Showing posts with label TOP 10 PLACES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TOP 10 PLACES. Show all posts

Friday, January 13, 2012

Top 10 Places of Egypt


Top 10 Places of Egypt

Egypt is the most mysterious place on earth, The taste of Ancient Egyptian Mysticism still lingers in the air, This ancient atmosphere really does give you the feeling that secrets are yet to be revealed. Maybe you could be lucky to reveal some secrets yourself, here's where to find them:

1- Pyramids of Giza & Sphinx
These pyramids of kings Khufu, Kafhre, and Menkaura, are the greatest tombs on earth in means of size and structure, these perfectly shaped structures leave anybody seeing them with the mysterious questions of how they were built.
As for the Sphinx, the saying "The riddle of the Sphinx" is full of meaning because archaeologies until this day still argue about its purpose and orgin


2- Abu Simbil
Ramsis II had these two temples built in order to give himself and his wife Nevertari mortality, It is said that these two temples are of the most beautiful in Egypt and the world, What is also extraordinary is that these temples were relocated in order to avoid the floods in the late years of the 20th century.


3- Cairo, The capital of culture
Cairo isn't the place you would want to miss, if you really want to dive in Egyptian culture Cairo is the place to go, full of luxurious bazaars and great restaurants makes it your chance to grab a bite from Egypt.



4- Al Azhar Gardens
As one of the most beautiful parks in the world. Al Azhar Gardens remains a landmark in Cairo, where you can catch a panoramic view of the old city, and it's spectacular minarets.


5- Temples of Karnak
This is where the ancient Egyptians worshipped their gods, This temple holds a monument of almost every single god in the Theban religion.


6- The Nile River
Who would be willing to miss the famous Nile Cruise? Yes that's right, Nobody.
It is the reason why all the other wonders are present, the legendary river has been the vein of life in Egypt for thousands of years, and it is said that the Nile river will be the last water source to dry out on earth, what else could be magic?


7- Valley of the Kings
The most sacred place of the Pharaohs, this is where the most esteemed kings were buried , present there are many mummies and lots of un-revealed treasures, in fact the most famous mummy was found there "Tutankhamun".


8- The Egyptian Museum
After visiting where the treasures were found, you sure would want to see what was found, if that's the case then the Egyptian Museum is the place to go.


9- Siwa Oasis
If Alexander the great liked this place, Why wouldn't you? Egypt is not all about monuments and Pharaohs, this place is one where you could loosen up a bit and take a swim in the cool waters in the middle of the desert.


10- Hurgada & Sharm El-Sheikh
Two world ranked resorts also well known for the great coral reefs and scuba diving sports, Here you can swim in the spectacular waters of the red sea, or dance your hips of at the famous bars and discos.



Great Sphinx of Giza


Great Sphinx, Giza
The Great Sphinx guards the Pyramid of Khafre. © Peter Brubacher.
See these photos and many more in our Giza Photo Gallery.

Sphinx
Side view of the mysterious Sphinx. Photo Creative Commons License Abdullah Mohiuddin.

Great Pyramid and Sphinx
Great Sphinx and Great Pyramid of Giza. Photo Creative Commons License Paul James Cowie.

Back view of the Sphinx of Giza
Rear view of the Great Sphinx. Photo © Irma.


The damaged but still regal face of the Sphinx. Photo © Richard Beck.

Sphinx, Giza
Could the Sphinx have been weathered by water? Photo Creative Commons License moogdroog.

Great Sphinx
Great paws of the Great Sphinx of Giza. Photo Creative Commons License Angela Rutherford.

Location map and aerial view of Great Sphinx of Giza. For a larger interactive view, see our Giza Map.
Great Sphinx of Giza


The Great Sphinx is a colossal stone statue located next to the Pyramids of Gizain Egypt. Carved out of limestone, the Sphinx has the facial features of a man and the body of a recumbent lion; it is approximately 240 feet (73 m) long and 66 feet (20 m) high.

History

The Sphinx was built in about 2530 BC by the pharaoh Khafre (4th king of Fourth dynasty, c. 2575–c. 2465 BC), the builder and occupant of the second Giza pyramid. The sphinx's face is a portrait of the king and the sphinx continued to be a royal portrait type through most of Egyptian history.
The Sphinx is thought to be primarily a guardian figure, protecting the tomb of the Khafre by warding off evil spirits. Arabs know the Sphinx of Giza by the name of Abu al-Hawl, or "Father of Terror."
The Sphinx's face was mainly damaged during French occupation around 1800, when Mameluke troops used it for target practice for their field cannons, but its body has been weathered by the elements for thousands of years (more on this below).

Myth & Mystery

A number of mysteries surround the Great Sphinx, perhaps even more than the pyramids. First, it is not known why the builders chose such heavy blocks to chip off the Sphinx for the temple or how they moved them to build the temple.
Second, the Sphinx was widely believed to have been an oracle. Between its paws is a 15th-century BC stone tablet recounting a vision given to a prince who slept in the shadow of the Sphinx (and perhaps sought its divine aid) and later became a pharaoh through its intercession.

Weathered by Water?

But the most interesting mysteries of the Sphinx (or at least those producing the most provocative theories) have to do with how it came to be weathered. The most obvious answer is that it was by millenia of desert winds.
But when geologist Robert Schoch and Egyptologist John Anthony West examined it in 1990, Schloch concluded it had been weathered by rainfall, not by wind and sand. If that's true, its date of construction might be closer to 7000 BC.
Similarly, when the maverick Egyptologist R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz visited Giza in the 1930s, he immediately declared that the Sphinx had been weathered bywater, not by wind. But instead of suggesting rainfall, Schwaller proposed that the Sphinx had been worn by seawater and that its origins lay in the ocean.

Connections with Atlantis?

Schwaller also suggested that the Sphinx was far older than its accepted date of about 2500 BC. The current date for the beginnings of Egyptian civilization is about 3000 BC, which means that the Egyptians developed their sophisticated science, mathematics and building skills in a mere 500 years. He proposed that Egyptian knowledge was not a new development, but a legacy from a far older civilization, possibly Plato's Lost City of Atlantis.


Quick Facts

Site Information
Names:Great Sphinx of Giza
Location:Giza, Egypt
Faiths:Original/Primary: Ancient Egyptian
Current/Secondary: New Age
Category:Colossal Statue; World Heritage Sites
Architecture:Egyptian
Date:2530 BC
Patron(s):Pharaoh Khafre
Size:Length: 240 feet (73 m)
Height: 66 feet (20 m)
Status:ruins
Photo gallery:Great Sphinx of Giza Photo Gallery
Visitor Information
Address:Giza Necropolis, Cairo, Egypt
Coordinates:29.975271° N, 31.137453° E   (view on Google Maps)
Lodging:View hotels near this location
Opening hours:Daily 8am-4pm
Cost:£E20; additional £E10 to use a camera (no video recorders)

Note: This information was accurate when published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

Travel Resources

  • Giza Map - our detailed interactive map of Giza, plus hand-picked links to more
  • Giza Hotels - check availability, maps, photos and reviews, and book at the guaranteed lowest price
  • Giza Guided Tours - sightseeing tours and activities in Giza

Article Sources

  1. Norbert C. Brockman, Encyclopedia of Sacred Places (1997), 231-32.
  2. Colin Wilson, Atlas Of Holy Places and Sacred Sites (1996).
  3. "sphinx" - Encyclopedia Britannica

More Information