossi of Memnon, transfer back to your hotel - over night in Luxor
Meals: Breakfast- Lunch
Day 08: (Luxor / Sharm El Sheikh) Arrive Sharm El Sheikh
After breakfast. Our staff will pick up you to transfer to Luxor airport for your domestic flight to Sharm el Sheikh. Upon arrival to Sharm el Sheikh airport, you will be met and assisted by our staff then escorted you to your hotel, and then enjoy the rest of the day exploring the exotic bounties of the resort - over night in Sharm El Sheikh.
Meals: Breakfast- Lunch - Dinner + Soft Drink
Day 09: Sharm El Sheikh - Free Day
Breakfast at hotel from 07:00 am to 09:00 am, free day at leisure. Enjoy with Sea activities - over night in Sharm El Sheikh.
You may ask our staff for available optional tours
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner + Soft Drink
Day 10: Sharm El Sheikh - Free Day
Breakfast at hotel from 07:00 am to 09:00 am, free day at leisure. Enjoy with Sea activities - over night in Sharm El Sheikh.
You may ask our staff for available optional tours
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner + Soft Drink
Day 11: (Sharm El Sheikh / Cairo) Fly to Cairo
After breakfast, our staff will pick up you to transfer to Sharm El Sheikh Airport for your domestic flight to Cairo. Upon arrival to Cairo International airport, you will be met and assisted by our staff then escorted you to your hotel - over night in Cairo.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12: (Alexandria) Tours Alexandria Montazah, Qaitbay Citadel, Library and Catacomb of Kom Al Shukafa
After breakfast, our staff will pick up you to transfer to Alexandria city; you will start the day tours to Alexandria Montazah Gardens and Qaitbay Citadel after that transfer to restaurant to get your lunch meal, continue to visit Alexandria library and Catacomb of Kom Al Shukafa. Transfer back your hotel in Cairo. Overnight in Cairo
Meals: Breakfast - Lunch
Day 13: Departure Cairo
After breakfast, free time until your departure and check out then transfer to Cairo international airport for your final departure. Wish you a safe trip
Meals: Breakfast
Tour Highlights
Abu Simble Temple
Location: Southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser about 230 km southwest of Aswan. Built: Construction of the temple complex started in ... More Info.
Bibliotheca Alexandria Museum
Location: Alexandria, Egypt.Built: Completed October 2002History: The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Latin for "Library of Alexandria") is a major library ... More Info.
Church of Abu Serga ( St. Sergius )
Location: Near Mari Girgis Street, Cairo.Built: at 4th century.Built by: dedicated to Sergius and BacchusOpen Hours: 9 am - 4:30 pm ... More Info.
Colossi of Memnon
Location: in a field at the side of the road to the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of LuxorBuilt: For the past 3400 years (since 1350 BC)Built ... More Info.
Deir el-Bahari ( Hatshpsute )
Location: on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of Luxor, Egypt.Built:in the 15th century BC.History: Deir el-Bahari is a complex of ... More Info.
Karnak Temple
Location: Luxor, EgyptBuilt: built and enlarged over a 1300 year periodHistory: the Karnak Temple Complex usually called Karnak ... More Info.
Khan el-Khalili
Location:Off Hussein Square, Across from Al Azhar Mosque, CairoBuilt:in 1382Built by:the Emir Djaharks el-KhaliliHistory:Â Khan el-Khalili, once ... More Info.
Luxor Temple
Location: on the east bank of the River Nile in Luxor.Built: 1400 BCEBuilt by: largely by Amenhotep III and Ramesses ... More Info.
Memphis
Location: 20 km (12 miles) south of Cairo, on the west bank of the NileHistory: Memphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the ... More Info.
Montazah Palace
Location: Alexandria, Egypt.Built: in 1892Built by: Khedive Abbas Helmy IIHistory: Montaza Palace is a palace and extensive ... More Info.
Philea Temple
Location: at the first Cataract of the Nile, Aswan, Egypt.History: Philae Island was a rocky island in the middle of the River Nile, south of Aswan. ... More Info.
Qaitbey Citadel
Location: on the edge of the Mediterranean, Alexandaria, Egypt.Built: in 1477Built by: Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay.History: The Citadel of ... More Info.
Saint Barbara Church
Location: stands north of the Coptic Museum and is east of the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga), on the eastern side of Fort ... More Info.
Sphinx
Location: to the north-east of Chephren's Valley Temple.History: In a depression to the south of Chephren's pyramid sits a creature with a ... More Info.
History: In a depression to the south of Chephren's pyramid sits a creature with a human head and a lion's body. The name 'sphinx' which means 'strangler' was first given by the Greeks to a fabulous creature which had the head of a woman and the body of a lion and the wings of a bird. The sphinx appears to have started in Egypt in the form of a sun god. The Egyptian sphinx is usually a head of a king wearing his headdress and the body of a lion. There are, however, sphinxes with ram heads that are associated with the god Amun. Where it sits was once a quarry. Chephren's workers shaped the stone into the lion and gave it their king's face over 4,500 years ago. The sphinx faces the rising sun with a temple to the front which resembles the sun temples which were built later by the kings of the 5th Dynasty. The figure was buried for most of its life in the sand. King Thutmose IV (1425 - 1417 BC) placed a stela between the front paws of the figure. It describes when Thutmose, while still a prince, had gone hunting and fell asleep in the shade of the sphinx. During a dream, the sphinx spoke to Thutmose and told him to clear away the sand because it was choking the sphinx. The sphinx told him that if he did this, he would be rewarded with a kingship. Thutmose carried out this request and the sphinx held up his end of the deal. The sphinx is built of soft sandstone and would have disappeared long ago had it not been buried for so long. The body is 200 feet (60m) in length and 65 feet (20m) tall. The face of the sphinx is 13 feet (4m) wide and its eyes are 6 feet (2m) high. Part of the uraeus (sacred cobra), the nose and the ritual beard are now missing. . The beard from the sphinx is displayed in the British Museum. The statue is crumbling today because of the wind, humidity and the smog from Cairo. Attempts to restore it have often caused more harm than good. No one can be certain who the figure is to personify. It is possible that it is Chephren. If that is so, it would then be the oldest known royal portrait in such large scale. Some say that it was built after the pyramid of Chephren was complete. It may have been set as a sort of scarecrow to guard his tomb. Still others say it is the face of his guardian deity, rather than Chephren himself. The image of the sphinx is a depiction of royal power. Only a pharaoh or an animal could be shown this way, with the animal representing a protective deity. In the 1980's, a carefully planned restoration of the Sphinx was in progress. Over 6 years, more than 2,000 limestone blocks were added to the body of the sphinx and chemicals were injected. This treatment did not work. It just flaked away along with parts of the original rock. Later, various mortars and many workers who were not trained in restoration worked for six months to repair it. In 1988 the left shoulder crumbled and blocks fell off. Present attempts at restoration are under the control of the Supreme Council of Antiquities' archaeologists. They are concentrating on draining away subsoil seepage which is damaging the rock. They are also repairing the damaged shoulder with smaller blocks and staying with the original size.
Step Pyramid Complex
Location: in the Saqqara necropolis, Egypt, northwest of the city of MemphisHistory: Djoser’s Step Pyramid complex has several structures pivotal to ... More Info.
The Citadel of Salah Aldin
Location: on Mokattam hill near the center of CairoHistory: The Citadel was fortified by the Ayyubid ruler Salah al-Din (Saladin) between 1176 and ... More Info.
The Great Pyramids of Giza
Location: on the West Bank of the Nile RiverHistory: The Great Pyramids at Giza are the world's most famous monument. They are, without question, the ... More Info.
The Hanging Church
Location: Shar'a Mari Girgis, Cairo, Egypt.History: The Hanging Church (El Muallaqa, Sitt Mariam, St Mary) derives its name from its location on top ... More Info.
Unfinished Obelisk Aswan
Location: in the northern region of the stone quarries of ancient Egypt in Aswan, Egypt.History: The unfinished obelisk is the largest known ancient ... More Info.
Valley of the Queens
Location: on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes).History: The Valley of the Queens is a place in Egypt where wives of Pharaohs were buried in ... More Info.
Valley Temple of Khafra
Location: Giza , Egypt.History: Valley temples were not just the entrance point to pyramid complexes, they were the connection to the Nile ... More Info.
Location: Southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser about 230 km southwest of Aswan. Built: Construction of the temple complex started in ... More Info.
Abu Simble Temple
City:
Abu Simbel
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: Southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser about 230 km southwest of Aswan.
Built: Construction of the temple complex started in approximately 1284 BC and lasted for about 20 years.
Built by: Ramesses II.
History: The Temples of Abu Simbel are amongst the most interesting Pharaonic Temples. Consists of two, rock-cut Temples, which both date back to the reign of King Ramses II (1290-1223 BC). This is the Great Temple of Abu Simbel. The temple was cut into rock in the 13th century B.C. by the famous pharaoh Ramses II in honour of himself and the triad Amon-Ra, Ptah and Ra-Harakhte. Together with a smaller temple dedicated to Ramses' wife Nefertari and the goddess Hathor, it lay strategically in a bend of the river Nile overlooking the plains to the south as an impressive monument of Egypt's might. As such it must have served to impress people coming from the south, possibly to scare anyone thinking of invading the land of Egypt.The temple's strategical position proved unfortunate for its placement right at the bank of the Nile, because the building of a new dam in the Nile in the 1960s caused the water to rise to its feet, and threatened to eventually drown the great monument. During a great international rescue campaign headed by UNESCO between 1963 and 1967 the temple was moved to a higher and safe location.The front of the temple is dominated by four gigantic statues of the great pharaoh himself. The colossi of the king, wearing the characteristic nemes headcloth and double crown (of upper and lower Egypt), are each 20 metres high, while the facade is more than 35 metres wide and 30 metres high. The king is accompanied by some of his wives, sons and daughters who appear in much smaller size beside his legs. Right above the entrance stands a figure of the god Re-Harakhte in a small niche. The top of the facade is crowned by a row of baboons.One of Egypt's most impressive sites, Abu Simbel is unforgettable. Its two temples were built in the 13th century BC by Ramses II, one dedicated to himself and the gods Horus, Amun and Ptah, and another dedicated to his wife Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. Ramesses built the temple too close to the Nile and the flood waters took their toll.The central entrance leads into a large hall with massive pillars fronted by Osiris figures of the king. The temple's orientation is arranged in such a way that twice every year on 22 February and 22 October the earliest sun-rays shine on the back wall of the innermost chamber, thus illuminating the statues of the four gods seated there.
Location: Alexandria, Egypt.Built: Completed October 2002History: The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Latin for "Library of Alexandria") is a major library ... More Info.
Bibliotheca Alexandria Museum
City:
Alexandria
Type:
Modern attractions
Description:
Location: Alexandria, Egypt.
Built: Completed October 2002
History: The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Latin for "Library of Alexandria") is a major library and cultural center located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. It is both a commemoration of the Library of Alexandria that was lost in antiquity and an attempt to rekindle something of the brilliance that this earlier center of study and erudition represented. The idea of reviving the old library dates back to 1974, when a committee set up by Alexandria selected a plot of land for its new library, between the campus and the seafront, close to where the ancient library once stood. The notion of recreating the ancient library was soon enthusiastically adopted by other individuals and agencies. One leading supporter of the project was Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak; UNESCO was also quick to embrace the concept of endowing the Mediterranean region with a center of cultural and scientific excellence. An architectural, organized by UNESCO in 1988 to choose a design worthy of the site and its heritage, was won by Snøhetta, a Norwegian architectural office, from among more than 1,400 entries. At a conference held in 1990 in Aswan, the first pledges of funding for the project were made: USD $65 million, mostly from the Arab states. Construction work began in 1995 and, after some USD $220 million had been spent, the complex was officially inaugurated on October 16, 2002. The library was designed as a tilting disc rising from the ground, with four levels below ground and seven above. The scale of the building is thus minimized at close quarters, so it does not overwhelm the visitor. The facility provides a main reading room with seating for 2,000 readers, six specialist libraries, three museums, seven research centers, three permanent galleries, space for temporary exhibitions, a planetarium, a public plaza, offices, a cafeteria and all the necessary services required for such a complex. The circular form of the library also has strong symbolic significance and an iconic presence. Its exterior wall is clad with four thousand granite blocks carved with letters from the alphabets of the world.The main reading area is a single open space with eight terraces, each accommodating a different subject section, starting from the roots of knowledge (philosophy, history, religion, geography) and ending with the latest technologies.
Location: Near Mari Girgis Street, Cairo.Built: at 4th century.Built by: dedicated to Sergius and BacchusOpen Hours: 9 am - 4:30 pm ... More Info.
Church of Abu Serga ( St. Sergius )
City:
Cairo
Type:
Coptic
Description:
Location: Near Mari Girgis Street, Cairo.
Built: at 4th century.
Built by: dedicated to Sergius and Bacchus
Open Hours: 9 am - 4:30 pm daily.
History: The Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga) is a 4th century church and today is considered to be the oldest of Cairo's Christian churches. It is dedicated to two early martyrs and traditionally believed to have been built on the spot where the Holy Family, Joseph, Mary and the infant Christ, rested at the end of their journey into Egypt. They may have lived here while Joseph worked at the fortress. However, the church is dedicated to Sergius and Bacchus, who were soldier-saints that were martyred during the 4th century in Syria by Maximilan. The original building was probably done during the 5th century. It was burned during the fire of Fustat during the reign of Marwan II around 750.It was then restored during the 8th century, and has been rebuilt and restored constantly since medieval times; however it is still considered to be a model of the early Coptic churches. Again, the most precious and ancient of the icons are on the southern wall. A vast central hall is divided into three naves by two rows of pilasters. In much the same style as the Hanging Church, Abu Serga has 12 unique columns decorated with paintings of the Apostles. This church resembles religious structures in Constantinople and Rome. The main attraction, situated directly under the choir, is the crypt. This crypt contains the remains of the original church where tradition says the Holy Family lived.Originally this crypt was the sanctuary, but the crypt after the larger church was built. The crypt is closed due to flooding by water seeping in. Being tied to the Holy Family, the Church of Abu Serga continues to be a draw for Christian visitors. In much the same style as the Hanging Church, two rows of six columns each separate the aisles from the nave. Eleven of these unique columns, with faint painted decorations of probably apostles or saints, are marble, while one is of red granite. While the pulpit was replaced by a copy of the Ambon (a pulpit) in the church of Saint Barbara, some of the older wooden pulpit now resides in the Coptic Museum in Cairo, while a few others are in the British Museum. Also, the oldest wooden altar in Egypt was found in the church, but it too is now in the Coptic Museum
Location: in a field at the side of the road to the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of LuxorBuilt: For the past 3400 years (since 1350 BC)Built ... More Info.
Colossi of Memnon
City:
Luxor
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: in a field at the side of the road to the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of Luxor
Built: For the past 3400 years (since 1350 BC)
Built by: Amenhotep III (18th Dynasty)
History: The Colossi of Memnon (known to locals as el-Colossat, or es-Salamat) are two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. For the past 3400 years they have stood in the Theban necropolis, across the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor. Amenhotep III (18th Dynasty) built a mortuary temple in Thebes that was guarded by two gigantic statues on the outer gates. All that remains now are the 23 meter (75 ft) high, one thousand ton statues of Amenhotep III. Though damaged by nature and ancient tourists, the statues are still impressive. Perhaps the most imposing monument on the West Bank at Luxor is the famous 'Colossi of Memnon'. These massive quartzite (or quartzose sandstone) statues which once flanked the entrance to Amenhotep III's mortuary temple now stand virtually alone in a field at the side of the road to the valley of the kings. The temple on the west bank of Luxor, the first monument that you will encounter, it is the two gigantic statues known as the Colossi of Memnon. The Greeks gave them their name, after the Trojan hero Memnon, who was killed by Achilles. These two, gigantic figures of Amenhotep III were originally situated in front of his Mortuary temple, which was destroyed for unknown reasons! The two colossi are made of sandstone, which during ancient times was brought from Gabal El Silselah. Each colossus, including the pedestal and the crown, is about 21m tall and represents King Amenhotep III seating on his throne, wearing the Nemes, or royal headdress, with the divine cobra protecting his forehead. On the sides of the colossi there is a representation of the Nile god Hapi, bending together the lotus and the papyrus plants, symbolizing the union of Upper and Lower Egypt. This site became a popular resort in the Roman Period. Many famous Romans.
Location: on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of Luxor, Egypt.Built:in the 15th century BC.History: Deir el-Bahari is a complex of ... More Info.
Deir el-Bahari ( Hatshpsute )
City:
Luxor
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of Luxor, Egypt.
Built:in the 15th century BC.
History: Deir el-Bahari is a complex of mortuary temples and tombs. The first monument built at the site was the mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II of the Eleventh dynasty. During the Eighteenth dynasty, Amenhotep I and Hatshepsut also built extensively at the site.
Mortuary temple of Nebhepetre Mentuhotep: Mentuhotep II, Eleventh Dynasty king who reunited Egypt at the beginning of the Middle Kingdom, built a very unusual funerary complex. His mortuary temple was built on several levels in the great bay at Deir el-Bahari. It was approached by a 16-metre-wide (150-ft) causeway leading from a valley temple which no longer exists. The mortuary temple itself consists of a forecourt, enclosed by walls on three sides, and a terrace on which stands a large square structure that may represent the primeval mound that arose from the waters of chaos. As the temple faces east, the structure is likely to be connected with the sun cult of Ra and the resurrection of the king. From the eastern part of the forecourt, an opening called the Bab el-Hosan ('Gate of the Horseman') leads to an underground passage and an unfinished tomb or cenotaph containing a seated statue of the king. On the western side, tamarisk and sycamore trees were planted besides the ramp leading up to the terrace. At the back of the forecourt and terrace are colonnades decorated in relief with boat processions, hunts, and scenes showing the king's military achievements Statues of the Twelfth Dynasty king Senusret III were found here too? The inner part of the temple was actually cut into the cliff and consists of a peristyle court, a hypostyle hall and an underground passage leading into the tomb itself. The cult of the dead king centred on the small shrine cut into the rear of the Hypostyle Hall. The mastaba-like structure on the terrace is surrounded by a pillared ambulatory along the west wall, where the statue shrines and tombs of several royal wives and daughters were found. These royal princesses were the priestesses of Hathor, one of the main ancient Egyptian funerary deities. Although little remained of the king's own burial, six sarcophagi were retrieved from the tombs of the royal ladies (Ashayet, Henhenet, Kawit, Kemsit, Muyet and Sadhe). Each was formed of six slabs, held together at the corners by metal braces and carved in sunken relief. The sarcophagus of Queen Kawit, now in the Cairo Museum, is particularly fine. The burial shaft and subsequent tunnel descend for 150 meters and end in a burial chamber 45 meters below the court. The chamber held a shrine, which once held the wooden coffin of Nebhepetre Mentuhotep. A great tree-lined court was reached by means of the processional causeway, leading up from the valley temple. Beneath the court, a deep shaft was cut which led to unfinished rooms believed to have been intended originally as the king’s tomb. A wrapped image of the pharaoh was discovered in this area by Howard Carter. The temple complex also held six mortuary chapels and shaft tombs built for the pharaoh's wives and daughters.
Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut: The focal point of the Deir el-Bahari complex is the Djeser-Djeseru meaning "the Holy of Holies", the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. It is a colonnaded structure, which was designed and implemented by Senemut, royal steward and architect of Hatshepsut (and believed by some to be her lover), to serve for her posthumous worship and to honour the glory of Amun. Djeser-Djeseru sits atop a series of colonnaded terraces, reached by long ramps that once were graced with gardens. It is built into a cliff face that rises sharply above it, and is largely considered to be one of the "incomparable monuments of ancient Egypt". It is 97 feet (30 m) tall. The unusual form of Hatshepsut's temple is explained by the choice of location, in the valley basin of Deir el-Bahari, surrounded by steep cliffs. It was here, in about 2050 BC that Mentuhotep II, the founder of the Middle Kingdom, laid out his sloping, terrace-shaped mortuary temple. The pillared galleries at either side of the central ramp of the Djeser Djeseru correspond to the pillar positions on two successive levels of the Temple of Mentuhotep. Today the terraces of Deir el-Bahari only convey a faint impression of the original intentions of Senenmut. Most of the statue ornaments are missing - the statues of Osiris in front of the pillars of the upper colonnade, the sphinx avenues in front of the court, and the standing, sitting, and kneeling figures of Hatshepsut; these were destroyed in a posthumous condemnation of this pharaoh. The architecture of the temple has been considerably altered as a result of misguided reconstruction in the early twentieth century A.D.
Architecture: While Hatshepsut used Menuhotep’s temple as a model, the two structures are significantly different. Hatshepsut employed a lengthy colonnaded terrace that deviated from the centralized massing of Menuhotep’s model – an anomaly that may be caused by the decentralized location of her burial chamber. There are three layered terraces reaching 97 feet (30 m) in height. Each ‘story’ is articulated by a double colonnade of square piers, with the exception of the northwest corner of the central terrace, which employs Proto-Doric columns to house the chapel. These terraces are connected by long ramps which were once surrounded by gardens. The layering of Hatshepsuts temple corresponds with the classical Theban form, employing pylon, courts, hypostyle hall, sun court, chapel, and sanctuary the relief sculpture within Hatshepsut’s temple recites the tale of the divine birth of the pharaoh. The text and pictorial cycle also tell of an expedition to the Land of Punt, an exotic country on the Red Sea coast. On either side of the entrance to the sanctuary are painted pillars with images of Hathor as the capitals. Just under the roof is an image of Wadjet, displayed as a bilateral solar symbol, flanked by two other long serpents. The temple includes an image, shown to the right, of Hatshepsut depicted as male pharaoh giving offerings to Horus, and to their left, an animal skin wound around a tall staff that is a symbol of the god Osiris. While the statues and ornamentation have since been stolen or destroyed, the temple once was home to two statues of Osiris, a long avenue lined by sphinxes, as well as many sculptures of Pharaoh Hatshepsut in different attitudes standing, sitting, or kneeling.
Mortuary Temple of Thutmose III: Thutmose III built a temple complex here, dedicated to Amun. Discovered in 1961, it is believed to have been used during the Beautiful festival of the valley. Not much is known about the complex, as it was abandoned after sustaining severe damage during a landslide in the lattertwentieth Dynasty. After that time it was used a source of building materials and in Christian times became the site of a Coptic cemetery.
Location: Luxor, EgyptBuilt: built and enlarged over a 1300 year periodHistory: the Karnak Temple Complex usually called Karnak ... More Info.
Karnak Temple
City:
Luxor
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: Luxor, Egypt
Built: built and enlarged over a 1300 year period
History: the Karnak Temple Complex usually called Karnak comprises a vast mix of ruined temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings, notably the Great Temple of Amun and a massive structure begun by Pharaoh Ramses II (ca. 1391-1351 BC). Sacred Lake is part of the site as well. It is located near Luxor, some 500 km south of Cairo, in Egypt. The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut ("The Most Selected of Places") and the main place of worship of the eighteenth dynasty Theban Triad with the god Amun as its head. It is part of the monumental city of Thebes. The Karnak complex takes its name from the nearby and partly surrounded, modern village of el-Karnak, and some 2.5 km north of Luxor. The history of the Karnak complex is largely the history of Thebes and its changing role in the culture. Religious centers varied by region and with the establishment of the current capital of the unified culture that changed several times. The city of Thebes does not appear to have been of great significance before the Eleventh Dynasty and previous temple building here would have been relatively small, with shrines being dedicated to the early deities of Thebes, the Earth goddess Mut and Montu. Early building was destroyed by invaders. The earliest known artifact found in the area of the temple is a small, eight-sided temple from the Eleventh Dynasty, which mentions Amun-Re. Amun (sometimes called Amen) was long the local tutelary deity of Thebes. He was identified with the Ram and the Goose. The Egyptian meaning of Amen is, "hidden" or, the "hidden godâ€. Major construction work in the Precinct of Amun-Re took place during the Eighteenth dynasty when Thebes became the capital of the unified Ancient Egypt.Thutmose I erected an enclosure wall connecting the Fourth and Fifth pylons, which comprise the earliest part of the temple still standing in situ. Construction of the Hypostyle Hall also may have begun during the eighteenth dynasty, although most new building was undertaken under Seti I and Ramesses II.Almost every pharaoh of that dynasty has added something to the temple site. Merenptah commemorated his victories over the Sea Peoples on the walls of the Cachette Court, the start of the processional route to the Luxor Temple.Hatshepsut had monuments constructed and also restored the original Precinct of Mut, the ancient great goddess of Egypt, that had been ravaged by the foreign rulers during the Hyksos occupation. She had twin obelisks, at the time the tallest in the world, erected at the entrance to the temple. One still stands, as the tallest surviving ancient obelisk on Earth; the other has broken in two and toppled. Another of her projects at the site, Karnak's Red Chapel, or Chapelle Rouge, was intended as a barque shrine and originally, may have stood between her two obelisks. She later ordered the construction of two more obelisks to celebrate her sixteenth year as pharaoh; one of the obelisks broke during construction, and thus, a third was constructed to replace it. The broken obelisk was left at its quarrying site in Aswan, where it still remains. Known as The Unfinished Obelisk, it demonstrates how obelisks were quarried. The last major change to Precinct of Amun-Re's layout was the addition of the first pylon and the massive enclosure walls that surround the whole Precinct, both constructed by Nectanebo I.In 323 AD, Constantine the Great recognised the Christian religion, and in 356 ordered the closing of pagan temples throughout the empire. Karnak was by this time mostly abandoned and Christian churches were founded amongst the ruins, the most famous example of this is the reuse of the Festival Hall of Thutmose III's central hall, where painted decorations of saints and Coptic inscriptions can still be seen.
Main parts
Built: built and enlarged over a 1300 year period
History: the Karnak Temple Complex usually called Karnak comprises a vast mix of ruined temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings, notably the Great Temple of Amun and a massive structure begun by Pharaoh Ramses II (ca. 1391-1351 BC). Sacred Lake is part of the site as well. It is located near Luxor, some 500 km south of Cairo, in Egypt. The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut ("The Most Selected of Places") and the main place of worship of the eighteenth dynasty Theban Triad with the god Amun as its head. It is part of the monumental city of Thebes. The Karnak complex takes its name from the nearby and partly surrounded, modern village of el-Karnak, and some 2.5 km north of Luxor. The history of the Karnak complex is largely the history of Thebes and its changing role in the culture. Religious centers varied by region and with the establishment of the current capital of the unified culture that changed several times. The city of Thebes does not appear to have been of great significance before the Eleventh Dynasty and previous temple building here would have been relatively small, with shrines being dedicated to the early deities of Thebes, the Earth goddess Mut and Montu. Early building was destroyed by invaders. The earliest known artifact found in the area of the temple is a small, eight-sided temple from the Eleventh Dynasty, which mentions Amun-Re. Amun (sometimes called Amen) was long the local tutelary deity of Thebes. He was identified with the Ram and the Goose. The Egyptian meaning of Amen is, "hidden" or, the "hidden godâ€. Major construction work in the Precinct of Amun-Re took place during the Eighteenth dynasty when Thebes became the capital of the unified Ancient Egypt.Thutmose I erected an enclosure wall connecting the Fourth and Fifth pylons, which comprise the earliest part of the temple still standing in situ. Construction of the Hypostyle Hall also may have begun during the eighteenth dynasty, although most new building was undertaken under Seti I and Ramesses II.Almost every pharaoh of that dynasty has added something to the temple site. Merenptah commemorated his victories over the Sea Peoples on the walls of the Cachette Court, the start of the processional route to the Luxor Temple.Hatshepsut had monuments constructed and also restored the original Precinct of Mut, the ancient great goddess of Egypt, that had been ravaged by the foreign rulers during the Hyksos occupation. She had twin obelisks, at the time the tallest in the world, erected at the entrance to the temple. One still stands, as the tallest surviving ancient obelisk on Earth; the other has broken in two and toppled. Another of her projects at the site, Karnak's Red Chapel, or Chapelle Rouge, was intended as a barque shrine and originally, may have stood between her two obelisks. She later ordered the construction of two more obelisks to celebrate her sixteenth year as pharaoh; one of the obelisks broke during construction, and thus, a third was constructed to replace it. The broken obelisk was left at its quarrying site in Aswan, where it still remains. Known as The Unfinished Obelisk, it demonstrates how obelisks were quarried. The last major change to Precinct of Amun-Re's layout was the addition of the first pylon and the massive enclosure walls that surround the whole Precinct, both constructed by Nectanebo I.In 323 AD, Constantine the Great recognised the Christian religion, and in 356 ordered the closing of pagan temples throughout the empire. Karnak was by this time mostly abandoned and Christian churches were founded amongst the ruins, the most famous example of this is the reuse of the Festival Hall of Thutmose III's central hall, where painted decorations of saints and Coptic inscriptions can still be seen.
Main parts
Precinct of Amun-Re: This is the largest of the precincts of the temple complex, and is dedicated to Amun-Re, the chief deity of the Theban Triad. There are several colossal statues including the figure of Pinedjem I which is 10.5 meters tall. The sandstone for this temple, including all the columns, was transported from Gebel Silsila 100 miles south on the Nile river. It also has one of the largest obelisks weighing 328 tonnes and standing 29 meters tall.
Precinct of Mut: Located to the south of the newer Amen-Re complex, this precinct was dedicated to the mother goddess, Mut, who became identified as the wife of Amun-Re in the eighteenth dynasty Theban Triad. It has several smaller temples associated with it and has its own sacred lake, constructed in a crescent shape. This temple has been ravaged, many portions having been used in other structures. It is not open to the public. Six hundred black granite statues were found in the courtyard to her temple. It may be the oldest portion of the site. In 2006, Betsy Bryan, an archaeologist with Johns Hopkins University excavating at the temple of Mut presented her findings about one festival that included illustrations of the priestesses being served to excess and its adverse effects being ministered to by temple attendants. Participation in the festival was great, including the priestesses and the population. Historical records of tens of thousands attending the festival exist. These findings were made in the temple of Mut because when Thebes rose to greater prominence, Mut absorbed the warrior goddesses, Sekhmet and Bast, as some of her aspects. First, Mut became Mut-Wadjet-Bast, then Mut-Sekhmet-Bast (Wadjet having merged into Bast), then Mut also assimilated Menhit, another lioness goddess, and her adopted son's wife, becoming Mut-Sekhmet-Bast-Menhit, and finally becoming Mut-Nekhbet.Temple excavations at Luxor discovered a "porch of drunkenness" built onto the temple by the pharaoh Hatshepsut, during the height of her twenty year reign. In a later myth developed around the annual drunken Sekhmet festival, Ra, by then the sun god of Upper Egypt, created her from a fiery eye gained from his mother, to destroy mortals who conspired against him (Lower Egypt). In the myth, Sekhmet's blood-lust was not quelled at the end of battle and led to her destroying almost all of humanity, so Ra had tricked her by turning the Nile as red as blood (the Nile turns red every year when filled with silt during inundation) so that Sekhmet would drink it. The trick, however, was that the red liquid was not blood, but beer mixed with pomegranate juice so that it resembled blood, making her so drunk that she gave up slaughter and became an aspect of the gentle Hathor. The complex interweaving of deities occurred over the thousands of years of the culture.
Precinct of Montu: This portion of the site is dedicated to the son of Mut and Amun-Re, Montu, the war-god of the Theban Triad. It is located to the north of the Amun-Re complex and is much smaller in size. It is not open to the public.
Temple of Amenhotep IV (deliberately dismantled): The temple that Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) constructed on the site was located to the east of the main complex, outside the walls of the Amun-Re precinct. It was destroyed immediately after the death of its builder, who attempted to overcome the powerful priesthood that had gained control over Egypt before his reign. It was so well demolished, that its full extent and lay-out currently is unknown. The priesthood of that temple regained its powerful position as soon as he died and was instrumental in destroying many records of his existence.
Precinct of Mut: Located to the south of the newer Amen-Re complex, this precinct was dedicated to the mother goddess, Mut, who became identified as the wife of Amun-Re in the eighteenth dynasty Theban Triad. It has several smaller temples associated with it and has its own sacred lake, constructed in a crescent shape. This temple has been ravaged, many portions having been used in other structures. It is not open to the public. Six hundred black granite statues were found in the courtyard to her temple. It may be the oldest portion of the site. In 2006, Betsy Bryan, an archaeologist with Johns Hopkins University excavating at the temple of Mut presented her findings about one festival that included illustrations of the priestesses being served to excess and its adverse effects being ministered to by temple attendants. Participation in the festival was great, including the priestesses and the population. Historical records of tens of thousands attending the festival exist. These findings were made in the temple of Mut because when Thebes rose to greater prominence, Mut absorbed the warrior goddesses, Sekhmet and Bast, as some of her aspects. First, Mut became Mut-Wadjet-Bast, then Mut-Sekhmet-Bast (Wadjet having merged into Bast), then Mut also assimilated Menhit, another lioness goddess, and her adopted son's wife, becoming Mut-Sekhmet-Bast-Menhit, and finally becoming Mut-Nekhbet.Temple excavations at Luxor discovered a "porch of drunkenness" built onto the temple by the pharaoh Hatshepsut, during the height of her twenty year reign. In a later myth developed around the annual drunken Sekhmet festival, Ra, by then the sun god of Upper Egypt, created her from a fiery eye gained from his mother, to destroy mortals who conspired against him (Lower Egypt). In the myth, Sekhmet's blood-lust was not quelled at the end of battle and led to her destroying almost all of humanity, so Ra had tricked her by turning the Nile as red as blood (the Nile turns red every year when filled with silt during inundation) so that Sekhmet would drink it. The trick, however, was that the red liquid was not blood, but beer mixed with pomegranate juice so that it resembled blood, making her so drunk that she gave up slaughter and became an aspect of the gentle Hathor. The complex interweaving of deities occurred over the thousands of years of the culture.
Precinct of Montu: This portion of the site is dedicated to the son of Mut and Amun-Re, Montu, the war-god of the Theban Triad. It is located to the north of the Amun-Re complex and is much smaller in size. It is not open to the public.
Temple of Amenhotep IV (deliberately dismantled): The temple that Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) constructed on the site was located to the east of the main complex, outside the walls of the Amun-Re precinct. It was destroyed immediately after the death of its builder, who attempted to overcome the powerful priesthood that had gained control over Egypt before his reign. It was so well demolished, that its full extent and lay-out currently is unknown. The priesthood of that temple regained its powerful position as soon as he died and was instrumental in destroying many records of his existence.
Location:Off Hussein Square, Across from Al Azhar Mosque, CairoBuilt:in 1382Built by:the Emir Djaharks el-KhaliliHistory:Â Khan el-Khalili, once ... More Info.
Khan el-Khalili
City:
Cairo
Type:
Historical Bazaar
Description:
Location:Off Hussein Square, Across from Al Azhar Mosque, Cairo
Built:in 1382
Built by:the Emir Djaharks el-Khalili
History:Â Khan el-Khalili, once known as the Turkish bazaar during the Ottoman period, is now usually just called the 'Khan', and the names of it and the Muski market are often used interchangeably to mean either. Named for the great Caravansary. Together with the al-Muski market to the west, they comprise one of Cairo's most important shopping areas. But more than that, they represent the market tradition which established Cairo as a major center of trade, and at the Khan, one will still find foreign merchants. Perhaps, this vary market was involved in the spice monopoly controlled by the Mamluks, which encouraged the Europeans to search for new routes to the East and led Columbus, indirectly, to discover the Americas. During its early period, the market was also a center for subversive groups, often subject to raids before the Sultan Ghawri rebuilt much of the area in the early 16th century. Regardless, it was trade which caused Cairo's early wealth, even from the time of the Babylon fort which was often a settlement of traders.This market is situated at one corner of a triangle of markets that go south to Bab Zuwayla and west to Azbakiyyah. The Khan is bordered on the south by al-Azhar Street and on the west by the Muski Market. One of the old original gates guards the entrance to the original courtyard which lies midway down Sikkit al-Badistan (street). On a narrow street leading off al-Badistand, one will find the El-Fishawi Cafe, or Cafe of Mirrors, which was once a meeting place for local artists, and is still frequented by the Nobel Award winning Naguib Mahfouz, one of Egypt's most well known authors. There are any number of canvas covered streets such as the one pictured to the right. Egyptian buyers generally shop in the area north of al-Badistan and to the west, where prices may be lower. Better deals for gold and silver are to be found west of the Khan along the "street of the gold sellers", and further on one will find the Brass and Coppersmith Markets.
Location: on the east bank of the River Nile in Luxor.Built: 1400 BCEBuilt by: largely by Amenhotep III and Ramesses ... More Info.
Luxor Temple
City:
Luxor
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: on the east bank of the River Nile in Luxor.
Built: 1400 BCE
Built by: largely by Amenhotep III and Ramesses II
History: The Ancient Egyptians regarded their temples as the "homes" of their respective god or deity. Luxor Temple, or The Temple of Luxor, is among the most beautiful Temples in Egypt. It was known in the New Kingdom period as Ipt-Rsyt, which means the southern shrine. This was to differentiate between this Temple and Karnak Temple, which was the northern house of Amon Ra. it appears that the temple's purpose was for a suitable setting for the rituals of the festival. The festival itself was to reconcile the human aspect of the ruler with the divine office. During the 18th Dynasty the festival lasted eleven days, but had grown to twenty-seven days by the reign of Ramesses III in the 20th Dynasty. The procession of images of the current royal family began at Karnak and ended at the temple of Luxor. By the late 18th Dynasty the journey was being made by barge, on the Nile River. Ramses II, with the help of his architect added the front part and completed the Temple. He also added the present large forecourt, and a Pylon at the (northern) front of the Temple. Kings Merenpetah, Seti I, Ramses III, Ramses IV and Ramses VI built many more small additions. Alexander the Great rebuilt the Sanctuary. During the Christian era, the inner section was converted to a church. The Muslims built a Mosque in the 10th century, which is known as the Mosque of Abou El-Hagag. King Nektanebo built the Sphinx Avenue in front of the Temple that leads to the entrance. In front of the Great Pylon of Ramses II, there once were 2 obelisks. Only one of them remains standing! The other was transported, in 1819, to La Place de le Concorde in Paris, as a gift to King Philip Louis of France by Mohamed Ali (who ruled Egypt 1805-1850 A.D).There were 6 standing statues in front of the Pylon, only one of them, on the western side, is still in place. Flanking the gate of the first pylon, which is 24m high, there are two seated colossi representing King Ramses II, seated on his throne, with all the royal features. Both towers of this pylon were once decorated with relief’s depicting the Battle of Kadesh, fought between the armies of Egypt and the Hittites. The open court of Ramses II leads to the Colonnade, which was built by Amenhotep III, and decorated by Tutankhamen and later, Horemheb; Seti I, Ramses II, and Seti II all recorded their names there. It consists of two pairs of large open papyrus columns, which are arranged to make a long processional avenue. The walls of this colonnade are decorated by scenes of the Opt Festival, special ceremonies for the visit of theTriad of Karnak to the Temple of Luxor. This feast lasted for about 24 days, including the return to the Karnak Temple.
Location: 20 km (12 miles) south of Cairo, on the west bank of the NileHistory: Memphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the ... More Info.
Memphis
City:
Giza
Type:
City Info
Description:
Location: 20 km (12 miles) south of Cairo, on the west bank of the Nile
History: Memphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo. According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an important city throughout ancient Mediterranean history. It occupied a strategic position at the mouth of the Nile delta, and was home to feverish activity. Its principal port, Peru-nefer, harboured a high density of workshops, factories, and warehouses that distributed food and merchandise throughout the ancient kingdom. During its golden age, Memphis thrived as a regional centre for commerce, trade, and religion. Memphis was believed to be under the protection of the god Ptah, the patron of craftsmen. Its great temple, Hut-ka-Ptah (meaning "Enclosure of the ka of Ptah"), was one of the most prominent structures in the city. The name of this temple, rendered in Greek as Aί γυ πτoς (Ai-gy-ptos) by the historian Manetho, is believed to be the etymological origin of the modern English name Egypt. The history of Memphis is closely linked to that of the country itself. Its eventual downfall is believed to be due to the loss of its economical significance in late antiquity, following the rise of coastal Alexandria. Its religious significance also diminished after the abandonment of the ancient religion following the Edict of Thessalonica. The ruins of the former capital today offer fragmented evidence of its magnificent past. They have been preserved, along with the pyramid complex at Giza, as a World Heritage Site since 1979. The site is open to the public as an open-air museum.
Remains: During the time of the New Kingdom, and especially under the reign of the rulers of the 19th dynasty, Memphis flourished in power and size, rivaling Thebes both politically and architecturally. An indicator of this development can be found in a chapel of Seti I dedicated to the worship of Ptah. After over a century of excavations on the site, archaeologists have gradually been able to confirm the layout and expansion of the ancient city.
History: Memphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo. According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an important city throughout ancient Mediterranean history. It occupied a strategic position at the mouth of the Nile delta, and was home to feverish activity. Its principal port, Peru-nefer, harboured a high density of workshops, factories, and warehouses that distributed food and merchandise throughout the ancient kingdom. During its golden age, Memphis thrived as a regional centre for commerce, trade, and religion. Memphis was believed to be under the protection of the god Ptah, the patron of craftsmen. Its great temple, Hut-ka-Ptah (meaning "Enclosure of the ka of Ptah"), was one of the most prominent structures in the city. The name of this temple, rendered in Greek as Aί γυ πτoς (Ai-gy-ptos) by the historian Manetho, is believed to be the etymological origin of the modern English name Egypt. The history of Memphis is closely linked to that of the country itself. Its eventual downfall is believed to be due to the loss of its economical significance in late antiquity, following the rise of coastal Alexandria. Its religious significance also diminished after the abandonment of the ancient religion following the Edict of Thessalonica. The ruins of the former capital today offer fragmented evidence of its magnificent past. They have been preserved, along with the pyramid complex at Giza, as a World Heritage Site since 1979. The site is open to the public as an open-air museum.
Remains: During the time of the New Kingdom, and especially under the reign of the rulers of the 19th dynasty, Memphis flourished in power and size, rivaling Thebes both politically and architecturally. An indicator of this development can be found in a chapel of Seti I dedicated to the worship of Ptah. After over a century of excavations on the site, archaeologists have gradually been able to confirm the layout and expansion of the ancient city.
Great Temple of Ptah: The Hout-ka-Ptah (meaning "Castle of the ka of Ptah"), dedicated to the worship of the creator god Ptah, was the largest and most important temple in ancient Memphis. It was one of the most prominent structures in the city, occupying a large precinct within the city's centre. Enriched by centuries of veneration, the temple was one of the three foremost places of worship in Ancient Egypt, the others being the great temples of Horus in Heliopolis, and of Amun in Thebes. Much of what is known about the ancient temple today comes from the writings of Herodotus, who visited the site at the time of the first Persian invasion, long after the fall of the New Kingdom. Herodotus claimed that the temple had been founded by Menes himself, and that the core building of the complex was restricted to priests and kings. His account, however, gives no physical description of the complex. Archaeological work undertaken in the last century has gradually unearthed the temple's ruins, revealing a huge walled compound accessible by several monumental gates located along the southern, western and eastern walls. The remains of the great temple and its premises are displayed as an open-air museum near the great colossus of Rameses II, which originally marked the southern axis of the temple. Also in this sector is a large sphinx monolith, discovered in the 19th century. It dates from the 18th dynasty, most likely having been carved during the reign of either Amenhotep II or Thutmose IV. It is one of the finest examples of this kind statuary still present on its original site. The outdoor museum houses numerous other statues, colossi, sphinxes, and architectural elements. However, the majority of the finds have been sold to major museums around the world. For the most part, these can be found on display in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The specific appearance of the temple is unclear at present, and only that of the main access to the perimeter are known. Recent developments include the discovery of giant statues which adorned the gates or towers. Those that have been found date from the reign of Ramsses II. This pharaoh also built at least three shrines within the temple compound, where worship is associated with those deities to whom they were dedicated.
Temple of Ptah of Ramses II: This small temple, adjoining the southwest corner of the larger Temple of Ptah, was dedicated to the deified Rameses II, along with the three state gods: Horus, Ptah and Amun. It is known in full as the Temple of Ptah of Rameses, Beloved of Amun, God, Ruler of Heliopolis. Its ruins were discovered in 1942 by archaeologist Ahmed Badawy, and were excavated in 1955 by Rudolf Anthes. The excavations uncovered a religious building complete with a tower, a courtyard for ritual offerings, a portico with columns followed by a pillared hall and a tripartite sanctuary, all enclosed in walls built of mud bricks. Its most recent exterior has been dated from the New Kingdom era. The temple opened to the east towards a path paved with other religious buildings. The archaeological explorations that took place here reveal that the southern part of the city indeed contains a large number of religious buildings with a particular devotion to the god Ptah, the principal god of Memphis.
Temple of Ptah and Sekhmet of Ramses II : Located further east, and near to the great colossus of Rameses, this small temple is attributed to the 19th dynasty, and seems to have been dedicated to Ptah and his divine consort Sekhmet, as well as deified Rameses II. Its ruins are not as well preserved as others nearby, as its limestone foundations appear to have been quarried after the abandonment of the city in late antiquity. Two giant statues, dating from the Middle Kingdom, originally adorned the building's facade, which opened to the west. They were moved inside the Museum of Memphis, and depicted the pharaoh standing in the attitude of the march, wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt, Hedjet.
Temple of Ptah of Merneptah: In the southeast of the Great Temple complex, the pharaoh Merneptah, of the 19th dynasty, founded a new shrine in honour of the chief god of the city, Ptah. This temple was discovered in the early 20th century by Flinders Petrie, who identified a depiction of the Greek god Proteus cited by Herodotus. The site was excavated during the First World War by Clarence Stanley Fisher. Excavations began in the anterior part, which is formed by a large courtyard of about 15 sq meters, opening on the south by a large door with reliefs supplying the names of the pharaoh and the epithets of Ptah. Only this part of the temple has been unearthed; the remainder of the chamber has yet to be explored a little further north. During the excavations, archaeologists unearthed the first traces of an edifice built of mud brick, which quickly proved to be a large ceremonial palace built alongside the temple proper. Some of the key elements of the stone temple were donated by Egypt to the museum at the University of Pennsylvania, which financed the expedition, while the other remained at the Museum in Cairo. The temple remained in use throughout the rest of the New Kingdom, as evidenced by enrolment surges during the reigns of later pharaohs. Thereafter, however, it was gradually abandoned and converted for other uses by civilians. Gradually buried by the activity of the city, the stratigraphic study of the site shows that by the Late Period it is already in ruins and is soon covered by new buildings.
Temple of Hathor: This small temple of Hathor was unearthed south of the great wall of the Hout-Ka-Ptah by Abdullah al-Sayed Mahmud in the 1970s and also dates from the time of Rameses II. Dedicated to the goddess Hathor, Lady of the Sycamore, it presents architecture similar to the small temple-shrines known especially to Karnak. From its proportions, it does not seem to be major shrine of the goddess, but is currently the only building dedicated to her discovered in the city's ruins. It is believed that this shrine was primarily used for processional purposes during major religious festivals. A larger temple dedicated to Hathor, indeed one of the foremost shrines of the goddess in the country, is thought to have existed elsewhere in the city, but to date has not been discovered. A depression, similar to that found near the great temple of Ptah, could indicate its location. Archaeologists believe that it could house the remains of an enclosure and a large monument, a theory attested by ancient sources.
Statues of Ramses II: The ruins of ancient Memphis have yielded a large number of sculptures representing the pharaoh Rameses II. Within the museum in Memphis is a giant statue of the pharaoh carved of monumental limestone, about 10 metres in length. It was discovered in 1820 near the southern gate of the temple of Ptah by Italian archaeologist Giovanni Caviglia. Because the bottom of the sculpture has been broken off, it is currently displayed lying on its back. Some of the colours are still partially preserved, but the beauty of this statue lies in its flawless detail of the complex and subtle forms of human anatomy. The pharaoh wears the white crown of Upper Egypt, Hedjet. Civilian offered the statue to Grand Duke of Tuscany, Leopold II, through the mediation of Ippolito Rosellini. Rosellini advised the sovereign of the terrible expenses involved with transportation, and considered as necessary the cutting of the colossus into pieces. The British viceroy Muhammad Ali offered for it to be donated to the British Museum, but the museum declined the offer because of the difficult task of shipping the huge statue to London. It therefore remained in the archaeological area of Memphis in the museum built to protect it. The colossus was one of a pair that historically adorned the eastern entrance to the temple of Ptah. The other, found in the same year also by Caviglia, was restored in the 1950s to its full standing height of 11 meters. It was first displayed in the Bab Al-Hadid square in Cairo, which was subsequently renamed Ramses Square. Deemed an unsuitable location, it was moved in 2006 to a temporary location in Giza, where it is currently undergoing restoration. It is due to be exhibited at the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum, scheduled to open in 2010. A replica of the statues stands in the suburb of Heliopolis, in Cairo.
Temple of Ptah of Ramses II: This small temple, adjoining the southwest corner of the larger Temple of Ptah, was dedicated to the deified Rameses II, along with the three state gods: Horus, Ptah and Amun. It is known in full as the Temple of Ptah of Rameses, Beloved of Amun, God, Ruler of Heliopolis. Its ruins were discovered in 1942 by archaeologist Ahmed Badawy, and were excavated in 1955 by Rudolf Anthes. The excavations uncovered a religious building complete with a tower, a courtyard for ritual offerings, a portico with columns followed by a pillared hall and a tripartite sanctuary, all enclosed in walls built of mud bricks. Its most recent exterior has been dated from the New Kingdom era. The temple opened to the east towards a path paved with other religious buildings. The archaeological explorations that took place here reveal that the southern part of the city indeed contains a large number of religious buildings with a particular devotion to the god Ptah, the principal god of Memphis.
Temple of Ptah and Sekhmet of Ramses II : Located further east, and near to the great colossus of Rameses, this small temple is attributed to the 19th dynasty, and seems to have been dedicated to Ptah and his divine consort Sekhmet, as well as deified Rameses II. Its ruins are not as well preserved as others nearby, as its limestone foundations appear to have been quarried after the abandonment of the city in late antiquity. Two giant statues, dating from the Middle Kingdom, originally adorned the building's facade, which opened to the west. They were moved inside the Museum of Memphis, and depicted the pharaoh standing in the attitude of the march, wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt, Hedjet.
Temple of Ptah of Merneptah: In the southeast of the Great Temple complex, the pharaoh Merneptah, of the 19th dynasty, founded a new shrine in honour of the chief god of the city, Ptah. This temple was discovered in the early 20th century by Flinders Petrie, who identified a depiction of the Greek god Proteus cited by Herodotus. The site was excavated during the First World War by Clarence Stanley Fisher. Excavations began in the anterior part, which is formed by a large courtyard of about 15 sq meters, opening on the south by a large door with reliefs supplying the names of the pharaoh and the epithets of Ptah. Only this part of the temple has been unearthed; the remainder of the chamber has yet to be explored a little further north. During the excavations, archaeologists unearthed the first traces of an edifice built of mud brick, which quickly proved to be a large ceremonial palace built alongside the temple proper. Some of the key elements of the stone temple were donated by Egypt to the museum at the University of Pennsylvania, which financed the expedition, while the other remained at the Museum in Cairo. The temple remained in use throughout the rest of the New Kingdom, as evidenced by enrolment surges during the reigns of later pharaohs. Thereafter, however, it was gradually abandoned and converted for other uses by civilians. Gradually buried by the activity of the city, the stratigraphic study of the site shows that by the Late Period it is already in ruins and is soon covered by new buildings.
Temple of Hathor: This small temple of Hathor was unearthed south of the great wall of the Hout-Ka-Ptah by Abdullah al-Sayed Mahmud in the 1970s and also dates from the time of Rameses II. Dedicated to the goddess Hathor, Lady of the Sycamore, it presents architecture similar to the small temple-shrines known especially to Karnak. From its proportions, it does not seem to be major shrine of the goddess, but is currently the only building dedicated to her discovered in the city's ruins. It is believed that this shrine was primarily used for processional purposes during major religious festivals. A larger temple dedicated to Hathor, indeed one of the foremost shrines of the goddess in the country, is thought to have existed elsewhere in the city, but to date has not been discovered. A depression, similar to that found near the great temple of Ptah, could indicate its location. Archaeologists believe that it could house the remains of an enclosure and a large monument, a theory attested by ancient sources.
Statues of Ramses II: The ruins of ancient Memphis have yielded a large number of sculptures representing the pharaoh Rameses II. Within the museum in Memphis is a giant statue of the pharaoh carved of monumental limestone, about 10 metres in length. It was discovered in 1820 near the southern gate of the temple of Ptah by Italian archaeologist Giovanni Caviglia. Because the bottom of the sculpture has been broken off, it is currently displayed lying on its back. Some of the colours are still partially preserved, but the beauty of this statue lies in its flawless detail of the complex and subtle forms of human anatomy. The pharaoh wears the white crown of Upper Egypt, Hedjet. Civilian offered the statue to Grand Duke of Tuscany, Leopold II, through the mediation of Ippolito Rosellini. Rosellini advised the sovereign of the terrible expenses involved with transportation, and considered as necessary the cutting of the colossus into pieces. The British viceroy Muhammad Ali offered for it to be donated to the British Museum, but the museum declined the offer because of the difficult task of shipping the huge statue to London. It therefore remained in the archaeological area of Memphis in the museum built to protect it. The colossus was one of a pair that historically adorned the eastern entrance to the temple of Ptah. The other, found in the same year also by Caviglia, was restored in the 1950s to its full standing height of 11 meters. It was first displayed in the Bab Al-Hadid square in Cairo, which was subsequently renamed Ramses Square. Deemed an unsuitable location, it was moved in 2006 to a temporary location in Giza, where it is currently undergoing restoration. It is due to be exhibited at the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum, scheduled to open in 2010. A replica of the statues stands in the suburb of Heliopolis, in Cairo.
Location: Alexandria, Egypt.Built: in 1892Built by: Khedive Abbas Helmy IIHistory: Montaza Palace is a palace and extensive ... More Info.
Montazah Palace
City:
Alexandria
Type:
Palaces
Description:
Location: Alexandria, Egypt.
Built: in 1892
Built by: Khedive Abbas Helmy II
Built: in 1892
Built by: Khedive Abbas Helmy II
History: Montaza Palace is a palace and extensive gardens in the Montaza district of Alexandria, Egypt. It was built on a low plateau east of central Alexandria overlooking a beach on the Mediterranean Sea. The extensive Montaza Palace grounds first had the Salamlek Palace, built in 1892 by Khedive Abbas II, the last Muhammad Ali Dynasty ruler to hold the Khedive title over the Khedivate of Egypt and Sudan. It was used as a hunting lodge and residence for his companion. The larger Al-Haramlik Palace and royal gardens were added to the Montaza Palace grounds, being built by King Fuad I in 1932, as a summer palace. It is in a mixture of Turkish and Florentine styles, with has two towers, one rising distinctively high above with elaborated Italian Renaissance design details. The palace has long open arcades facing the sea along each floor.
Public access
Montazah Gardens: the Al-Montaza Park, the former expansive royal gardens of 150 acres (61 ha), are open as a public landscape park and forest reserve.
Museum:The Al-Haramlik—Montaza Palace is a public museum of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty family history and objects d'art. The Salamlek Palace is now an adjacent hotel.
Museum:The Al-Haramlik—Montaza Palace is a public museum of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty family history and objects d'art. The Salamlek Palace is now an adjacent hotel.
Location: at the first Cataract of the Nile, Aswan, Egypt.History: Philae Island was a rocky island in the middle of the River Nile, south of Aswan. ... More Info.
Philea Temple
City:
Aswan
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: at the first Cataract of the Nile, Aswan, Egypt.
History: Philae Island was a rocky island in the middle of the River Nile, south of Aswan. It was called in Hieroglyphic Apo which means Ivory. It was also known by the Greek Elephantine, most probably because it was an important centre of trade, especially for ivory. The Ancient Egyptians built a beautiful and magnificent Temple on this island for the Goddess Isis, but the Temple became submerged after the first Aswan dam was built in 1906, and it was not until the seventies that many nations attempted to save the Temple. All these countries, together with UNESCO, selected a suitable place, but they had to wait until the completion of the High Dam, in 1971, which would stabilize the level of the water around their chosen island. The new island was called Egilica (also called Agilika), and it was completely reshaped to imitate Philae Island as closely as possible. Firstly, a cofferdam was built around the Temple and the water was drained. Next, the Temple was dismantled and transferred, stone by stone, from the submerged Philea Island to the redesigned Egilica Island. Each and every stone had to be numbered, and then replaced, in the same position, in the new location. It was a massive, and very complicated, project taking over 9 years to be accomplished. The oldest structure on the island is the kiosk built by Nectanebo I (380-362 BCE). To the north of the kiosk he also built a temple gate which was eventually integrated into the first pylon of the Temple of Aset. From this time until the Roman period, many different temples were added to the island. Among those was a temple of Het-Hert constructed under the Emperor Augustus. Philae served to disseminate Egyptian religion to Nubia and the Sudan in the south during hundreds of years. Many of the reliefs and inscriptions of Meroe in the Sudan show influence from the texts of the Temple of Aset at Philae. The Temple of Isis at Philae is actually on a small island in the Nile near Aswan. The temple like Abu Simbel was moved to a different location due to rising waters of the High Dam. It was finally restored and moved in the 1960's but after being under water for long periods of time a lot of the colors have been washed away. It would have been mind blowing to see this in the peak of its civilization but as I am lacking a time machine so this will have to do.
Temple of Isis: The Temple of Isis is one of the greatest Temples in Egypt and it occupies about a quarter of the island. It is the main Temple on the island, with its huge, complete, pylons and beautiful scenes. The construction began during the reign of King Ptolemy II, and then other Ptolemaic Kings (Ptolemy’s IV, V, VI, VII and XI) contributed by adding more parts to the main Temple. The Temple is built in the same style as the Temples of the New Kingdom, as well as some other elements, which appeared in the Greco-Roman period, such as the Mamisi (the House of the divine birth of Horus), and a Nilometer. The Temple of Isis consists of The 1st Pylon, which is a great traditional pylon with two towers, and an open forecourt, which leads to the 2nd pylon.On the left side of this court, is the Mamisi, which has scenes depicting the birth of the God Horus by his mother Isis. The 2nd Pylon leads to a Hypostyle Hall with 10 columns, and then 3 vestibules leading to a sanctuary. The oldest remains, of the Temple of Philae, date back to the reign of King Taharqa (25th Dynasty), who built the first chapel for the Goddess Isis. In addition to the main Temple of Isis there are other monuments here, such as The Kiosk of Trajan, the Chapel of Osiris, The Temple of Horus, The Temple of Hathor, The Gateway of Tiberius, the Gateway of Diocletian, and the Temple of Augustus. The Temples of the island were neglected, and some of them even destroyed, after the persecution of the Christians by the Roman Emperors. During the reign of the Emperor Justinian (527-565 A.D), the main Temple was converted to a church. The temple at Philae was nearly lost under water when the high Aswan dam was built in the 1960s. Fortunately the temple was rescued by a joint operation between the Egyptian government and UNESCO. In an engineering feat to rival the ancients the whole island was surrounded with a dam and the inside pumped dry. Then every stone block of the temple complex was labelled and removed later to be assembled, like a giant jigsaw puzzle, on the higher ground of Agilka Island. The whole project took ten years and has saved one of Egypt's most beautiful temples from certain destruction.
History: Philae Island was a rocky island in the middle of the River Nile, south of Aswan. It was called in Hieroglyphic Apo which means Ivory. It was also known by the Greek Elephantine, most probably because it was an important centre of trade, especially for ivory. The Ancient Egyptians built a beautiful and magnificent Temple on this island for the Goddess Isis, but the Temple became submerged after the first Aswan dam was built in 1906, and it was not until the seventies that many nations attempted to save the Temple. All these countries, together with UNESCO, selected a suitable place, but they had to wait until the completion of the High Dam, in 1971, which would stabilize the level of the water around their chosen island. The new island was called Egilica (also called Agilika), and it was completely reshaped to imitate Philae Island as closely as possible. Firstly, a cofferdam was built around the Temple and the water was drained. Next, the Temple was dismantled and transferred, stone by stone, from the submerged Philea Island to the redesigned Egilica Island. Each and every stone had to be numbered, and then replaced, in the same position, in the new location. It was a massive, and very complicated, project taking over 9 years to be accomplished. The oldest structure on the island is the kiosk built by Nectanebo I (380-362 BCE). To the north of the kiosk he also built a temple gate which was eventually integrated into the first pylon of the Temple of Aset. From this time until the Roman period, many different temples were added to the island. Among those was a temple of Het-Hert constructed under the Emperor Augustus. Philae served to disseminate Egyptian religion to Nubia and the Sudan in the south during hundreds of years. Many of the reliefs and inscriptions of Meroe in the Sudan show influence from the texts of the Temple of Aset at Philae. The Temple of Isis at Philae is actually on a small island in the Nile near Aswan. The temple like Abu Simbel was moved to a different location due to rising waters of the High Dam. It was finally restored and moved in the 1960's but after being under water for long periods of time a lot of the colors have been washed away. It would have been mind blowing to see this in the peak of its civilization but as I am lacking a time machine so this will have to do.
Temple of Isis: The Temple of Isis is one of the greatest Temples in Egypt and it occupies about a quarter of the island. It is the main Temple on the island, with its huge, complete, pylons and beautiful scenes. The construction began during the reign of King Ptolemy II, and then other Ptolemaic Kings (Ptolemy’s IV, V, VI, VII and XI) contributed by adding more parts to the main Temple. The Temple is built in the same style as the Temples of the New Kingdom, as well as some other elements, which appeared in the Greco-Roman period, such as the Mamisi (the House of the divine birth of Horus), and a Nilometer. The Temple of Isis consists of The 1st Pylon, which is a great traditional pylon with two towers, and an open forecourt, which leads to the 2nd pylon.On the left side of this court, is the Mamisi, which has scenes depicting the birth of the God Horus by his mother Isis. The 2nd Pylon leads to a Hypostyle Hall with 10 columns, and then 3 vestibules leading to a sanctuary. The oldest remains, of the Temple of Philae, date back to the reign of King Taharqa (25th Dynasty), who built the first chapel for the Goddess Isis. In addition to the main Temple of Isis there are other monuments here, such as The Kiosk of Trajan, the Chapel of Osiris, The Temple of Horus, The Temple of Hathor, The Gateway of Tiberius, the Gateway of Diocletian, and the Temple of Augustus. The Temples of the island were neglected, and some of them even destroyed, after the persecution of the Christians by the Roman Emperors. During the reign of the Emperor Justinian (527-565 A.D), the main Temple was converted to a church. The temple at Philae was nearly lost under water when the high Aswan dam was built in the 1960s. Fortunately the temple was rescued by a joint operation between the Egyptian government and UNESCO. In an engineering feat to rival the ancients the whole island was surrounded with a dam and the inside pumped dry. Then every stone block of the temple complex was labelled and removed later to be assembled, like a giant jigsaw puzzle, on the higher ground of Agilka Island. The whole project took ten years and has saved one of Egypt's most beautiful temples from certain destruction.
Location: on the edge of the Mediterranean, Alexandaria, Egypt.Built: in 1477Built by: Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay.History: The Citadel of ... More Info.
Qaitbey Citadel
City:
Alexandria
Type:
Greek & Roman
Description:
Location: on the edge of the Mediterranean, Alexandaria, Egypt.
Built: in 1477
Built by: Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay.
History: The Citadel of Qaitbay (or the Fort of Qaitbay) is a 15th century defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean Sea coast, built upon/from the ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, in Alexandria, Egypt. The Citadel is situated on the eastern side of the northern tip of Pharos Island at the mouth of the Eastern Harbour. The Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria is considered one of the most important defensive strongholds, not only in Egypt, but also along the Mediterranean Sea coast. It formulated an important part of the fortification system of Alexandria in the 15th century AD. The Citadel is situated at the entrance of the eastern harbour on the eastern point of the Pharos Island. It was erected on the exact site of the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The lighthouse continued to function until the time of the Arab conquest, then several disasters occurred and the shape of the lighthouse was changed to some extent, but it still continued to function. Restoration began in the period of Ahmed Ibn Tulun (about 880 AD). During the 11th century an earthquake occurred, causing damage to the octagonal part. The bottom survived, but it could only serve as a watchtower, and a small mosque was built on the top. In the 14th century there was a very destructive earthquake and the whole building was completely destroyed. About 1480 AD, the Mameluke Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay fortified the place as part of his coastal defensive edifices against the Turks, who were threatening Egypt at that time. He built the fortress and placed a mosque inside it. The Citadel continued to function during most of the Mameluke period, the Ottoman period and the Modern period, but after the British bombardment of the city of Alexandria in 1882, it was kept out of the spotlight. It became neglected until the 20th century, when it was restored several times by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. The founder of the Citadel of Qaitbay is Sultan Al-Ashraf Abou Anasr Saif El-Din Qaitbay El-Jerkasy Al-Zahiry (1468-1496 AD) who was born about 1423 AD (826 AH). He was a Mamluke who had come to Egypt as a young man, less than 20 years old. Bought by Al-Ashraf Bersbay, he remained among his attendants until Al-Ashraf Bersbay died. Then the Sultan Djaqmaq bought Qaitbay, and later gave him his freedom. Qaitbay then went on to occupy various posts. He became the Chief of the Army (Atabec Al-Askar) during the rule of the Sultan Tamar bugha. When the Sultan was dethroned, Qaitbay was appointed as a Sultan who was titled Almalek Al-Ashraf on Monday 26th Ragab, 872 AH (1468 AD). He was one of the most important and prominent Mameluke Sultans, ruling for about 29 years. He was a brave king, who tried to initiate a new era with the Ottomans by exchanging embassies and gifts. He was fond of travel and made many prominent journeys. Qaitbay was so fond of art and architecture that he created an important post among the administrative system of the state; it was the Edifices Mason (Shady Al-Ama'er). He built many beneficial constructions in Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. In Egypt there are about 70 renovated edifices attributed to him, among them are Mosques, Madrasas, Agencies, Fountain houses (Sabils), Kuttabs, houses, military edifices like the Citadels in Alexandria and Rosetta (Nowadays the city of Rashid). These Citadels were built to protect the north of Egypt, mainly against the Ottomans, whose power was increasing in the Mediterranean.Qagmas Al-Eshaqy, The Edifices Mason, was the architect of the Citadel. Before his arrival in Egypt he was a Mameluke of Djakmaq in Syria. During the rule of Qaitbay he became the edifices mason, and then the Viceroy of Alexandria. He was appointed governor of Syria (Damascus), built a Mosque outside the gate of Rashid (Bab Rashid) as well as a Cenotaph and a Khan. He also renovated the Mosque of El-Sawary outside the gate of Sadrah (Bab Sadrah). Qagmas was intelligent and modest, as well as the overseer of many constructions during the time of Qaitbay. In 882 AH (1477 AD) the Sultan Qaitbay visited the site of the old lighthouse in Alexandria and ordered a fortress to be built on its foundations. The construction lasted about 2 years, and it is said that Qaitbay spent more than a hundred thousand Dinars for the work on the Citadel. Ibn Ayas mentioned that building of this fort started in the month of Rabi Alawal 882 H. He said that the Sultan Qaitbay travelled to Alexandria, accompanied with some other Mameluke princes, to visit the site of the old lighthouse and during this visit he ordered the building of the Citadel. In the month of Shaban 884 H, the Sultan Qaitbay travelled again to Alexandria when the construction was finished. He provided the fort with a brave legion of soldiers and various weapons. He also, as Ibn Ayas mentioned, dedicated several waqfs from which he financed the construction works as well as the salaries of the soldiers. Throughout the Mameluke period, and due to its strategic location, the Citadel was well maintained by all the rulers who came after Qaitbay. The Sultan Qansoh El-Ghoury gave the Citadel special attention. He visited it several times and increased the strength of the garrison, providing it with various weapons and equipment. It included a large prison made for the princes and the state-men whom the Sultan kept away from his favour for some reason. In the episodes of the year 920 H, the Sultan El-Ghoury travelled to Alexandria with other princes. They went to the Citadel of Qaitbay where he watched some manoeuvres and military training on the defensive weapons of the Citadel of that era. When he felt the approach of the Ottoman threat, he issued a military decree to forbid weapons to be taken out of the Citadel, he even announced that the death penalty would be the punishment to those who try to steal anything from the Citadel, and he ordered the inscription of this decree on a marble slate fixed to the door leading the court. It says" Bism Ellah El-Rahman El-Rahim "A decree by the order of our master, the noble rank, King Al-Ashraf Abou El-Naser Qansoh El-Ghoury, May God eternalise his reign, that no body should take Makahel weapon, gun powder, tools, or any other thing from the noble tower in Alexandria: and any one of the tower party, whether Mameluke, Slaves or Zarad Kashia, who breaks this (decree) and leaves the tower with something will be hanged at the gate of the tower, deserving the curse of God." Dated Rabei Alawal 907 H. After the Ottoman Turks had conquered Egypt, even they cared for this unique Citadel. They used it for shelter, as they had done with the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo and the Citadels of Damieta, Rosetta, Al Borollos and El-Arish. They kept it in good condition and stationed it with infantry, artillery, a company of drummers and trumpeters, masons and carpenters. As the Ottoman military became weak, the Citadel began to lose its military importance. In 1798 AD, during the French expedition of Egypt, it fell into the hands of the French troops, mainly because of the weakness of the Citadel garrison, and the power of the French modern weapons at that time. Inside, the French found some crusader weapons, which dated back to the campaign of Louis IX. Maybe it was a spoil after the battle and capture of El-Mansoura! When Mohammed Ali became the ruler of Egypt in 1805, he renovated the old Citadel, restoring and repairing its outer ramparts, and he provided the stronghold with the most modern weapons of the period, particularly the littoral cannons. We can consider the reign of Mohamed Ali as being another golden era for the Citadel. The Citadel retained the interest of Mohammed Ali's successors until the year 1882 when the Orabi Revolt took place The British fleet bombarded Alexandria violently on 11 July 1882 and damaged a large part of the city, especially in the area of the Citadel. This attack cracked the fortress, causing great damage. The north and western facades were severely damaged as a result of cannon explosions, aimed directly at the structure. The western facade was completely destroyed, leaving large gaps in it. Unfortunately, the Citadel then remained neglected, until 1904 when the Ministry of Defence restored the Upper floors. King Farouk wanted to turn the Citadel into a royal Rest house so he ordered a rapid renovation on it. After the revolution of 1952 the Egyptian Naval troops turned the building to a Maritime Museum. The biggest restoration work dates back to 1984, when the Egyptian Antiquities Organization made ambitious plans to restore the fort.
Built: in 1477
Built by: Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay.
History: The Citadel of Qaitbay (or the Fort of Qaitbay) is a 15th century defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean Sea coast, built upon/from the ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, in Alexandria, Egypt. The Citadel is situated on the eastern side of the northern tip of Pharos Island at the mouth of the Eastern Harbour. The Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria is considered one of the most important defensive strongholds, not only in Egypt, but also along the Mediterranean Sea coast. It formulated an important part of the fortification system of Alexandria in the 15th century AD. The Citadel is situated at the entrance of the eastern harbour on the eastern point of the Pharos Island. It was erected on the exact site of the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The lighthouse continued to function until the time of the Arab conquest, then several disasters occurred and the shape of the lighthouse was changed to some extent, but it still continued to function. Restoration began in the period of Ahmed Ibn Tulun (about 880 AD). During the 11th century an earthquake occurred, causing damage to the octagonal part. The bottom survived, but it could only serve as a watchtower, and a small mosque was built on the top. In the 14th century there was a very destructive earthquake and the whole building was completely destroyed. About 1480 AD, the Mameluke Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay fortified the place as part of his coastal defensive edifices against the Turks, who were threatening Egypt at that time. He built the fortress and placed a mosque inside it. The Citadel continued to function during most of the Mameluke period, the Ottoman period and the Modern period, but after the British bombardment of the city of Alexandria in 1882, it was kept out of the spotlight. It became neglected until the 20th century, when it was restored several times by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. The founder of the Citadel of Qaitbay is Sultan Al-Ashraf Abou Anasr Saif El-Din Qaitbay El-Jerkasy Al-Zahiry (1468-1496 AD) who was born about 1423 AD (826 AH). He was a Mamluke who had come to Egypt as a young man, less than 20 years old. Bought by Al-Ashraf Bersbay, he remained among his attendants until Al-Ashraf Bersbay died. Then the Sultan Djaqmaq bought Qaitbay, and later gave him his freedom. Qaitbay then went on to occupy various posts. He became the Chief of the Army (Atabec Al-Askar) during the rule of the Sultan Tamar bugha. When the Sultan was dethroned, Qaitbay was appointed as a Sultan who was titled Almalek Al-Ashraf on Monday 26th Ragab, 872 AH (1468 AD). He was one of the most important and prominent Mameluke Sultans, ruling for about 29 years. He was a brave king, who tried to initiate a new era with the Ottomans by exchanging embassies and gifts. He was fond of travel and made many prominent journeys. Qaitbay was so fond of art and architecture that he created an important post among the administrative system of the state; it was the Edifices Mason (Shady Al-Ama'er). He built many beneficial constructions in Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. In Egypt there are about 70 renovated edifices attributed to him, among them are Mosques, Madrasas, Agencies, Fountain houses (Sabils), Kuttabs, houses, military edifices like the Citadels in Alexandria and Rosetta (Nowadays the city of Rashid). These Citadels were built to protect the north of Egypt, mainly against the Ottomans, whose power was increasing in the Mediterranean.Qagmas Al-Eshaqy, The Edifices Mason, was the architect of the Citadel. Before his arrival in Egypt he was a Mameluke of Djakmaq in Syria. During the rule of Qaitbay he became the edifices mason, and then the Viceroy of Alexandria. He was appointed governor of Syria (Damascus), built a Mosque outside the gate of Rashid (Bab Rashid) as well as a Cenotaph and a Khan. He also renovated the Mosque of El-Sawary outside the gate of Sadrah (Bab Sadrah). Qagmas was intelligent and modest, as well as the overseer of many constructions during the time of Qaitbay. In 882 AH (1477 AD) the Sultan Qaitbay visited the site of the old lighthouse in Alexandria and ordered a fortress to be built on its foundations. The construction lasted about 2 years, and it is said that Qaitbay spent more than a hundred thousand Dinars for the work on the Citadel. Ibn Ayas mentioned that building of this fort started in the month of Rabi Alawal 882 H. He said that the Sultan Qaitbay travelled to Alexandria, accompanied with some other Mameluke princes, to visit the site of the old lighthouse and during this visit he ordered the building of the Citadel. In the month of Shaban 884 H, the Sultan Qaitbay travelled again to Alexandria when the construction was finished. He provided the fort with a brave legion of soldiers and various weapons. He also, as Ibn Ayas mentioned, dedicated several waqfs from which he financed the construction works as well as the salaries of the soldiers. Throughout the Mameluke period, and due to its strategic location, the Citadel was well maintained by all the rulers who came after Qaitbay. The Sultan Qansoh El-Ghoury gave the Citadel special attention. He visited it several times and increased the strength of the garrison, providing it with various weapons and equipment. It included a large prison made for the princes and the state-men whom the Sultan kept away from his favour for some reason. In the episodes of the year 920 H, the Sultan El-Ghoury travelled to Alexandria with other princes. They went to the Citadel of Qaitbay where he watched some manoeuvres and military training on the defensive weapons of the Citadel of that era. When he felt the approach of the Ottoman threat, he issued a military decree to forbid weapons to be taken out of the Citadel, he even announced that the death penalty would be the punishment to those who try to steal anything from the Citadel, and he ordered the inscription of this decree on a marble slate fixed to the door leading the court. It says" Bism Ellah El-Rahman El-Rahim "A decree by the order of our master, the noble rank, King Al-Ashraf Abou El-Naser Qansoh El-Ghoury, May God eternalise his reign, that no body should take Makahel weapon, gun powder, tools, or any other thing from the noble tower in Alexandria: and any one of the tower party, whether Mameluke, Slaves or Zarad Kashia, who breaks this (decree) and leaves the tower with something will be hanged at the gate of the tower, deserving the curse of God." Dated Rabei Alawal 907 H. After the Ottoman Turks had conquered Egypt, even they cared for this unique Citadel. They used it for shelter, as they had done with the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo and the Citadels of Damieta, Rosetta, Al Borollos and El-Arish. They kept it in good condition and stationed it with infantry, artillery, a company of drummers and trumpeters, masons and carpenters. As the Ottoman military became weak, the Citadel began to lose its military importance. In 1798 AD, during the French expedition of Egypt, it fell into the hands of the French troops, mainly because of the weakness of the Citadel garrison, and the power of the French modern weapons at that time. Inside, the French found some crusader weapons, which dated back to the campaign of Louis IX. Maybe it was a spoil after the battle and capture of El-Mansoura! When Mohammed Ali became the ruler of Egypt in 1805, he renovated the old Citadel, restoring and repairing its outer ramparts, and he provided the stronghold with the most modern weapons of the period, particularly the littoral cannons. We can consider the reign of Mohamed Ali as being another golden era for the Citadel. The Citadel retained the interest of Mohammed Ali's successors until the year 1882 when the Orabi Revolt took place The British fleet bombarded Alexandria violently on 11 July 1882 and damaged a large part of the city, especially in the area of the Citadel. This attack cracked the fortress, causing great damage. The north and western facades were severely damaged as a result of cannon explosions, aimed directly at the structure. The western facade was completely destroyed, leaving large gaps in it. Unfortunately, the Citadel then remained neglected, until 1904 when the Ministry of Defence restored the Upper floors. King Farouk wanted to turn the Citadel into a royal Rest house so he ordered a rapid renovation on it. After the revolution of 1952 the Egyptian Naval troops turned the building to a Maritime Museum. The biggest restoration work dates back to 1984, when the Egyptian Antiquities Organization made ambitious plans to restore the fort.
Location: stands north of the Coptic Museum and is east of the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga), on the eastern side of Fort ... More Info.
Saint Barbara Church
City:
Cairo
Type:
Coptic
Description:
Location: stands north of the Coptic Museum and is east of the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Abu Serga), on the eastern side of Fort Babylon.
History: Saint Barbara's Church (Sitt Barbara) was originally constructed between the 4th and 5th centuries. Legend says that Barbara was the daughter of a pagan merchant. She was converted to Christianity during the 3rd century and spread the gospel with her friend Juliana. She tried to convert her father to Christianity and for this he tried to have her killed. He failed at his own attempts and so turned her over to Nicodemia who was the Roman governor. He had the two friends tortured and then murdered. For this, the church which was dedicated to St. Cyrus and St. John, is now known as the Church of Saint Barbara. The chapel still contains her remains. This church was built at the beginning of the Islamic era on the eastern side of the fort. The church burned during the Fustat fire of 750 but was restored during the 11th century. For a long period it was not maintained until, during the Fatimid period, the church was rebuilt and decorated with attractive inscriptions. The church is designed on the basilican form, but the decorations that once lined the interior, have been lost. However, there remains some remarkable wood paneling, some of which is in the Coptic Museum. There are ancient chapels in the north wing that are dedicated to Cyrus and John. There is a convent which comprises several buildings, including a school built by the well known architect, Ramesses Wissa Wassef. During the 15th century, this church was described as the most beautiful as well as the largest church of the time.
History: Saint Barbara's Church (Sitt Barbara) was originally constructed between the 4th and 5th centuries. Legend says that Barbara was the daughter of a pagan merchant. She was converted to Christianity during the 3rd century and spread the gospel with her friend Juliana. She tried to convert her father to Christianity and for this he tried to have her killed. He failed at his own attempts and so turned her over to Nicodemia who was the Roman governor. He had the two friends tortured and then murdered. For this, the church which was dedicated to St. Cyrus and St. John, is now known as the Church of Saint Barbara. The chapel still contains her remains. This church was built at the beginning of the Islamic era on the eastern side of the fort. The church burned during the Fustat fire of 750 but was restored during the 11th century. For a long period it was not maintained until, during the Fatimid period, the church was rebuilt and decorated with attractive inscriptions. The church is designed on the basilican form, but the decorations that once lined the interior, have been lost. However, there remains some remarkable wood paneling, some of which is in the Coptic Museum. There are ancient chapels in the north wing that are dedicated to Cyrus and John. There is a convent which comprises several buildings, including a school built by the well known architect, Ramesses Wissa Wassef. During the 15th century, this church was described as the most beautiful as well as the largest church of the time.
Location: to the north-east of Chephren's Valley Temple.History: In a depression to the south of Chephren's pyramid sits a creature with a ... More Info.
Sphinx
City:
Giza
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: to the north-east of Chephren's Valley Temple.History: In a depression to the south of Chephren's pyramid sits a creature with a human head and a lion's body. The name 'sphinx' which means 'strangler' was first given by the Greeks to a fabulous creature which had the head of a woman and the body of a lion and the wings of a bird. The sphinx appears to have started in Egypt in the form of a sun god. The Egyptian sphinx is usually a head of a king wearing his headdress and the body of a lion. There are, however, sphinxes with ram heads that are associated with the god Amun. Where it sits was once a quarry. Chephren's workers shaped the stone into the lion and gave it their king's face over 4,500 years ago. The sphinx faces the rising sun with a temple to the front which resembles the sun temples which were built later by the kings of the 5th Dynasty. The figure was buried for most of its life in the sand. King Thutmose IV (1425 - 1417 BC) placed a stela between the front paws of the figure. It describes when Thutmose, while still a prince, had gone hunting and fell asleep in the shade of the sphinx. During a dream, the sphinx spoke to Thutmose and told him to clear away the sand because it was choking the sphinx. The sphinx told him that if he did this, he would be rewarded with a kingship. Thutmose carried out this request and the sphinx held up his end of the deal. The sphinx is built of soft sandstone and would have disappeared long ago had it not been buried for so long. The body is 200 feet (60m) in length and 65 feet (20m) tall. The face of the sphinx is 13 feet (4m) wide and its eyes are 6 feet (2m) high. Part of the uraeus (sacred cobra), the nose and the ritual beard are now missing. . The beard from the sphinx is displayed in the British Museum. The statue is crumbling today because of the wind, humidity and the smog from Cairo. Attempts to restore it have often caused more harm than good. No one can be certain who the figure is to personify. It is possible that it is Chephren. If that is so, it would then be the oldest known royal portrait in such large scale. Some say that it was built after the pyramid of Chephren was complete. It may have been set as a sort of scarecrow to guard his tomb. Still others say it is the face of his guardian deity, rather than Chephren himself. The image of the sphinx is a depiction of royal power. Only a pharaoh or an animal could be shown this way, with the animal representing a protective deity. In the 1980's, a carefully planned restoration of the Sphinx was in progress. Over 6 years, more than 2,000 limestone blocks were added to the body of the sphinx and chemicals were injected. This treatment did not work. It just flaked away along with parts of the original rock. Later, various mortars and many workers who were not trained in restoration worked for six months to repair it. In 1988 the left shoulder crumbled and blocks fell off. Present attempts at restoration are under the control of the Supreme Council of Antiquities' archaeologists. They are concentrating on draining away subsoil seepage which is damaging the rock. They are also repairing the damaged shoulder with smaller blocks and staying with the original size.
Location: in the Saqqara necropolis, Egypt, northwest of the city of MemphisHistory: Djoser’s Step Pyramid complex has several structures pivotal to ... More Info.
Step Pyramid Complex
City:
Giza
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: in the Saqqara necropolis, Egypt, northwest of the city of Memphis
History: Djoser’s Step Pyramid complex has several structures pivotal to its function in both life and the afterlife. Several are discussed below with attention paid to function and form. The pyramid was not simply a grave in ancient Egypt. Its purpose was to facilitate a successful afterlife for the king so that he could be eternally reborn. The symbolism of the step pyramid form, which did not survive the 3rd Dynasty, is unknown, but it has been suggested that it may be a monumental symbol of the crown, especially the royal mortuary cult, since seven small step pyramids (not tombs) were built in the provinces. Another well accepted theory is that it facilitated the king’s ascension to join the eternal North Star. The main excavator of the Step Pyramid was Jean-Phillipe Lauer, a French architect who reconstructed key portions of the complex. The complex covers 15ha and is about 2.5 times as large as the Old Kingdom town of Heirakonpolis. Several features of the complex differ from those of later Old Kingdom pyramids. The pyramid temple is situated at the north side of the pyramid, whereas in later pyramids it is on the east side. Also, the Djoser complex is built on a North-South axis whereas later complexes utilize an East-West axis. Furthermore, the Djoser complex has one niched enclosure wall, whereas later pyramids have two enclosure walls with the outside one being smooth and the inside one sometimes niched.
The Enclosure Wall: The Djoser complex is surrounded by a wall of light Tura limestone 10.5m high. The wall design recalls the appearance of 1st Dynasty tombs, with the distinctive paneled construction known as the palace façade, which imitates bound bundles of reeds. The overall structure imitates mudbrick. The wall is interrupted by 14 doors, however only one entrance, in the south corner of the east façade, is functional for the living. This arrangement resembles Early Dynastic funerary enclosures at Abydos in which the entrance was on the east side. The remaining doors are known as false doors, and were meant for the king’s use in the afterlife. They functioned as portals through which the king’s ka could pass between life and the afterlife. The functional door at the southeast end of the complex leads to a narrow passageway that connects to the roofed colonnade.
The Great Trench: Outside the enclosure wall Djoser’s complex is completely surrounded by a trench dug in the underlying rock. The trench measures 750m long and 40m wide and is a rectangle on a North-South axis. The walls of the trench were originally decorated with niches and its function seems to have been to make entry into the complex more difficult.
Roofed colonnade entrance: The roofed colonnade led from the enclosure wall to the south of the complex. A passageway with a limestone ceiling constructed to look as though it was made from whole tree trunks led to a massive stone imitation of two open doors. Beyond this portal was a hall with twenty pairs of limestone columns composed of drum shaped segments built to look like bundles of plant stems and reaching a height of 6.6 m.The columns were not free-standing, but were attached to the wall by masonry projections. Between the columns on both sides of the hall were small chambers, which some Egyptologists propose may have been for each of the provinces of Upper and Lower Egypt. At the end of the colonnade was the transverse hypostyle room with eight columns connected in pairs by blocks of limestone. This led to the South Court. The South Court: The South Court is a large court between the South Tomb and the pyramid. Within the court are curved stones thought to be territorial markers associated with the Heb-sed festival, an important ritual completed by Egyptian kings (typically after 30 years on the throne) to renew their powers. These would have allowed Djoser to claim control over all of Egypt, while its presence in the funerary complex would allow Djoser to continue to benefit from the ritual in the afterlife.At the southern end of the court was a platform approached by steps. It has been suggested that this was a platform for the double throne. This fits in to the theory proposed by Barry Kemp, and generally accepted by many, that suggests the whole step pyramid complex symbolizes the royal palace enclosure and allows the king to eternally perform the rituals associated with kingship. At the very south of the South Court lay the South Tomb.
The South Tomb : The South Tomb has been likened to the satellite pyramids of later Dynasties, and has been proposed to house the ka in the afterlife. Another proposal is that it may have held the canopic jar with the king’s organs, but this does not follow later trends where the canopic jar is found in the same place as the body. These proposals stem from the fact that the granite burial vault is much too small to have facilitated an actual burial. The substructure of the South Tomb is entered through a tunnel-like corridor with a staircase that descends about 30m before opening up into the pink granite burial chamber. The staircase then continues west and leads to a gallery that imitates the blue chambers below the step pyramid. Current evidence suggests that the South Tomb was finished before the pyramid.The symbolic king’s inner palace, decorated in blue faience, is much more complete than that of the pyramid. Three chambers of this substructure are decorated in blue faience to imitate reed-mat facades, just like the pyramid One room is decorated with three finely niche reliefs of the king, one depicting him running the Heb-sed. Importantly, Egyptian builders chose to employ their most skilled artisans and depict their finest art in the darkest, most inaccessible place in the complex. This highlights the fact that this impressive craftsmanship was not meant for the benefit of the living but was meant to ensure the king had all the tools necessary for a successful afterlife
The Step Pyramid: The superstructure of the Step Pyramid is six steps and was built in six stages, as might be expected with an experimental structure. The pyramid began as a square mastaba (one should note that this designation as a mastaba is contended for several reasons) (M1) which was gradually enlarged, first evenly on all four sides (M2) and later just on the east side (M3). The mastaba was built up in two stages, first to form a four-stepped structure (P1) and then to form a six-stepped structure (P2), which now had a rectangular base on an east-west axis. The fact that the initial mastaba was square has led many to believe that the monument was never meant to be a mastaba, as no other known mastabas had ever been square. The final pyramid was 62m tall and 1221 square meters in area.When the builders began to transform the mastaba into the four step pyramid, they made a major shift in construction. Like in the construction of the mastaba, they built a crude core of rough stones and then chased them in fine limestone with packing in between. The major difference is that in mastaba construction they laid horizontal courses, but for the pyramid layers, they built in accretion layers that leaned inwards, while using blocks that were both bigger and higher quality. Much of the rock for the pyramid was likely quarried from the construction of the great trench. It is widely accepted that ramps would have been used to raise heavy stone to construct the pyramid, and many plausible models have been suggested. Apparatuses like rollers in which the heavy stone could be placed and then rolled were employed in transport.
Pyramid Substructure: Under the step pyramid is a labyrinth of tunneled chambers and galleries that total nearly 6 km in length and connect to a central shaft 7m square and 28m deep. These spaces provide room for the king’s burial, the burial of family members, and the storage of goods and offerings. The entrance to the 28m shaft was built on the north side of the pyramid, a trend that would remain throughout the Old Kingdom. The sides of the underground passages are limestone inlaid with blue faience tile to replicate reed matting. These “palace façade” walls are further decorated by panels decorated in low relief that show the king participating in the Heb-sed. Together these chambers constitute the funerary apartment that mimicked the palace and would serve as the living place of the royal ka.On the east side of the pyramid eleven shafts 32m deep were constructed and annexed to horizontal tunnels for the royal harem (The existence of this "harem" is debated).These were incorporated into the preexisting substructure as it expanded eastward. In the storerooms along here over 40,000 stone vessels were found, many of which predate Djoser.These would have served Djoser’s visceral needs in the afterlife. An extensive network of underground galleries was located to the north, west and south of the central burial chamber and crude horizontal magazines were carved into these.
The Burial Chamber: the burial chamber was a vault constructed of four courses of well-dressed granite. It had one opening, which was sealed with a 3.5 ton block after the burial. No body was recovered as the tomb had been extensively robbed. Lauer believes that a burial chamber of alabaster existed before the one of granite. He found interesting evidence of limestone blocks with five pointed stars in low relief that were likely on the ceiling, indicating the first occurrence of what would become a tradition. The king sought to associate himself with the eternal North Stars that never set so as to ensure his rebirth and eternity.
The North Temple and Serdab Court: The northern (funerary/mortuary) temple was on the north side of the pyramid and faced the north stars, which the king wished to join in eternity. This structure provided a place in which the daily rituals and offerings to the dead could be performed, and was the cult center for the king. To the east of the temple is the serdab, which is a small enclosed structure that housed the ka statue. The king’s ka inhabited the ka statue in order to benefit from daily ceremonies like the opening of the mouth, a ceremony that allowed him to breathe and eat, and the burning of incense. He witnessed these ceremonies through two small eye holes cut in the north wall of the serdab.This temple appears on the north side of the pyramid throughout the Third Dynasty, as the king wishes to go north to become one of the eternal stars in the North Sky that never set. In the fourth Dynasty, when there is a religious shift to an emphasis on rebirth and eternity achieved through the sun, the temple is moved to the east side of the temple where the sun rises, so that through association the king may be reborn every day.
The Heb-sed Court: The Heb-sed courtyard is rectangular and parallel to the South Courtyard. It was meant to provide a space in which the king could perform the Heb-sed ritual in the afterlife.Flanking the east and west sides of the court are the remains of two groups of chapels, many of which are dummy buildings, of three different architectural styles. At the north and south ends there are three chapels with flat roves and no columns. The remaining chapels on the west side are decorated with fluted columns and a capital flanked by leaves.Each of the chapels has a sanctuary accessed by a roofless passage with walls that depict false doors and latches. Some of these buildings have niches for statues. Egyptologists believe that these buildings were related to the important double coronation of the king during the Heb-sed.
History: Djoser’s Step Pyramid complex has several structures pivotal to its function in both life and the afterlife. Several are discussed below with attention paid to function and form. The pyramid was not simply a grave in ancient Egypt. Its purpose was to facilitate a successful afterlife for the king so that he could be eternally reborn. The symbolism of the step pyramid form, which did not survive the 3rd Dynasty, is unknown, but it has been suggested that it may be a monumental symbol of the crown, especially the royal mortuary cult, since seven small step pyramids (not tombs) were built in the provinces. Another well accepted theory is that it facilitated the king’s ascension to join the eternal North Star. The main excavator of the Step Pyramid was Jean-Phillipe Lauer, a French architect who reconstructed key portions of the complex. The complex covers 15ha and is about 2.5 times as large as the Old Kingdom town of Heirakonpolis. Several features of the complex differ from those of later Old Kingdom pyramids. The pyramid temple is situated at the north side of the pyramid, whereas in later pyramids it is on the east side. Also, the Djoser complex is built on a North-South axis whereas later complexes utilize an East-West axis. Furthermore, the Djoser complex has one niched enclosure wall, whereas later pyramids have two enclosure walls with the outside one being smooth and the inside one sometimes niched.
The Enclosure Wall: The Djoser complex is surrounded by a wall of light Tura limestone 10.5m high. The wall design recalls the appearance of 1st Dynasty tombs, with the distinctive paneled construction known as the palace façade, which imitates bound bundles of reeds. The overall structure imitates mudbrick. The wall is interrupted by 14 doors, however only one entrance, in the south corner of the east façade, is functional for the living. This arrangement resembles Early Dynastic funerary enclosures at Abydos in which the entrance was on the east side. The remaining doors are known as false doors, and were meant for the king’s use in the afterlife. They functioned as portals through which the king’s ka could pass between life and the afterlife. The functional door at the southeast end of the complex leads to a narrow passageway that connects to the roofed colonnade.
The Great Trench: Outside the enclosure wall Djoser’s complex is completely surrounded by a trench dug in the underlying rock. The trench measures 750m long and 40m wide and is a rectangle on a North-South axis. The walls of the trench were originally decorated with niches and its function seems to have been to make entry into the complex more difficult.
Roofed colonnade entrance: The roofed colonnade led from the enclosure wall to the south of the complex. A passageway with a limestone ceiling constructed to look as though it was made from whole tree trunks led to a massive stone imitation of two open doors. Beyond this portal was a hall with twenty pairs of limestone columns composed of drum shaped segments built to look like bundles of plant stems and reaching a height of 6.6 m.The columns were not free-standing, but were attached to the wall by masonry projections. Between the columns on both sides of the hall were small chambers, which some Egyptologists propose may have been for each of the provinces of Upper and Lower Egypt. At the end of the colonnade was the transverse hypostyle room with eight columns connected in pairs by blocks of limestone. This led to the South Court. The South Court: The South Court is a large court between the South Tomb and the pyramid. Within the court are curved stones thought to be territorial markers associated with the Heb-sed festival, an important ritual completed by Egyptian kings (typically after 30 years on the throne) to renew their powers. These would have allowed Djoser to claim control over all of Egypt, while its presence in the funerary complex would allow Djoser to continue to benefit from the ritual in the afterlife.At the southern end of the court was a platform approached by steps. It has been suggested that this was a platform for the double throne. This fits in to the theory proposed by Barry Kemp, and generally accepted by many, that suggests the whole step pyramid complex symbolizes the royal palace enclosure and allows the king to eternally perform the rituals associated with kingship. At the very south of the South Court lay the South Tomb.
The South Tomb : The South Tomb has been likened to the satellite pyramids of later Dynasties, and has been proposed to house the ka in the afterlife. Another proposal is that it may have held the canopic jar with the king’s organs, but this does not follow later trends where the canopic jar is found in the same place as the body. These proposals stem from the fact that the granite burial vault is much too small to have facilitated an actual burial. The substructure of the South Tomb is entered through a tunnel-like corridor with a staircase that descends about 30m before opening up into the pink granite burial chamber. The staircase then continues west and leads to a gallery that imitates the blue chambers below the step pyramid. Current evidence suggests that the South Tomb was finished before the pyramid.The symbolic king’s inner palace, decorated in blue faience, is much more complete than that of the pyramid. Three chambers of this substructure are decorated in blue faience to imitate reed-mat facades, just like the pyramid One room is decorated with three finely niche reliefs of the king, one depicting him running the Heb-sed. Importantly, Egyptian builders chose to employ their most skilled artisans and depict their finest art in the darkest, most inaccessible place in the complex. This highlights the fact that this impressive craftsmanship was not meant for the benefit of the living but was meant to ensure the king had all the tools necessary for a successful afterlife
The Step Pyramid: The superstructure of the Step Pyramid is six steps and was built in six stages, as might be expected with an experimental structure. The pyramid began as a square mastaba (one should note that this designation as a mastaba is contended for several reasons) (M1) which was gradually enlarged, first evenly on all four sides (M2) and later just on the east side (M3). The mastaba was built up in two stages, first to form a four-stepped structure (P1) and then to form a six-stepped structure (P2), which now had a rectangular base on an east-west axis. The fact that the initial mastaba was square has led many to believe that the monument was never meant to be a mastaba, as no other known mastabas had ever been square. The final pyramid was 62m tall and 1221 square meters in area.When the builders began to transform the mastaba into the four step pyramid, they made a major shift in construction. Like in the construction of the mastaba, they built a crude core of rough stones and then chased them in fine limestone with packing in between. The major difference is that in mastaba construction they laid horizontal courses, but for the pyramid layers, they built in accretion layers that leaned inwards, while using blocks that were both bigger and higher quality. Much of the rock for the pyramid was likely quarried from the construction of the great trench. It is widely accepted that ramps would have been used to raise heavy stone to construct the pyramid, and many plausible models have been suggested. Apparatuses like rollers in which the heavy stone could be placed and then rolled were employed in transport.
Pyramid Substructure: Under the step pyramid is a labyrinth of tunneled chambers and galleries that total nearly 6 km in length and connect to a central shaft 7m square and 28m deep. These spaces provide room for the king’s burial, the burial of family members, and the storage of goods and offerings. The entrance to the 28m shaft was built on the north side of the pyramid, a trend that would remain throughout the Old Kingdom. The sides of the underground passages are limestone inlaid with blue faience tile to replicate reed matting. These “palace façade” walls are further decorated by panels decorated in low relief that show the king participating in the Heb-sed. Together these chambers constitute the funerary apartment that mimicked the palace and would serve as the living place of the royal ka.On the east side of the pyramid eleven shafts 32m deep were constructed and annexed to horizontal tunnels for the royal harem (The existence of this "harem" is debated).These were incorporated into the preexisting substructure as it expanded eastward. In the storerooms along here over 40,000 stone vessels were found, many of which predate Djoser.These would have served Djoser’s visceral needs in the afterlife. An extensive network of underground galleries was located to the north, west and south of the central burial chamber and crude horizontal magazines were carved into these.
The Burial Chamber: the burial chamber was a vault constructed of four courses of well-dressed granite. It had one opening, which was sealed with a 3.5 ton block after the burial. No body was recovered as the tomb had been extensively robbed. Lauer believes that a burial chamber of alabaster existed before the one of granite. He found interesting evidence of limestone blocks with five pointed stars in low relief that were likely on the ceiling, indicating the first occurrence of what would become a tradition. The king sought to associate himself with the eternal North Stars that never set so as to ensure his rebirth and eternity.
The North Temple and Serdab Court: The northern (funerary/mortuary) temple was on the north side of the pyramid and faced the north stars, which the king wished to join in eternity. This structure provided a place in which the daily rituals and offerings to the dead could be performed, and was the cult center for the king. To the east of the temple is the serdab, which is a small enclosed structure that housed the ka statue. The king’s ka inhabited the ka statue in order to benefit from daily ceremonies like the opening of the mouth, a ceremony that allowed him to breathe and eat, and the burning of incense. He witnessed these ceremonies through two small eye holes cut in the north wall of the serdab.This temple appears on the north side of the pyramid throughout the Third Dynasty, as the king wishes to go north to become one of the eternal stars in the North Sky that never set. In the fourth Dynasty, when there is a religious shift to an emphasis on rebirth and eternity achieved through the sun, the temple is moved to the east side of the temple where the sun rises, so that through association the king may be reborn every day.
The Heb-sed Court: The Heb-sed courtyard is rectangular and parallel to the South Courtyard. It was meant to provide a space in which the king could perform the Heb-sed ritual in the afterlife.Flanking the east and west sides of the court are the remains of two groups of chapels, many of which are dummy buildings, of three different architectural styles. At the north and south ends there are three chapels with flat roves and no columns. The remaining chapels on the west side are decorated with fluted columns and a capital flanked by leaves.Each of the chapels has a sanctuary accessed by a roofless passage with walls that depict false doors and latches. Some of these buildings have niches for statues. Egyptologists believe that these buildings were related to the important double coronation of the king during the Heb-sed.
Location: on Mokattam hill near the center of CairoHistory: The Citadel was fortified by the Ayyubid ruler Salah al-Din (Saladin) between 1176 and ... More Info.
The Citadel of Salah Aldin
City:
Cairo
Type:
Islamic
Description:
Location: on Mokattam hill near the center of Cairo
History: The Citadel was fortified by the Ayyubid ruler Salah al-Din (Saladin) between 1176 and 1183 CE, to protect it from the Crusaders. Only a few years after defeating the Fatimid Caliphate, Saladin set out to build a wall that would surround both Cairo and Fustat. Saladin is recorded as saying, "With a wall I will make the two [cities of Cairo and Fustat] into a unique whole, so that one army may defend them both; and I believe it is good to encircle them with a single wall from the bank of the Nile to the bank of the Nile." The Citadel would be the centerpiece of the wall. Built on a promontory beneath the Muqattam Hills, a setting that made it difficult to attack, the efficacy of the Citadel's location is further demonstrated by the fact that it remained the heart of Egyptian government until the 19th century. The citadel stopped being the seat of government when Egypt's ruler, Khedive Ismail, moved to his newly built Abdin Palace in the Ismailiya neighborhood in the 1860s. While the Citadel was completed in 1183-1184, the wall Saladin had envisioned was still under construction in 1238, long after his death. To supply water to the Citadel, Saladin built the 280 feet (85 m) deep Well of Joseph, which can still be seen today. This well is also known as the Well of the Spiral because its entrance consisted of 300 stairs that wound around the inside of the well. Once water was raised from the well to the surface, it traveled to the Citadel on a series of aqueducts. During the reign of al-Nasir Muhammad, the Well of Joseph failed to produce enough water for the numerous animals and humans then living in the Citadel. To increase the volume of water, Nasir built a well system that consisted of a number of water wheels on the Nile, the water from which was then transported to the wall and subsequently to the Citadel, via the aqueducts Saladin had constructed. The improvements to the Citadel's water supply were not Nasir's only additions to the Citadel, which was subject to a number of different additions during the Mamluk period. Nasir's most notable contribution was the Mosque of Nasir. In 1318 Nasir rebuilt the Ayyubid structure, turning it into a mosque in his name. The structure underwent further additions in 1335. Other contributions to the Citadel during Nasir's reign include the structure's southern enclosure (the northern enclosure was completed by Saladin) and the residential area, which included space for the harem and the courtyard. Prior to Nasir's work on the Citadel, the Baybars constructed the Hall of Justice and the "House of Gold."
The Citadel is sometimes referred to as Mohamed Ali Citadel, because it contains the Mosque of Muhammad Ali of (or Mohamed Ali Pasha), which was built between 1828 and 1848, perched on the summit of the citadel. This Ottoman mosque was built in memory of Tusun Pasha, Muhammad Ali's oldest son, who died in 1816. However, it also represents Muhammad Ali's efforts to erase symbols of the Mamluk dynasty that he replaced. When Ottoman ruler Muhammad Ali Pasha took control from the Mamluks in 1805 he altered many of the additions to the Citadel that reflected Cairo's previous leaders. One obvious change that Muhammad Ali enacted pertained to the uses of the Citadel's northern and southern enclosures. During the Mamluk period the southern enclosure was the residential area, but Muhammad Ali claimed the northern enclosure as the royal residence when he took power. He then opened the southern enclosure to the public and effectively established his position as the new leader. The mosque is the other feature of the Citadel that reflects the reign of Muhammad Ali. This feature, with its large dome and overtly Ottoman influenced architecture, looms over the Citadel to this day. Recently destroyed Mamluk palaces within the Citadel provided space for the formidable mosque, which was the largest structure to be established in the early 19th century. Placing the mosque where the Mamluks had once reigned was an obvious effort to erase the memory of the older rulers and establish the importance of the new leader. The mosque also replaced the mosque of al-Nasir as the official state mosque. There are two other mosques at the Citadel, the 13th/14th c. hypostyle Al-Nasir Muhammad Qala'un Mosque from the early Bahri Mamluk period, and the 16th c. Mosque of Suleyman Pasha, first of the Citadel's Ottoman-style mosques.
The citadel also contains museums:
Al-Gawhara Palace museum: Al-Gawhara Palace (Qasr al-Gawhara), also known as Bijou Palace, is a palace and museum in Cairo, Egypt. The palace is situated south of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in the Cairo Citadel. It was commissioned by Mohammed Ali Pasha in 1814. The palace designed and constructed by artisans contracted from a variety of countries, including Greeks, Turks, Bulgarians and Albanians.The artisans constructed a variety of elements as part of the palace complex: "barracks, schools, an arsenal, a gun-powder factory and a mint."The palace was constructed as a two-storey pavilion in the style of a Turkish kushk. It has Western style windows which were often topped with an oval oeil-de-boeuf. The French architect and engineer Pascal Coste was employed to add the residential quarters for the palace servants and functionaries. On one side of the palace was a haush (courtyard) and on the other, were views of the pyramids and the Nile. In 1822, a fire destroyed the palace's wooden construction in a blaze that lasted for 2 days. Later, Mohamed Ali had the structure expanded and elaborated upon with the construction of "a large marble fountain, columned stone terraces and porticoes, parterres of flower beds and orange groves, and even a menagerie containing a lion, two tigers and an elephant, a gift of the British Lord Hastings. Two years later, in 1824, fire again damaged the palace after explosions of gunpowder. Mohamed Ali imported large slabs of marble from Italy to build a vestibule, staircase and corridors. In 1825, English traveller Anne Catherine Elwood described the opulence of the palace, and in particular its grand room that could "offer dancing, had deep niches for conversation, and side rooms for music, reading, games and refreshment." Mohamed Ali's official divan or audience hall, where the pasha received guests, contains a 1000kg chandelier sent to him by Louis-Philippe I of France.Some of the paintings in the Pasha hall of the palace portray the receiving of foreign ambassadors. The palace also contains the throne of Mohammed Ali Pasha that was a gift from the King of Italy.
Carriage Museum:This small museum housed in a former British officers mess hall contains eight carriages used by Egyptian royalty. There are horse heads, saddles and riding equipment on display. The highlight is the glittering gold carriage presented by Emperor Napoleon to Khedive Ismail. Nearby is the carriage used by Khedive Ismail when he opened the Suez Canal in 1869.
The National Military Museum( the Police Museum):A small but interesting museum devoted to Egypt’s most sensational murders and assassinations (strangely, Sadat’s is overlooked). The challenge of fingerprinting is exemplified by bizarre photos of people with extra digits, fingerless amputees and a real-life Edward Scissor-hands. Another exhibit showcases painted plaster molds of a gunned-down criminal’s foot, hand and grimacing face. open daily 9am–4:30pm.
Location: on the West Bank of the Nile RiverHistory: The Great Pyramids at Giza are the world's most famous monument. They are, without question, the ... More Info.
The Great Pyramids of Giza
City:
Giza
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: on the West Bank of the Nile River
History: The Great Pyramids at Giza are the world's most famous monument. They are, without question, the icon most associated with the Egypt. They have been both the main destination for tourists and a source of imaginative thought to the world for over three thousand years. They are named Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu), Pyramid of Chephren (Khafre) and Pyramid of Menkaure.
Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu): Cheops was the second king of the 4th Dynasty and was the builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Khufu was succeeded by Radjedef, his son by a lesser wife, whose reign was abruptly ended. He was succeeded by Khephren, Khufu's son by Queen Henutsen. A miniature statue of Khufu is on display at the Cairo Museum. This is the only likeness of him known to be in existence. How the Great Pyramid was built is a question that may never be answered. Herodotus said that it would have taken 30 years and 100,000 slaves to have built it. Another theory is that it was built by peasants who were unable to work the land while the Nile flooded between July and November. They may have been paid with food for their labor. The flooded waters would have also aided in the moving of the casing stones. These stones were brought from Aswan and Tura and the water would have brought the stones right to the pyramid. This pyramid is thought to have been built between 2589 - 2566 BC. It would have taken over 2,300,000 blocks of stone with an average weight of 2.5 tons each. The total weight would have been 6,000,000 tons and a height of 482 feet (140m). It is the largest and the oldest of the Pyramids of Giza. Not much is known about Cheops (Khufu). The tomb had been robbed long before archeologists came upon it. Any information about him was taken with the objects inside the tomb. He is thought to have been the ruler of a highly structured society and he must have been very wealthy. He was buried alone in this massive tomb. His wives may have been buried nearby in smaller mastabas.
Pyramid of Chephren (Khafre): His birth name was Khafre, which means "Appearing like Re". He is also sometimes referred to as Khafra, Rakhaef, Khephren or Chephren by the Greeks, and Suphis II by Manetho. He was possibly a younger son of Khufu (Cheops) by his consort, Henutsen, so he was required to wait out the reign of Djedefre, his older brother, prior to ascending to the throne of Egypt as the fourth ruler of the fourth Dynasty. However, there is disagreement on this matter. There is no evidence that anyone was ever buried in the main chamber. No inscriptions have been found in the pyramid; however there is a sarcophagus in the main chamber. There are two entrances that lead into the pyramid which are placed one directly above the other. The most distinctive feature of Khafre's Pyramid is the topmost layer of smooth stones that are the only remaining casing stones on a Giza Pyramid.
Pyramid of Menkaure: The last major pyramid of Giza is the Pyramid of Menkaure, son of Khafre. Although much smaller than the other two pyramids on the plateau, the lower courses were originally encased in granite. It has three subsidiary pyramids and some of its Mortuary temple remains intact. The interior of this pyramid includes a room possibly for the burial of some of the king's family as well as the king himself. At the end of the steps leading to the opening, there are a few steps downward into the descending passageway. As the descending passageway ends we enter into the first antechamber. This room is relatively small and there is another opening at the far end. Both openings are flanked by a carved "palace facade" design, the first such carved relief seen in any major pyramid since that of Zoser. The opening at the end of the first antechamber leads to another passageway. End of this passageway is the opening into the next set of chambers. This next chamber is unique because it offers a view of the top of the vaulted ceiling of the main burial chamber through a space that you can look through at the far end. Menkaure's Pyramid had an original height of 65.5 metres (215 feet). It now stands at 62 m (203 ft) tall with a base of 105 m (344 ft). Its angle of incline is approximately 51°20′25″. It was constructed of limestone and granite. The mortuary temple of the Menkaure complex is the most intact mortuary temple on the Giza plateau. It is made of core limestone and was originally lined with granite in its interior. The entrance corridor was made of mudbrick and leads to a large courtyard. The courtyard was also cased with mudbrick, though with an outer layer of limestone. An interesting feature is that there is a basin and drainage system at the center of the courtyard. A recessed portico is located on the western wall of the court; this has 6 red granite columns. At the west end of this is a long narrow sanctuary. At the south end of the portico is a passage that leads to annex structures that do not appear to have been finished. From the north end of the portico a passage leads to 5 small rooms. At the westernmost end of the temple is an offering shrine which is built right against the face of the pyramid. This may have had a false door, and was paved with red granite. Just east of this is a corridor containing 6 limestone pillars, this was most likely built later during the 6th dynasty.
Location: Shar'a Mari Girgis, Cairo, Egypt.History: The Hanging Church (El Muallaqa, Sitt Mariam, St Mary) derives its name from its location on top ... More Info.
The Hanging Church
City:
Cairo
Type:
Coptic
Description:
Location: Shar'a Mari Girgis, Cairo, Egypt.
History: The Hanging Church (El Muallaqa, Sitt Mariam, St Mary) derives its name from its location on top of the southern tower gate of the old Babylon fortress with its nave suspended above the passage. (Muallaqa translates to 'suspended') The church was first built, in Basilcan style, in the 3rd or 4th century. However, at that time it is unlikely that the church would have been constructed in this location. They covered the towers with palm trunks and a layer of stone. The main church is thought to have been built between the 5th and 6th centuries with the southeastern section called the "upper church" being added later. The church was destroyed in the 9th century. It was rebuilt in the 11th century and became the seat of the Coptic patriarchate until the 14th century. It became known to travelers during the 14th and 15th centuries as the "staircase church" because of the twenty-nine steps that lead to the entrance. The church is composed of a main court and two narrow suites separated by eight columns on each side. The court is further separated from the northern suite by a row of three columns with large ogee (arrow-shaped) arches. Columns separating suites were made of marble, except for one, which was made of black basalt. Columns, 23.5-m-long, 18.5-m-wide and 9.5-m-high, had corinthian-style capitals derived from earlier architectural styles. The church entrance lies south of the eastern wall of the front lobby, which is rendered at present into an open court, adorned with geometrical and floral plaster ornaments. Inside, there are seven sanctuaries in which six are in the two side aisles and one in the Church of St. Mark which is above. In front of the central sanctuary is a pulpit that dates from the 11th century and is supported by fifteen marble columns. On one of the bastions of the fortress is a chapel built for the Ethiopian saint Takla Haymanot. A wooden staircase leads up to this chapel. There are many objects that belong to the church inside the Coptic Museum. There are icons and manuscripts that can be seen there. Inside the church are collections of over one hundred icons of which the oldest dates from the 8th century. The craftsmanship of the iconostases in cedar, ebony and walnut and are inlaid with ivory and dates from the 10th to the 13th century is incredible. On the eastern side of the church, there lie three altars dedicated to the names of the Virgin Mary (middle), St. John the Baptist (right) and St. Mar Guirguis (left). Facing these altars are wooden screens, of which the central, made of ebony inlaid with ivory, dates back to the 12th / 13th Century. The screen is stuffed with exquisite geometrical and cross-shaped patterns. The upper part shows icons depicting Christ as seated on a throne flanked by Virgin Mary, Arch Angel Gabriel and St. Peter on the right and John the Baptist, Arch Angel Michael and St. Paul (Boulos) on the left. The altar is covered with a wooden awning supported by four columns, with a seating platform for the clergy at the back. In addition to the Hanging Church, there is Abi-Sirga's Church, that lies some metres below street level. Adjoining, there are another six churches and a monastery, all of which lie on two rows separated by a corridor wide enough for the passage of a few persons.
Location: in the northern region of the stone quarries of ancient Egypt in Aswan, Egypt.History: The unfinished obelisk is the largest known ancient ... More Info.
Unfinished Obelisk Aswan
City:
Aswan
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: in the northern region of the stone quarries of ancient Egypt in Aswan, Egypt.
History: The unfinished obelisk is the largest known ancient obelisk; it is unknown which Pharaoh created this structure. It is nearly one third larger than any ancient Egyptian obelisk ever erected. If finished it would have measured around 42 m (approximately 137 feet) and would have weighed nearly 1,200 tons. Archeologists speculate that it was intended to complement the so-called Lateran Obelisk which was originally at Karnak and is now outside the Lateran Palace in Rome. (Thutmose III obelisk in Lateran, Rome: 105 ft) The obelisk's creators began to carve it directly out of bedrock, but cracks appeared in the granite and the project was abandoned. Originally it was thought that the stone had an undetected flaw but it is also possible that the quarrying process allowed the cracking to develop by releasing the stress. The bottom side of the obelisk is still attached to the bedrock. The unfinished obelisk offers unusual insights into ancient Egyptian stone-working techniques, with marks from workers' tools still clearly visible as well as ocher-colored lines marking where they were working. Besides the unfinished obelisk, an unfinished partly worked obelisk base was discovered in 2005 at the quarries of Aswan. Also discovered were some rock carvings and remains that may correspond to the site where most of the famous obelisks were worked. All these quarries in Aswan and the unfinished objects are an open air museum and are officially protected by the Egyptian government as an archeological site.
Location: on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes).History: The Valley of the Queens is a place in Egypt where wives of Pharaohs were buried in ... More Info.
Valley of the Queens
City:
Luxor
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes).
History: The Valley of the Queens is a place in Egypt where wives of Pharaohs were buried in ancient times. In ancient times, it was known as Ta-Set-Neferu, meaning –‘the place of the Children of the Pharaoh’, because along with the Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties (1550–1070 BCE) many princes and princesses were also buried with various members of the nobility. The tombs of these individuals were maintained by mortuary priests who performed daily rituals and provided offerings and prayers for the deceased nobility. The valley is located near the better known Valley of the Kings, on the west bank of the Nile across from Thebes (modern Luxor). This barren area in the western hills was chosen due to its relative isolation and proximity to the capital. The kings of the 18th dynasty, instead of the traditional building of pyramids as burial chambers (perhaps because of their vulnerability to tomb robbers), now chose to be buried in rock-cut tombs. This necropolis is said to hold more than seventy tombs, many of which are stylish and lavishly decorated. An example of this is the resting place carved out of the rock for Queen Nefertari (1290–1224 BCE) of the 19th Dynasty. The polychrome reliefs in her tomb are still intact.
There are between 75 and 80 tombs in the Valley of the Queens, or Biban al-Harim.
The Tomb of Khaemwese (Tomb 44): Scenes in Khaemwese's tomb show him being presented to the guardians of the gates to the afterlife along with his father. He is making an offering in the scene, and is dressed in a robe, wearing a necklace and the side locks of youth.
The Tomb of Queen Titi (Tomb 52): She is probably the queen of a 20th Dynasty. She is depicted with the side locks common to the Egyptian young of the period and in the presence of the gods Thoth, Atum, Isis and Nephthys. In the next chamber the queens is a shown making offering to Hathor the cow, and in the last chamber the gods Neith, Osiris, Selquit, Nephthys and Thoth.
The Tomb of Amenhikhopeshef (Tomb 55): Amenhikhopeshef was a son of Ramesses III and scenes show him with his father and the gods Thoth, Ptah and others. He was probably about nine years old when he died. Scenes show him being presented to various gods, including Anubis, the Jackal-headed god of the dead, by his father, Ramesses III. A premature baby was also found in to tomb. This belonged to this mother, who aborted upon learning of Amenhikhopeshef's death.
The Tomb of Nefertari (Tomb 66): One of five wives of Ramesses II, Nefertari was his favorite and the tomb here has been is said to be one of the most beautiful in Egypt. The tomb is completely painted with scenes though out. In most of these, Nefertari, known as 'the most beautiful of them', is accompanied by gods. She is usually wearing a golden crown with two feathers extended from the back of a vulture and clothed in a white, gossamer gown. Be sure not to miss the side room where one scene depicts the queen worshipping the mummified body of Osiris. Near the stairs to the burial chamber is another wonderful scene with Nefertarti offering milk to the goddess Hathor.
Other burials: Fragments of burial equipments were found for several additional members of the royal family. No known tombs exist for these individuals but the existence of the burial equipment suggests that these people may have once been buried in the Valley of the Queens as well. King's Wife Henut. Mid 18th Dynasty. Her name was enclosed in a cartouche on canopic fragments. Prince Menkheperre, Son of Tuthmosis III and Merytre Hatshepsut. Canopic fragments were found. King's Great Wife Nebetnehat. Mid 18th Dynasty. Her name was enclosed in a cartouche on canopic fragments. King's Daughter Ti. Mid 18th Dynasty. Canopic fragments were found.
Location: Giza , Egypt.History: Valley temples were not just the entrance point to pyramid complexes, they were the connection to the Nile ... More Info.
Valley Temple of Khafra
City:
Cairo
Type:
Pharaonic
Description:
Location: Giza , Egypt.
History: Valley temples were not just the entrance point to pyramid complexes, they were the connection to the Nile River the eternal source of life for Egypt. Architectural genius, incredible feats of engineering, and a huge workforce whose actions were as choreographed as any ballet were all required to assure that the Boats of the Gods had access to Khafra pyramid complex. For the Ancient Egyptians, preparation for the afterlife was serious business. Pharaoh Khafra valley temple was built in the mid- to late twenty-sixth century BC. Due to being buried in sand until the 19th century AD, it is the best preserved structure from the Fourth Dynasty. Khafra temple is austere by the standards of later valley temples, particularly those of the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, which are richly decorated. There are two causeways leading from the quay to the forecourt, with an entrance opposite each causeway in the temple eastern side. Each entrance opens into its own antechamber, and the antechambers connect in a central vestibule. The northernmost entrance is dedicated to the goddess Bastet, the southernmost to the goddess Hathor. The temple is constructed of a limestone core of huge blocks, many weighing between 100 to 150 tons. The blocks were quarried from the plateau surrounding the Great Sphinx, which along with its temple lies adjacent to Khafra valley temple. The floors throughout the temple are paved with alabaster. The limestone core of the walls is dressed with the same pink Nubian granite used to make the pillars. The wall facing is cut and fitted with extreme precision, with odd shapes that give the appearance of a 3D jigsaw puzzle. Some of the facing stones are shaped so intricately as to have three or more exposed surfaces and multiple corners and angles. Around the perimeter of the T-shaped chamber are 23 impressions in the floor where life-sized statues of Khafre once stood. The statues would have been illuminated from above via narrow slits in the ceiling, creating an effect in the shadowy temple that would have been comparable to the lighting used in modern museums and galleries. Several of these statues were discovered, broken and headless, in a shaft in the vestibule. Only one of the diorite statues that once lined the temple has been found intact. It currently resides in the Cairo Museum.
Tour Route Map
Booking Conditions
Rates:
Rates quoted on US Dollar per person per package including all Applicable taxes
Rates based on mentioned hotels or Nile cruises listed in offer
Payment should be in USD and if by another currency it will be due to daily exchange rate
Rates excluding Christmas, New Year & Easter and it will be case by case upon request
Children Policy:
Child up to 03 years old free of charge and sharing parent`s room
Child from 03-05 years old will be charged 25 % of adult`s rate
Child from 05-11, 99 year old will be 50 % of adult rate and sharing parent`s room
Child over 12 years old will be Adult`s rate
Accommodation:
Chosen hotels in each package is a sample of package category not secured booking and your final booking will be sent within confirmation letter and invoice
Tour Guides:
Rates based on English - French - German - Spanish - Italian tour guides.
Other languages speaking guide will have supplement and will be advised upon receiving your request.
Tipping:
You are not obliged to do it, it is up to you
Cancellation:
Trip2egypt.com only accepts cancellation made writing document by official email ( info@trip2egypt.com ) . If travelers cancel his/her reservation the following fees will be applies,
On same day of arrival will be No show and will charge full payment
02 - 04 days prior to arrival date 75 % of total payment will be charged
05 - 07 days prior to arrival date 65 % of total payment will be charged
08 - 15 days prior to arrival date 55 % of total payment will be charged
16 - 30 days prior to arrival date 45 % of total payment will be charged
31 - 45 days prior to arrival date 25 % of total payment will be charged
Christmas and New Year from 18 DEC until 10 JAN cancellation policy will be as the following:
On same day of arrival will be No show and will charge full payment
02 - 15 days prior to arrival date 75 % of total payment will be charged
16 - 25 days prior to arrival date 65 % of total payment will be charged
26 - 45 days prior to arrival date 55 % of total payment will be charged
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Extra Optional tours
Pyramids Sound & Light ShowSpend a wonderful day tours discovering the Sound and Light Spectacular Show of the Giza Pyramids of Cheops, Chefren and Mykerinus and enjoy the ... More Info.
Pyramids Sound & Light Show
City:Cairo
Duration: From: 8PM To: 10PM Total: (03 hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed pointAll transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Entrance fees to pyramides sound & light Show
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Cairo Lunch Cruise on MS Nile Crystal Enjoy a relaxing lunch cruise, fine food, accompanying live music, impeccable service and spectacular views of Cairo any day of the week accompanied ... More Info.
Cairo Lunch Cruise on MS Nile Crystal
City:Cairo
Duration: From: 3PM To: 6PM Total: (03 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Buffet lunch at 5 star floating restaurant in Cairo
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Excludes:
Drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Cairo Night Dinner Cruise Trip on MS.Nile CrystalSpend a wonderful dinner at Nile crystal 5*Deluxe floating restaurant in Cairo and enjoy a view of the Nile accompanied by our professional English ... More Info.
Cairo Night Dinner Cruise Trip on MS.Nile Crystal
City:Cairo
Duration: From: 7PM To: 10PM Total: (03 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Buffet Dinner at 5 star floating restaurant in Cairo
Buffet Dinner at 5 star floating restaurant in Cairo
Excludes:
Drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2014)
1 Person price :65
2:4 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
2:4 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Camel Trail and Bedouin DinnerYour tour starts with a two hour camel ride through the Desert, where you can experience the real Bedouin life and watch the sunset, then you can ... More Info.
Camel Trail and Bedouin Dinner
City:Sharm El Sheikh
Duration: From: 5PM To: 10PM Total: (05 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Camel ride in the desert of Sharm El Sheikh
Bedouin Village Tour with Bedouin Tea
Barbeque dinner with mineral water and soft drinks
Camel ride in the desert of Sharm El Sheikh
Bedouin Village Tour with Bedouin Tea
Barbeque dinner with mineral water and soft drinks
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2014)
1 Person price :75
2:4 Persons price:75
5:8 Persons price:75
9:12 Persons price:75
13:15 Persons price:75
2:4 Persons price:75
5:8 Persons price:75
9:12 Persons price:75
13:15 Persons price:75
5:8 Persons price:75
9:12 Persons price:75
13:15 Persons price:75
9:12 Persons price:75
13:15 Persons price:75
13:15 Persons price:75
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Sharm El Sheikh Dolphin Show This unique excursion there is plenty of time to view and photograph Dolphins show, which is beautiful, clever and notices the intelligence of this ... More Info.
Sharm El Sheikh Dolphin Show
City:Sharm El Sheikh
Duration: From: 9AM To: 2PM Total: (05 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Entrance fees to Dolphin Show
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2014)
1 Person price :65
2:4 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
2:4 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Glass Boat TripEnjoy an excursion by glass boat. We take you from Naama Bay over Coral Reef to the Near Garden and Far Garden where you can see the great brain, one ... More Info.
Glass Boat Trip
City:Sharm El Sheikh
Duration: From: 12PM To: 2PM Total: (02 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Entrance fees to glass boat
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2014)
1 Person price :45
2:4 Persons price:45
5:8 Persons price:45
9:12 Persons price:45
13:15 Persons price:45
2:4 Persons price:45
5:8 Persons price:45
9:12 Persons price:45
13:15 Persons price:45
5:8 Persons price:45
9:12 Persons price:45
13:15 Persons price:45
9:12 Persons price:45
13:15 Persons price:45
13:15 Persons price:45
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Trip to Ras Mohamed by BoatOur representative will pick you up from your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh to transfer to Ras Mohamed that commands a panoramic vista of Asia on the left ... More Info.
Trip to Ras Mohamed by Boat
City:Sharm El Sheikh
Duration: From: 9AM To: 5PM Total: (08 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Entrance fees to Ras Mohamed national park
Professional Multilingual tour guide
Professional Multilingual tour guide
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Snorkeling equipment
Lunch on board the snorkeling boat
Mineral water & soft drink (One Coke Soft Drinks) on board
Snorkeling equipment
Lunch on board the snorkeling boat
Mineral water & soft drink (One Coke Soft Drinks) on board
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2014)
1 Person price :65
2:4 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
2:4 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Hot Air Balloon Ride in LuxorYou will be picked up early in the morning for your hot air balloon ride. You will be taken to the marina to enjoy soft drinks before your motorboat ... More Info.
Hot Air Balloon Ride in Luxor
City:Luxor
Duration: From: 9AM To: 12PM Total: (03 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel
All transfers by A/C vehicles
Professional Egyptologist tour guide
Entrance fees to all the mentioned sites
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Approximately 30:45 minutes of a balloon flight depend on the weather
Tea/Coffee & Cookies are served at the motorboat or launch site
A Certificate of First Flight shall be handed over duly signed by your pilot
A T-Shirt shall be handed at the end of flight - After landing and crew party
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2014)
1 Person price :80
2:4 Persons price:80
5:8 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
2:4 Persons price:80
5:8 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
5:8 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show Have you ever wondered what life have been thousands years ago? You will know about them through the splendid Sound and Light Show at the Karnak ... More Info.
Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show
City:Luxor
Duration: From: 8PM To: 10PM Total: (02 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Entrance fees to Sound & light Show
Professional Multilingual tour guide
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2014)
1 Person price :65
2:4 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
2:4 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
5:8 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
9:12 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
13:15 Persons price:65
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Dandara and Abydos Temples TourOur representative will pick you up from your hotel in Luxor to discover the ancient sites. First, visit Abydos. The paintings of the Gods and ... More Info.
Dandara and Abydos Temples Tour
City:Luxor
Duration: From: 9AM To: 5PM Total: (08 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Entrance fees to Dandara and Abydos Temples
Professional Multilingual tour guide
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2014)
1 Person price :145
2:4 Persons price:145
5:8 Persons price:145
9:12 Persons price:145
13:15 Persons price:145
2:4 Persons price:145
5:8 Persons price:145
9:12 Persons price:145
13:15 Persons price:145
5:8 Persons price:145
9:12 Persons price:145
13:15 Persons price:145
9:12 Persons price:145
13:15 Persons price:145
13:15 Persons price:145
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Felucca Tour on the NileGet excited one of the famous ways in ancient time to navigate on the River Nile. You will be picked up from hotel via A/C vehicle and start sailing ... More Info.
Felucca Tour on the Nile
City:Aswan
Duration: From: 9AM To: 11PM Total: (02 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Professional Multilingual tour guide
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Felucca ride for about 02 hours
Felucca ride for about 02 hours
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2013)
1 Person price :80
2:4 Persons price:80
5:8 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
2:4 Persons price:80
5:8 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
5:8 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Botanical Garden and Elephantine Island by Nile FeluccaGet excited one of the famous ways in ancient time to navigate on the River Nile. You will be picked up from hotel via A/C vehicle and start sailing ... More Info.
Botanical Garden and Elephantine Island by Nile Felucca
City:Aswan
Duration: From: 9AM To: 1PM Total: (03 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Entrance fees to all mentiond site
Professional Multilingual tour guide
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Felucca ride on the Nile during tour
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Felucca ride on the Nile during tour
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2013)
1 Person price :80
2:4 Persons price:80
5:8 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
2:4 Persons price:80
5:8 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
5:8 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
9:12 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
13:15 Persons price:80
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Camel Market of Darau TourDrive from Aswan to Darau and visit the camel market only every Tuesday. People from every social standard as well as traders go there to get ... More Info.
Camel Market of Darau Tour
City:Aswan
Duration: From: 9AM To: 5PM Total: (08 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Professional Multilingual tour guide
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2014)
1 Person price :70
2:4 Persons price:70
5:8 Persons price:70
9:12 Persons price:70
13:15 Persons price:70
2:4 Persons price:70
5:8 Persons price:70
9:12 Persons price:70
13:15 Persons price:70
5:8 Persons price:70
9:12 Persons price:70
13:15 Persons price:70
9:12 Persons price:70
13:15 Persons price:70
13:15 Persons price:70
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
Nubian Village by Nile FeluccaThe Nubian Villages are situated at the bottom of Elephantine Island. You are going to discover the simple and natural life of the very kind and ... More Info.
Nubian Village by Nile Felucca
City:Aswan
Duration: From: 12PM To: 2PM Total: (02 Hours)
places:
Includes:
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or agreed point
All transfers will be by A/C Vehicles
Entrance fees to all mention Sites
Entrance fees to all mention Sites
Professional Multilingual tour guide
Professional Multilingual tour leader
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Mineral water on board the vehicle during your tour
Excludes:
Meals and drinks (any not mentioned items)
Personal expenses
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities (recommended)
Optional activity costs
Rates:
Validity: (From:01-03-2013 To:30-06-2014)
1 Person price :55
2:4 Persons price:55
5:8 Persons price:55
9:12 Persons price:55
13:15 Persons price:55
2:4 Persons price:55
5:8 Persons price:55
9:12 Persons price:55
13:15 Persons price:55
5:8 Persons price:55
9:12 Persons price:55
13:15 Persons price:55
9:12 Persons price:55
13:15 Persons price:55
13:15 Persons price:55
Policy
Rates:
Rates quoted in USD per person per tour include taxes
Rates includes the mentioned places in each tour only
Prices are subject to change due to increasing taxes or entrance fees or Fuel or other services applied by Egyptian Government or services supplier.
Bottle of Mineral water will be available inside Vehicle
Tour price based in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking guides and other speaking languages will be upon request within extra charge
One person is considering as Single traveler (we do not offer share tours services) except over day tours from long distances like Sharm El Sheikh & Hurghada
Tour Timing:
Full day tours start at 09:00 am until 05:00 pm
Half day tours start at 09:00 am until 01:00 pm
Except in the case of modify it according to traffic conditions or holidays or the month of Ramadan
Children Policy:
Children up to 4 years old will be free of charge Children from 4 up 6 years old will be 50 % of adult rate Children over 6 years old will be adult
Booking notes:
Confirmation of this tour will be sent within maximum 24 hours of receiving the request maximum except the requests received less than 24 hours of start date of tour confirmation will be 60 minutes maximum ( by Mail and SMS mobile message )
Disabled and handicap travelers should be advised on request to give us chance to make their arrangements.
Payment:
Should be settled in same currency listed in the website
