The Pyramids of Giza

The sole survivors from the ancient Greek listed Seven Wonders of the World, the Pyramids are the planet's oldest tourist attraction. They were already more than 2000 years old when Herodotus the Greek historian visited them, and more than 2500 years old at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ..

The pyramids were covered with a polished white limestone casing and they must have gleamed. Unfortunately, right up until the 19th century successive builders in Egypt stripped away these outer blocks to built their places and mosques, exposing the softer inner core stones to the elements.

The wonder of the pyramids lies in their twin mysteries: What were they built for? How were they built?

The traditionally accepted notion that they are tombs built on the order of the pharaohs by vast teams of workers tens of thousands strong is constantly being challenged, and new theories ranging from the highly unlikely through to the wild and wacky are constantly being propounded.

Pyramidologists - point the study of the vast structures has become a science in its own right-point to the millimeter-precise carving, placement of the stones and the cosmological significance of the structures' dimensions as evidence that the pyramids were variously constructed by angles, the devil or visitors from another planet….

The Sphinx " Abu-Al-Hol "

Legends and superstitions abound about the Sphinx and the mystery surrounding its long - forgotten purpose is almost as intriguing as its appearance.

Carved almost entirely from one huge piece of limestone left over from the craving of the stones for Cheops' pyramid, the Sphinx is about 50m long and 22m high. It is not known when it was carved but one theory is that it was Chepren who thought of shaping the rock into lion's body with a god's face, wearing the royal headdress of Egypt. One legend about the sphinx is associated with the fact that it was engulfed and hidden by sand for several hundred of years. The sun-god Ra appeared to the man who was to become Tuthmosis IV and promised him the crown of Egypt if he would free his image, the sphinx, from the sand.

During the period of the Ottoman Empire the Turks used the Sphinx for target practice ( thought other sources have it that it was Napoleon ), and its nose and beard were blasted off . Part of the fallen beard was carted off by 19th century adventurers and is now in the British Museum in London.

The Solar Boat

The Ancient Egyptians carved spacious areas in the rock, near the Pyramids. There they placed wooden boats, to be at the disposal of the king when he went on his journey of Day and Night with the Sun God, Ra, in the after world. The boat was 43.5 meters long, the prow and stern were 5 meters and 7 meters high respectively.

Memphis

Memphis, once the glorious Old Kingdom capital of Egypt, has almost completely vanished. It is believed that the city was founded around 3100BC, probably by king Menes, when Upper and Lower Egypt were first united. It had many splendid palaces and gardens, and was one of the most renowned and populous cities of the ancient world.

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Centuries of annual floods have inundated the city with Nile mud, while other ancient buildings and monuments have long since been ploughed over so that today there are few signs of the grandeur of Memphis. In fact it's extremely difficult to imagine that a city once stood where there is now only a small museum and some statues in a garden.

The partly open air museum contains a colossal limestone statue of Ramses II, similar to the one that stands in Cairo. This one is lying down and is a lot more neglected and damaged. In the garden there is an eight tonne alabaster sphinx, more statues of Ramses II, the sarcophagus of Amenhotep and the alabaster beds on which the sacred Apis bulls were mummified before being placed in the Serapeum at Saqqara.

Sakkara

When Memphis was the capital of Egypt, Saqqara was its necropolis. Deceased Pharaohs, family members and sacred animals were ceremoniously transported from Memphis to be permanently enshrined in one of the myriad temples, temples and tombs at Saqqara.

In the 3000 years between the foundation of Memphis and the end of Greek rule under the Ptolemies, the necropolis grew until it covered a 7Km stretch of the western desert.

Zoser's Step Pyramid constructed by Imhotep, the pharaoh's chief architect, in 27BC , the step pyramid of King Zoser was the largest stone structure feature of Saqqara. The pyramid began as a simple mastaba, but Imhotep added to it five times. The step pyramid dominates Zoser's mortuary complex, which is 544m long and 277m wide and was surrounded by a magnificent bastioned and panelled limestone wall. You will find here, in the middle of the desert, a peaceful quality rarely found at other ancient sites in Egypt.

Egyptian Museum

The greatest collection of Egyptian antiquities is, without doubt, that of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It is a place of true discovery. To be sure, the museum can be daunting in the sheer numbers of its antiquities on show. The museum's ground floor follows the history of ancient Egypt. Upon entering through the security check in the building, one looks toward the atrium and the rear of the building with many items on view - from sarcophagi and boats to enormous statues. Just in front of these you will find an Object of the Month on display. Behind it are some of the most important items from the time of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt some 5,000 years ago, including the famous slate palette of king Narmer - one of the first documents of Egyptian history. Also on show are small masterpieces of sculpture - keep in mind that these are some 50 centuries old.

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Continuing around the building in a clockwise direction takes you forward in time as you duck into the different rooms. At the far end of the building you will be confronted by material from the time of the heretic pharaoh, Akhenaten. Keep moving, eventually you will have reached the Graeco-Roman period, walked through more than 3,000 yrs of history!

Upstairs on the first floor (i.e.second level) are thousands of smaller items from the span of Egyptian history. Of course, everybody wants to see the treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb - these occupy a large area along almost two side of the upper floor. Chariots, gloves, jewelry, the famous mask - many of the antiquities from his tomb are displayed here. Tutankhamun's tomb contained four gilded shrines nested one inside the other. All four of these shrines are on display in the museum. They are lined up in order of decreasing size. The innermost of these covered a stone sarcophagus which remains in the tomb. Inside the stone sarcophagus were three coffins - the innermost being made of 110 kilograms of solid gold. Inside that lay the pharaoh himself wearing the famous gold mask. Tutankhamun remains in his tomb to this day. Two of his three coffins are on display in the same room as the mask, along with stunning jewelry. This room alone can occupy one for a considerable time. The room has been remodeled recently with better presentation.

Apart from the Tutankhamun exhibits upstairs, there are countless coffins, amulets, ushabtis, household items, etc. Some of the Middle Kingdom tomb models of armies, boats and landowners surveying their livestock shouldn't be missed. The human figures almost seem alive! Also upstairs is the Mummy Room where you can come face to face with some of the great rulers of ancient Egypt.

The Citadel

Old fortress built by Salah El Din Al Ayoubi, founder of the Auobbid Dynasty (1171 to 1250). The Citadel encompasses the mosque of Mohamed Ali, the magnificent architectural masterpiece the Madrasa of Sultan Hasa ( Koranic school) and the Police and Military Museum. There is also the Well of Joseph, 90 metres deep, which supplies the water for the whole of the Citadel.

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Mohamed Ali Mosque "Alabaster Mosque"

His mosque has become the symbol of Cairo. The builder, Muhammad Ali (1769-1849), of Albanian origin, was born in Kavalia, in Greece. He was one of the soldiers of the troops sent to free Egypt from the Napoleonic occupation and took part in the battle of Abu Qir, on July 25, 1799. In 1801 he was commander of the Albanian troops in Egypt. In 1805 the Egyptians rebelled against the viceroy Khurshid, who was succeeded by Muhammad Ali. The mosque was built in 1830 in two parts: the actual mosque and the court. The latter measures 52 x 54 meters and is surrounded on four sides by a colonnade of marble columns roofed with small domes. In the middle of the court is the ablution fountain (where the Muslims wash before prayers).

The clock tower is in openwork copper: the clock was presented to Muhammad Ali by Louis Philippe of France in 1848 as a gift. He Greek architect, Yusuf Bushnak, who lived in Turkey, built the mosque in Byzantine style on the i-nodel of Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. Square in plan, the mosque measures 41 meters per side. A central dome, 21 meters in diameter, and 52 meters high, rests on four square piers and is surrounded by four half domes and by that of the qibia. two cylindrical minarets, in Ottoman style, each 84 meters high, rise up on the western facade. This mosque is characterized by the great amount of alabaster used to sheath the walls. The pulpit (minbar) and the platform (dikkah) are in white marble . The mihrab is sheathed in alabaster and has gilded ornaments.

Sultan Hassan Mosque

Regarded as the finest piece of early Mamluk architecture in Cairo, this great structure ( built 1356-63 ) was designed to fulfill the role of , mosque and madrassa ( theological school ), with four iwans off a central court each devoted to one of the main schools of Sunni Islam. At the rear of the eastern iwan is an especially beautiful mihrab ( niche indicating the direction of Mecca ) which is franked by stolen Crusader columns . To the right is the bronze door which leads through to the Sultan's mausoleum. Note that the minarets are unequal height. The southernmost of the two is the second highest in Cairo(68m) after that of the new Al-Fath mosque on Midan Ramses; It was originally matched by a twin which collaosed in 1659 and was replaced by the one you see today.

Khan El Khalili

The Kahn El Khalili is an immense conglomeration of markets and shops, where it's possible to find everything from blankets and soap powder to books of magic spells and precious stones, as well, of course as plenty of stuffed camels and alabasters pyramids. The merchants of Khan El Khalili are some of the greatest salespeople and smooth talkers you will ever meet. Almost everything you can bought in the Khan. There are few specific things to see in the Khan but a stop off at Fishawi's coffee house is a must, it's opened 24 hours a day for the last 200 years .

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The Coptic Museum

At the foot of the tower and its exhibits cover Egypt's Christian era between 300 and 1000 AD. This stunning collection includes religious and secular art, and includes stonework, manuscripts, woodwork, metalwork, paintings and pottery.

The Coptic Museum was the last major museum to be founded in Egypt at the beginning of the 20C after the construction of the Egyptian Museum and the Museum of Arab Art. The museum was founded when a group of Coptic notables under the patronage of Sultan Hussan Kamil formed a committee to establish the museum. A piece of land belonging to the Coptic Church was provided within the Roman Fortress of Babylon. By 1908 the building was complete and a collection from ancient churches, houses and several private collections was presented to the museum. The museum was enlarged and relevant collection from the Egyptian and the Museum of Arab Art were transferred to it in 1931 after the museum passed into state control. The museum is composed of a ground and upper floor, and its collection is arranged according to categories into seven sections: Sculpture and Frescoes; Manuscripts; Ancient Text; Icons, Ivory and Bone; Metal work; Wood word; Pottery and Glass. These are displayed in chronological order to enable the visitor to appreciate the development of art through the centuries.

Coptic church / Ben Ezra Synagogue

The remains of the ancient settlement of Old Cairo are located on the eastern bank, halfway between Memphis and Heliopolis. In AD 98-177, the Roman Emperor Trajan built a military fortress on the site, which later evolved into a Christian and Jewish enclave. In particular, many Coptic churches were built inside the settlement. Abu Sarga (St. Sergius) Church is the oldest of the churches in the enclave, dating from the 5th century, It contains a crypt where Coptic tradition claims the Holy Family rested after fleeing from Herod. The enclave also houses the remains of a Roman tower, the El-Muallaqa or the þ"þHanging Churchþ", þbuilt over the bastions of a Roman gate, The enclave also has the only remaining synagogueþ þin Cairoþ, þBen Ezra.

Alexandria "Ancient Queen of the Mediterranean"

Alexandria is Egypt's second largest city and its chief port. When Alexander the Great conquered Egypt in 332 BC, he founded a city on the site of the tiny fishing village of Rakotis, facing the rocky island of Pharos, to serve as his capital. Alexandria is 110 miles northwest of Cairo, on the Mediterranean. Its excellent beaches, comfortable seaside climate, and lively atmosphere have made it a popular summer resort. As the capital of Egypt under the Ptolemies and the Romans, Alexandria rose to prominence as the cultural and commercial center of the ancient Mediterranean world.

The Graeco Roman Museum

This museum houses collections of rare Greek and Roman relics and coins - about 40 thousand pieces in total. The collection ranges from the Third Century B.C. to the Seventh Century AD, including the "Tanagra" collection. The museum was first built in 1892 as a small building located on Horreya Road. In 1895 it was transferred to the present site near Gamal Abdul Nasser Road. It started with eleven galleries, and has been gradually enlarged in later renovation stages. The 25th gallery was inaugurated in 1984. It contains a very big variety of coins from different countries, chronologically arranged, and dating back from 630 BC to the Ottoman period in the 19th century. The collection, which covers the period from the 3rd century BC to the 7th century AD, is a fascinating record of civilization in the process of change as religions merged and society evolved. In Alexandria, Graeco-Roman and Pharaonic religions mingled in the cult of Serapis; the shift from pagan religions to Christianity can also be seen in the exhibits which include mummies, Hellenistic statues, busts of Roman emperors, Tangara figurines, and early Christian antiquities.

Pompay's Piller

This granite pillar is over 25 meters high. Built amidst the ruins of the Serapium in 297 AD in honor of Emperor Diocletian, it is the most prominent remaining Greek landmark in Alexandria.

An approximately 25m red Aswan granite column with a circumference of 9m, was constructed in honor of the Emperor Diocletain. Originally from the temple of the Serapis, it was once a magnificent structure rivaling the Soma and the Caesareum. Nearby are subterranean galleries where sacred bulls were buried, and three sphinxes. After his defeat by Julius Caesar in the civil war, Pompey fled to Egypt where he was murdered in 48 BC; mediaeval travelers later believed he must be buried here, and that the capital atop the corner served as a container for his head. In fact, the pillar was raised in honor of Diocletainat the very end of the 4th century. Diocletain captured Alexandria after it had been under siege. The Arabs called it "Amoud el-Sawari", Column of the Horsemen. The Pillar is the tallest ancient monument in Alexandria.

Montazah Palace & Gardens

Built on a low plateau east of Alexandria and overlooking a beautiful beach and set amongst gardens and woods, the palace comprises a number of buildings, the most important of which are Al-Haramlek and Al-Salamlek, the summer residence of the former royal family.

The Roman Amphitheatre

Located downtown at Kom al-Dikkah the Roman amphitheatre is unique in Egypt. Discovered in the early 1960's while laying the foundation of a new building, the amphitheatre has twelve semi-circular marble tiers in remarkably good condition. The amphitheater consists of thirteen gray and white marble levels of terraces that lead down to the arena. Its buttressed wall was designed in a semicircular style to act as a passageway that ran beneath the early theater. Not far away from the theater are some ruins of the Roman baths.

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Over 30 years of excavation have uncovered many Roman remains including this well-preserved theatre with galleries, sections of mosaic-flooring, and marble seats for up to 800 spectators. In Ptolemaic times, this area was the Park of Pan and a pleasure garden. The theater at one point may had been roofed over to serve as an Odeon for musical performances. Inscriptions suggest that it was sometimes also used for wrestling contests. The theatre stood with thirteen semi-circular tiers of white marble that was imported from Europe. Its columns are of green marble imported from Asia Minor, and red granite imported from Aswan. The wings on either side of the stage are decorated with geometric mosaic paving. The dusty walls of the trenches, from digging in the northeast side of the Odeon, are layered with extraordinary amounts of potsherds. Going down out of the Kom, you can see the substantial arches and walls in stone, the brick of the Roman baths, and the remains of Roman houses.

The Fort of Qaitbay

Erected on the northern tip of the Eastern Port on the site of the ancient Pharos of Alexandria, the fort design is influenced by both medieval architecture and by the lighthouse original layout. The fort also houses the Naval Museum.

Fayoum Oasis

Originally named Crocodilopolis, then Arsinoe, Medinet El-Fayoum was the main place of worship of the crocodile god, Sobek. Apparently, during ancient Medinet, crocodiles were adorned with gold and fed honey cakes and meat by the priests.

Pyramid of Hawara

A few kilometers southeast of Al Fayoum, is the pyramid of Hawara, a 12th dynasty mud-brick pyramid. The pyramid was built in honor of the Pharaoh Amenemhet III. Nearby, was his mortuary temple, of which nothing but rubble remains. During the second century BC, the Greeks and Romans used this area as a cemetery, and borrowed the ancient Egyptian process of mummification. If you look closely, mummy cloth and actual human bones might be found amidst the rubble. North of the Hawara Pyramid, is a crocodile cemetery, Lake Qarun was said to be filled with crocodiles, and the ancient Egyptians would mummify and bury them there. Buses or minibuses from Al-Fayoum going south can drop you off at Hawara.

Pyramid Of Meydum

On the border of the desert, in the vicinity of agriculturally used areas, lies the Pyramid of Meydum. Its untypical form makes it look like a huge block of stone contrasting with the heap of debris that surrounds it. The Meidum Pyramid was the first Egyptian attempt at building a pyramid. It is located about 32km north-east of Al Fayoum. The pyramid was built over eight steps which where then filled in and covered by an outside layer. This outside layer, however collapsed not long after it was built as a result of some errors in design, leaving only the inside steps which look nothing like a pyramid. Nevertheless, if you're interesting in a collapsed pyramid for a change, it's quite impressive. It was built by King Huni and his son Sneferu, the 4th dynasty Pharaoh. He later built the Bent and Red Pyramids which still stand today in Dahshur.

Dahshur

Start our day by visiting Dahshur to discover the first true Pyramids in the history of Egypt, built during the reign of Snerferu in the 4th Dynasty. You will learn more about the "riddle of the Pyramids" as you explore the imposing Red Pyramid, with its tint of reddish limestone blocks and the Bent Pyramid.

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Luxor

Valley of Kings

Once called the " Gates of the Kings " or the " place of truth " the canyon now known as the valley of the Kings is at once a place of death - for nothing grows on its steep, scorching cliffs and a majestic domain befitting the mighty Kings who once lay there in great stone sarcophagi, awaiting immortality.

The isolated Valley, behind Deir El Bahari, is dominated by the natural pyramid - shaped mountain peal of Al-Qurn ( the Horn ). It consists of two branches, the east and west valleys, with the former containing most of the royal burial sites.

All Tombs ( except the newly discovered Tomb of the sons of Ramses II ) followed a similar design, deviating only because of structural difficulties or the length time spent on their construction. The longer the reign of the pharaoh, the larger and more magnificent his tomb. Two groups of workers and artisans would live, in alternating shifts, in the valley itself for the duration of the work, which usually took many years.

The tombs are designed to resemble the underworld, with a long, inclined rock-hewn corridor descending into either an antechamber or a series of sometimes pillared halls, and ending in the burial chamber. Once the tomb was cut its decoration was started ; this dealt almost exclusively with the afterlife and the pharaoh's existence in it.

Valley of Queens

There are at least 75 tombsin Biban al - Harim, valley of queens. They belonged to queens of the 19th and 20th dynasties and other members of the royal families, including princesses and the Ramessid princes.

Hatshepsut Temple

The temple of Hatshepsout, which the ancients called Djeser Djeseru, 'more spiendid'than splendid', is unique in Egyptian architecture.The temple, facingeast, consisted of a series of vast terraces which, via ramps, led up to the sanctuary. An avenue of sphinxes and obelisks comprised the access to the first terrace, closed at the back by a portico of 22 pillars and flanked by two Osiris pillars, and from which another ramp led to the second terrace, also with a portico of two rows of square pillars. On one of the walls, beautiful bas-reliefs narrate the story of the birth and childhood of the queen and the expedition the sovereign sent into the mysterious land of Punt, perhaps what is now Somalia, to judge from the giraffes, monkeys, panther skins and objects in ivory reproduced. On the last wall, 18 large and small niches were to house just as many statues of the queen, standing and seated. Characteristic of the temple is the pillar with 1 6 facets, so admired for its elegance by Champoilion that he called it proto-Doric.

Karnak Temples

Karnak is more than a temple; it is a spectacular complex of sanctuaries, kiosks, pylons and obelisks, all dedicated to the Theban gods - and to the greater glory of Egypt's Middle and New Kingdom rulers.

The site measures about 1.5 Km by 800m, large enough to contain about 10 cathedrals, while the 1st pylon is twice the size of the one at Luxor temple. Built, added to, dismantled, restored, enlarged and decorated over a period of nearly 1500 years, Karnak was the most important place of worship in all Egypt during the height of Theban power and was called " The most perfect of places " An idea of the complexity of the task may be gauged when we learn that in the core of Amenhotep III's monumental third pylon were buried blocks of ten structures of earlier periods; that a valuable historical inscription on how Kamose conquered the Hyksos - a period about which very little is known. Was found a text downwards beneath a statue of Pinedjem which had been buried in the foundation of the second pylon of Ramses II; that both Ramses I and Seti I used blocks from Akhenaten's sun temple for their large scale additions to the temple; and that Haremheb crammed his ninth pylon with thousands of inscribed sandstone blocks from this same " heretical" era.

Thutmose I, who ascended the throne at the beginning of the 18th dynasty, actually made the first major alterations to the original shrine. He had two colonnades and two pylons built of the magnificent mortuary temple of Deir El Baharierected a pair of huge obelisks. She also made some alterations to the successor Thutmose III. Though Thutmose III showed less interest in perpetuating his memory in impressive monuments than in creating an Egyptian world empire, he did build a festival temple to the rear of the sanctuary, surrounding it with a girdle wall, on the inner side of which were a number of small chambers.

It was Amenhotep III, builder of the temple of Luxor, who altered the front of Karnak temple. He raised a new pylon in front of that Thutmose I, but impressive though it must have been, it was to be eclipsed by the additions of the 19th dynasty. Ramses I erected the second pylon during his one year in power. Then his son, Seti I, started the construction of a huge hypostyle hall between the pylons of Ramses I and Amenhotep III.

This work was continued by his successor Ramses II. Always going one better than his ancestors, Ramses II also built a second girdle - wall outside that of Thutmose III and with it the great temple of Amon had almost received its final, magnificent form. It was now officially and justifiably styled " The Throne of the World ".

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Seti II and Ramses III had two small separate temples built in front of the great complex. In the 22nd dynasty under the Libyan kings of the Bubastides these were incorporated into a huge colonnade court in front of the pylon of Ramses I. In the 25th dynasty Taharka the Kushite also erected some gigantic columns in this court. The last addition to the temple, its entrance pylon was erected in the Kushite dynasty.

Luxor temple

Built by the new Kingdom pharoah Amenophis III, the Luxor temple is a strikingly graceful piece of architecture on the banks of the Nile. Originally joined to Karnak by an avenue of Sphinx, the temple sits on the site of an older sanctuary dedicated to the Theban triad of Amun, Mut and Khnos.

Amenophis rededicated the massive temple as Amun's sacred " harem of the south ", and retained what was left of the original sanctuary built by Tuthmosis III and Hatshepsut 11 years earlier. The temple was added to over the centuries by Tutan-khamun, Ramses II, Alexander the great and various Romans. At one point the Arabs built a mosque in one of the interior courts, and there was also once a village within the temple walls. Excavation work has been going on since 1885, and has included removing the village and clearing the forecourt and 1st pylon of debris, and exposing part of the avenue of Sphinxes leading to Karnak.

Medinat Habu

Second in size only to the great Temple at Karnak, the magnificent temple complex of Medinat Habu is one of the most underrated sites on the West Bank, and is usually bypassed by tourists in favour of the more famous Ramesseum. With the Theban mountains as a backdrop and the sleepy village of kom Lolah in front, it is a wonderful place to spend a few hors.

The site was one of the first places in Thebes to be closley associated with the local god Amun. Although most famous for the large mortuary temple built by Ramses III also constructed buildings in the complex. They were later added to and altered by a succession of rulers right through to the ptolemies.

At Medinat Habu's height there were temples, storage rooms, workshops, administrative buildings and accommodation for the priests and officials. It was the center of the economic life of Thebes ( Luxor ) for several centuries and was still in habited as late as the 9th century AD, when a plague was thought to have decimated the town. You can still see the mud brick remains of the medieval town which gave the site its name ( medina means town or city ) on top of the site's enclosure walls.

Ramesseum Temple

The name Ramesseum was given in the last century to the temple complex which Ramses II had built by the architect Penre between the desert and the village of Qurna. Diodorus Siculus was highly impressed by the complex and the architectural grandeur of the monument. Today it is sadly only a few ruins: the pillars against which are set the statues of the pharaoh in the semblance of Osiris (and therefore known as Osiris pillars) still remain on the facade of the hypostyle hall and what is left of the syenite statue of Ramses II seated on a throne, an enormous overthrown giant. It is calculated that it must have been 17 meters tall and weighed more than a thousand tons.

The decorations of the temple once more repeat thepharaoh's deeds as he stopped the Hittite advance. But stivals held the first month . There are also scenes of the festivals of fertility, and in honor of whom the pharaoh sacrificed a white bull. Another interesting and unusual decoration is on one wall of the hypostyle hall: the sons and daughters of Ramses, in a double row, are lined up in the order of their succession and birth. Merneptah, who was to suci ceed Ramses II on the Egyptian throne, is in the thirteenth place.

Dendera Temple

Dendera, the Greek version of the city of Tentyra, is a sacred city thanks to its three sanctuaries: the first two, now almost completely gone, are the sanctuary of Thy, the young son of Horus player of the sistrum and the sanctuary of Horus. The third sanctuary, that of Hathor, however, still has its temple practically intact and numerous other ruins which enable us to reconstruct the exact layout of the entire sacred area.

It was dedicated to the goddess Hathor, whose name (literally Hathor) means 'the dwelling of Horus", and she is often shown as a sacred cow or as a woman wearing horns. Built in granite, as were most of the Ptolemaic temples, what we see today is actually the reconstruction of a much older pre existing temple which probably dated to Khufu and Pepi I.

The temple consists of a splendid hypostyle hall, which opens onto a plaza, 25 by, 42.5 meters and 18 meters high, with twenty-four Hathor columns, that is columns with a cubic capital decorated with the face of the goddess.

A small shrine also stood within the temple. Called the "chapel of sanctity" it was the most hidden and secret spot in the sanctuary. This was where the mysteries of the birth of the cosmic order from primordial chaos were celebrated. But Hathor was also the patron goddess of dance and music, as well as being the cosmic divinity. Every year in Dendera, on the twentieth day of the first month of the inundation season, the popular 'Festival of Drunkenness' was celebrated.

Two other monuments worthy of attention are the mammisi or "birth houses' or 'temples of birth" meant to celebrate the birth of Horus. The oldest is that of Nectanebo I, cut about halfway on the western wall by the court in front of the temple of Hathor, completed in Ptolemaic times. The other one, dating to the time of Augustus, and decorated under Hadrian, is north of the court. A 5th-century Coptic church is set between the two mammisi.

Abydos Temple

Abydos was the Greek name for the ancient city of this or Thinis, cradle of the oldest dynasties and Holy City dedicated to the cult of Osiris . The myth of Osiris, which also centred around the sanctuary of Busiris (the original term Pa-Uzir means " the dwelling of Osiris " ), found its perfect realization in Abydos, both in the construction of important monuments and as a pilgrimage site which the Egyptians had to visit at least once in their lives .In the sanctuary of Osiris the most important relic, the head of Osiris, was kept. Only a few ruins remain today of the ancient city, where all religious Egyptians hoped to have a mortuary chapel or, at least, a commemorative stela.

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EDFU

The largest and most completely preserved pharaonic, albeit Greek-built, temple in Egypt is the extraordinary Temple of Horus at Edfu. One of the last great Egyptian attempts at monument building on a grand scale. The town and temple were established on a rise above the broad river valley arround them, and so escaped the annual Nile inundation that contributed to the ruin of so many other buildings of antiquity . Edfu, a sugar and prottery centre, is also a very friendly place.

Temple Of Horus

Construction of this huge complex began under Ptolemy III Euergetes I in 237 BC and was completed nearly 200 years later during the reign of Ptolemy XIII ( the father of Cleopatra ) in the 1st century BC. In conception and design it follows the traditions of authentic pharaonic architecture, with the same general plan, scale and ornamentation, right down to the Egyptian attire worn by the Greek Kings depicted in the temple's reliefs. Though it is much newer than the temples of Karnak, Luxor and Abydos, its excellent state of preservation fills in a lot of historical gaps because it is, in effect, a 2000 years old replica of an architectural style that was already archaic during Ptolemaic.

Excavation of the temple from beneath sand, rubble and part of the village of Edfu, which had been built on its roof, was started by Auguste Mariette in the mid 19th century. The entrance to the temple is through a massive 36m high pylonguarded by two huge and splendid granite falcons and decorated with colossal reliefs of pharaoh PtolemyXIII pulling the hair of his enemies while Horus and Hathor look on.

Beyond the pylon is a court by a colonnade of 32 columns covered in reliefs. The hall of consercrations where, according to the wall inscriptions, Horus poured sacred water on the King The Library, which features a list of books and a relief of Seshat, the giddess of writing.

The passage of Victory, which runs between the temple and its massive protective enclosure walls. The Two Antechambers, the first of which has a staircase of 242 steps leading up to the rooftop and a fantastic view of the Nile and surrounding fields . The second chamber, which is beautifully decorated with a variety of scenes, leads to the Sanctuary of Horus, where the live falcon, the god and his wife reigned and received offerings. Arround the sanctuary there are a number of smaller chambers with fine reliefs and, off the passage of victory, a staircase leads down and passes under the outer wall of the temple to a Nilometer.

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Kom Ombo

The fertile, irrigated sugar cane and corn fields around Kom Ombo, 65 Km south of Edfu, support not only the original community of fellaheen but also a large population of Nubians displaced from their own lands by the creation of lake Nasser. It's a pleasant little place easily accessible en route between Aswan and Luxor.

In ancient times Kom Ombo was strategic as a trading town on the great caravan route from Nubia, and was the meeting place of the routes from the gold mines of the eastern desert and the red sea. During the Ptolemic period it served as the capital of the Ombite nome, and elephants were brought up from Africa to Kom Ombo to train with the armies to defend the region.

Temple Of Kom Ombo

The temple of Kom Ombo or, nore precisely, the dual temple of Sobek and Haroreis, stands on a promontory at a bend in the Nile, where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the river bank.

It is also unusual in that, architecturally, everything is doubled and perfectly symmetrical along the main axis of the temple. There are twin entrance, twin courts, twin colonnades, twin hypostyle halls, , twin sanctuaries and , in keeping with the dual nature of the temple, there was probably a twin priesthood.

The left side of the temple was dedicated to Haroreis, or Hori\us the Elder, the falcon headed sky-god; the right half was dedicated to Sobek, the local crocodile- headed god, who was also worshipped in Al Fayoum.

The Graeco-Roman structure faces the Nile. The entrance pylon, the outer enclosure wall and part of the court, all built by Augustus after 30BC, have been either mostly destroyed by pilfering stonemasons or eroded by the river. The temple proper was actually begun by Ptolemy VI Philometor in the early 2nd century BC; Ptolemy XIII ( also known as Neos Dionysos ) built the outer and inner hypostyle halls and subsequent Ptolemies and Romans contribued to the relief decoration.

South of the main temple is the Roman Chapel of Hathor, dedicated to the wife of Horus, which is used to store a collection of mummified crocodiles dug up from a nearby sacred animal cemetery. Four of the collection are on display.

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Aswan

Aswan Dam

When the British constructed the Aswan Dam above the first Nile Cataract at the turn of the century it was the largest of its kind of the world. The growing population of Egypt had made it imperative to put more land under cultivation and the only way to achieve this was to regulate the flow of the Nile.

Measuring 2441m across, the Dam was built between 1898 and 1902 almost entirely of local Aswan granite. Although its height had to be raised twice to meet the demand, it not only greatly increased the area of cultivable land but also provided the country with most of its hydroelectric power. Now completely surpassed both in function and as a tourist attraction by the high dam 6Km upstream, it is still worth a brief visit, as the area around the first Nile Cataract below it is extremely fertile and picturesque.

High Dam

Egypt's contemporary example of building on a monumental scale contains 18 times the amount of material used in the great Pyramid of Cheops. The controversial Sadd al- Ali the high Dam, 17 Km south of Aswan, is 3600m across, 980m wide at its base and 111m high at its highest point.

About 35.000 people helped build this enormous structure. When it was completed the water that collected behind it became lake Nasser, the world's largest artificial lake. As early as the 1940s it was evident that the Old Dam, which only regulated the flow of water, was not big enough to counter the unpredictable annual flooding of the great river.But it wasn't until Nasser came to power in 1952 that the plans were drawn up the new Dam, 6 Km from the Old Dam. Work began in the High Dam in 1960, and completed in 1971.

Unfinished Obelisk

There are two unfinished obelisks in the vicinity of Aswan. The closet, and most visited, is about 1.5Km from town. This huge discarded obelisk lies on the edge of the northern granite quarries that supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in Pyramids and temples. Three sides of the shaft, which is nearly 42m long, were completed except for the inscriptions and it would have been the largest single piece of stone ever handled if a flaw had not appeared in the granite . So it lies there, where the disappointed stonemasons abandoned it, still partly attached to parent rock and with no indication of what it was intended for.

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Philae Temple

The temple of Philae is one of the three best preserved Ptolemaic temples, together with those of Edfu and Dendera . Phila was the largest of the three islands at the southern end of the group of rocks of the First Cataract, and is 400 meters long and 135 wide. Phila's particular geographic position is revealed by its name. Pilak in fact, as it was called in ancient texts, meant "the corner island" or 'the end island'.

For originally Philae was on the east bank of the Nile, in the corner of a small bay, and also at the southern extremity of the First Cataract. Of the other two islands, Bigeh (now partly submerged) was particularly sacred for it was the place of the eternal sleep of Osiris and therefore out of bounds for human beings. Only the priests who came by boat from Philae to celebrate their sacred rituals there on the 360 offering tables which indicated the place of burial of Osiris could land there.

The temples which rose on Philae were dedicated to his bride lsis, who with the power of her love had recomposed the scattered members of her husband and had resuscitated him. The cult of the goddess, on this island, goes far back in time and traditionally the Egyptians went at least once a year in pilgrimage to the sacred island. The priests of Isis were removed in A.D. 535, under the reign of justinian.

The third island is Agilkia: and this is where we can still see the temple complex which originally stood on Philae, barely 500 meters away.The sacred island, in fact, was above water every month up until 1898. With the construction of the Old Dam, it remained submerged by the artificial lake most of the year: only in August and September, when the sluices of the dam were opened to release the pressure of the flood, did the island emerge from the waters and could be visited.

The construction of the High Dam created a problem for Philae.The sacred island would have found itself in a closed basin, where the waters, no longer twenty meters deep as before but only four, would have created a continuous ebb and flow which with the passing of the years would inevitably have eroded the foundations of the temples which, sooner or later, would have collapsed.

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Mausoleum Of the Agha Khan

Aswan was the favorite wintering place of Mohamed Shah Agha khan, the 48th imam, or leader, of the Ismaili sect of Islam . When he died in 1957 his wife, the Begum, oversaw the construction of his domed granite and sandstone mausoleum, which is partway up the hill on the west bank opposite Elephantine Island.

Modeled on the Fatimid tombs of Cairo, the interior, which incorporates a small mosque, is more impressive than the exterior. The sarcophagus, of Carrara marble, is inscribed with texts from the Quarn and stands in a vaulted chamber in the interior courtyard. Part of the sarcophagus has been reserved for the Begum.

Now in her 90s, the Begum still lives for some of the year in the white villa ( below the mausoleum ) which used to be their winter retreat . Every day she places a red rose on his sarcophagus; a ritual that is carried on in summer by her gardener.

Monastery of St. Simon

Also known as Deir Saaman, this monastery was founded in the 7th century, but was destroyed; the present-day Monastery dates from the 10th century. The building is consists of two levels and a surrounding 6-meter- high wall, giving it the look of a military fortress. A flight of steps from inside the church leads to the upper floor, which holds the sleeping quarters. It is one of the best-preserved monasteries in Egypt and might be worth a visit. The monastery is also on the west bank and could be reached from the tomb of Agha Khan. Another alternative is to ride a camel up to the monastery.

The Temple of Kalabshah

Like Philae, the Temple of Kalabshah was about to be submerged forever under the rising waters of the Nile, had it not been moved 40 km north of its original site. The relocation project was carried out and completed in 1975. Today the temple stands on the west bank of Lake Nasser, south of the Aswan High Dam. It was constructed at around 20 BC during the reign of Emperor Agustus, and was dedicated to the Nubian god Mandulis, the equivalent of the Egyptian god Horus. Right next to Kalabshah are the temples of Kertassi (to the north) and Beit Al-Wali.

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Nubian Museum

The long awaited Nubian museum finally opened its doors in November 1997. Showcasing the history, art and culture of Nubia from Prehistoric times down to the present, it is a very small and belated thanks to the sacrifice made by the Nubian people for the Aswan Dam. The exhibits are beautifully displayed and clearly written explanations take you from 4500BC through to the present day.

Among the highlights are the 600 year old painted pottery bowls, a stunning quartzite statue of a 25th dynasty Kushite priest of Amun, and a fascinating display tracing of development of irrigation along the Nile, from the earliest attempts to control the flow of the River, right up to the building of the Aswan Dam.

All this is housed in a well-designed modern building, loosely based on traditional Nubian architecture. In the museum garden there is a reconstructed Nubian house ( which you can't enter, unfortunately )and a small newly-built " cave " where fragments of prehistoric rock paintings have been placed. The site also incorporates an 11th century Fatimid tomb.

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Abu Simbel

Some 175 miles / 280 Km south of Aswan 25 miles / 40 Km north of the Egyptian þ- þSudanese frontier at Wadi Halfa, near the second cataract ( now drowned under the waters of Lake Nasser ), are the rock temples of Abu Simbleþ.þ

We can only speculate why Ramesses decided to construct such magnificent temples on this particular site. Probably there were already cave sanctuaries here at a very early period, since such sanctuaries were numerous in Nubia. With the creation of a temple dedicated to himself Ramesses became the first Pharaoh to take the final decisive step towards equating King and God; and at the same time the construction of the temples symbolized his royal and divine claim to rule the flourishing region of Nubia, New dangers threatened the Abu Simble temples when work began on the construction of the Aswan High Dam on January 9, 1960, since the site of this unique monuments would be swallowed up by the rising waters of lake Nasser, the huge reservoir to be created by the new dam. At the joint request of Egypt and Sudan Unesco put in train a massive rescue operation which saved the two temples for posterity. There was much discussion of possible means of saving the temples.

Finally, as the level of the lake continued to rise and time grew ever shorter, the decision was taken for sawing the temples into manageable blocks and re-erecting them on higher ground near their original sites.

The great temple is carved out of the mountains on the west bank of the Nile between 1290 and 1224BC, the temple was dedicated to the gods Ra-Harakhty, Amun and Path and of course to the deified Pharaoh himself.

The great temple was hewn out of the rock to a depth of 207feet/ 63m. The axis of the temples was aligned from west to east in such a way that twice every year, on February 20 and October 20 ( now one day later, on Feb 21 and Oct 21 ), the rays of the rising sun reached the divine figures on the rear wall of the sanctuary.

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Aswan to Abu Simbel

Temple of Belt El Wali

Erected by Ramses II in the beginning of his Reign. Also visit the Kiosk of Kertassi, erected to honour the Godess Isis.

The Temple of Beit El wali ( House of the Holy man ) was rebuilt with assistance from the US government and placed just north-west of the temple of Kalabsha.

Most of Beit El Wali, which was carved from the rocks, was built during the reign of Ramses II. On the walls of the forecourt are several fascinating reliefs, detailing the Pharaoh's victory over the Nubians and his war against the Lybians and Syrians.

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Wadi El Seboua Temple

Delicated by Ramses II to the two Gods Amon Ra and Harmakis. Wadi El Seboua means in Arabic " Valley Of lions " and refers to the avenue of 10 Sphinxes that stood in front of the Temple Of Ramses - Mery - Amun. The rear of the Temple was converted to a Church, but the original reliefs showing Ramses Making yet more offerings to the gods, some with traces of colour, are well preserved.

The Temple of Dakka

Dedicated to the God thut of of divine Wisdom , lord of limes and Science, master of Literature. Originally situated 40 KM north of here.

Temple of Meharakka

Originally stood 50KM north of here near the village of Ofendina. Thought to have been dedicated To Serapis, the Alexandrian god, its decorations were never finished and the walls seem very bare. There is some evidence that the temple was later used as a Church, but little of it remains. 

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Temple of Amada

Standing 2,6KM from its original site, and it's the oldest surviving monument on Lake Nasser Dating back to the XVIII th dynasty, built during the reign of Thtmosis III, Amenophis III and Thotmosis IV. It has some of the finest reliefs in any Nubian monument and contains two important historical inscriptions. The first, on the left of the entrance, tells how a Libyan backed rebellion in Nubia was quashed by the Kings; the second, on the back wall of the temple, describes a campaign by the new Kingdom Pharoh Amenophis II against the Asiatics and details his ruthless murder of prisoners of war.

The Temple of Derr

Dedicated by Ramses II to the rising sun was the only Pharaonic temple to be situated on the east bank of the Nile and originally stood 11 KM south-west of its present site.

Tomb of Penout

5 Minutes walk from the Temple Of Derr is the small rock-cut Tomb Of Penout, which wasoriginally situated at Aniba, 40KM south of Amada . Penout was the chief administrator of lower Nubia during the reign of Ramses VI. Consisting of a small Chapel with a niche at the rear, some of the reliefs still have traces of colour and depict events and personalities from Penout life.

The Citadel of Kasr Ibrim

Solo vestige of the distant past of Nubia in its original location During the Pharaonic period, this hill was dominated by a cathedral of which we can still admire some Roman arches.

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