The Pyramids of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza considered as the most tourists sightseeing in Egypt, the most famous 3 main Pyramids were built during the 4th Dynasty about 2550 B.C., Pyramids were built as the tombs for the Kings and Queens, and it was exclusive to them as a tradition which applied during the old kingdom, they about 93 Pyramids in Egypt, but the greatest and famous ones are located in Giza.
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The Great Pyramid of Khufu
The Great Pyramid of Khufu, is the greatest and famous Pyramids in Egypt, it is the tallest, intact and the biggest Pyramids in Egypt, it is one of the Seven Wonders of the world and the only remaining on of them, for 4300 years old the Pyramid of Khufu was the tallest building in the world until 1889 when France built the Eiffel Tower.
it is totally built of limestone, and it is a real architectural masterpiece, Khufu’s Pyramid contains on about 1300000 blocks, which ranging between 2.5 to 15 tons weight, it is deserved really to be one of the Seven wonders of the worlds, the blocks built on a square base covering around 13 acres, the height of the Pyramids now is137 meters, but the original height was 146.5 meters and 9.5 meters was missing by the Turkish in the 15th Century, the take the blocks to build the Masjids and their houses in Egypt because the high quality of the limestone.
the entrance of the Khufu’s Pyramid is situated at the north of the pyramid as the most pyramids in Egypt, there are actually 2 entrance there, the original one it is 17 meters above the ground level, and the second one who created by Al Khalif El-Mamoun in the 9th Century for seeking for the treasures, but they found nothing because treasures there are already plundered in antiquity, a lot of surprises and value information you will found when you visit this sightseeing.
The Pyramid of Khafre
The Pyramid of Khafre is the second famous pyramid in Egypt, it is about 136 meters only, but it is stand on the high part of the pyramid plateau which gives impression that it’s taller that Pyramid of Khufu but it is just optical illusions, The Pyramid of Khafre covering an area of eleven acres and its original high was 143.5 meters, The Pyramid of Khafre is similar to The Great Pyramid of Khufu in the entrance only which is located on the northern side, but there are not corridors towards inside the pyramids like Khufu’s Pyramids because the burial chamber is located there underground, the entrance is 15 meters above the ground.
The Pyramid of Menkaure
The Pyramid of Menkaure, Menkaure is Khafre’s son, and he built the third pyramids of the main Pyramids of Giza, it is the smallest one, it is originally 65.5 meters height, but nowadays it is only 62 meters height, they suggest that while building this pyramids Menkaure altered its construction to a little bigger than original plan, because the small original one had a burial chamber and a descending corridor, but after amendment there are another corridor was built with panelled chamber and portcullis, later there is another burial chamber added with a storeroom at the lower level, the pyramids too has the entrance on the northern side.
but it had a different thing from the other two Pyramids, that’s the choosing of stones casing, the Pyramids are cased partly in Turah limestone for the first fifteen meters up, for the first fifteen meters of the pyramid was are cased by the pink granite, which they bring it from Aswan, Muhammad Ali Pasha take the last stones during the year 1805 to build his arsenal which located in Alexandria.
Note: going inside the Pyramids, mean that you will have to bend down along all the way till reaching the burial chamber, it is a long narrow way with a low roof so be careful and wear a suitable clothes.
The Sphinx
The Sphinx
The Sphinx, also it is known in the ancient Egyptians period as “the living image” or the “Shesib Ankh”, The Great Sphinx is one of the most famous ancient construction and monuments in the history, if it comes to your mind to think of the Sphinx that mean to think of Egypt’s ancient history, The Sphinx was sculpted from the soft sandstone, the length of the sphinx’s body is about 60 meters, and it’s tall about 20 meters, the face of the Sphinx designed to face the rising sun, and was very revered by ancient Egyptians.
the story goes that during the 18th dynasty, when Thutmose was young, he went to hunting during that he fell asleep under the shade of the great Sphinx’s head, and he dreamed with the sun god “Ra HorAkhty” talking to him through the Sphinx and telling him that he have to clear up the sand because it is choking out the Sphinx, and he inform him if he did that, we will be the ruler of Egypt, the young prince cleared away the sand and after 2 years the prince became the king of Egypt.
The nose of the Sphinx and a part of the cobra at the sphinx’s forehead are missing, they said that Napoleon, who shot off the nose but other story goes that the noise shot off by “Sa’im Al Dahr” a Sufi fanatic, that was in the year 1378 when he found the Egyptians peasants offering the Sphinx in the hoping to increase their harvest, and that was outraged Sa’im Al-Dahr and he go and destroyed the sphinx nose to explain that he is just a statue cannot do anything even defend himself.
Unfortunately that the Sphinx built from soft sandstone, and it is located in a modern city like Giza which means more pollution conditions, also the due the humidity and the wind that causing more damage to the Sphinx, also it is repaired many times before and sometimes during the repairs operation it causes more damage for the sphinx.
You have to know the following points before you visiting the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx:
It’s not allowed to climb the Pyramids, only allowed to climb the stones which lead you to the entrance, and please note that you have to wear suitable walking shoes.
The best time to visit the pyramids and the Sphinx is between 08:00 am to 12:00 pm or 15:00 pm to 17:00 pm.
If you wish to make a tour inside the Great Pyramid, then you have to buy an extra ticket, it will cost you 100 LE.
Going inside the Pyramid of Khafre, you will have to buy an extra ticket by 20 LE, and they charge you 10 LE for the camera.
If you like to ride a horse or a camel you have to inform your Guide and do not go to yourself to deal with the horseman or the vendors, and simply use only “La Shukran” which means “No, thank You”.
Check also in Cairo: The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities.
