TOP 15 BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN EGYPT
There's no other place in the world that holds more mystery than the country of Egypt. The smell of the mysticism of the ancient Egyptians still lingers over the place. This ancient atmosphere seems to fill its every nook and cranny with secrets yet untold. It was apleasure for me to make my dream come true and visit the land of the pyramids and the pharaos full of secrets, history, beauty, and knowledge.
The ten best places i recommend to anyone who visits Egypt are the following. I hope you enjoy them........
1.) PYRAMIDS OF GIZA
And perhaps there is nothing more mysterious, and more worthy of seeing in Egypt than the esteemed Great Pyramids of Giza. These are the pyramids of Khufu, Kafhre, and Menkaura. These perfectly shaped structures leaves everyone in awe and in wonder about how exactly they were made, considering that the ancient Egyptians had no advanced technology to work with.
The ten best places i recommend to anyone who visits Egypt are the following. I hope you enjoy them........
1.) PYRAMIDS OF GIZA
And perhaps there is nothing more mysterious, and more worthy of seeing in Egypt than the esteemed Great Pyramids of Giza. These are the pyramids of Khufu, Kafhre, and Menkaura. These perfectly shaped structures leaves everyone in awe and in wonder about how exactly they were made, considering that the ancient Egyptians had no advanced technology to work with.
2.) SPHINX
And of course, if you're going to go to the Great Pyramids, then you might as well go to the Sphinx. This is one of the most mysterious structures in Egypt. Even now, archaeologists are still arguing about its origin and its purpose, making it the subject of the famous phrase, "the Riddle of the Sphinx."
3.) ABU SIMBEL
My favorite place......These two temples were built by Pharaoh Ramesses II to commemorate himself and his wife, Nefertari. It's a breathtaking place, and its temples are hailed as one of the most beautiful in Egypt. What's even more interesting about the Abu Simbel is the amount of effort put into relocating and preserving it.
4.) EDFU TEMPLE
Edfu is located 60Km to the north of Aswan. It was the 2nd Nome of Upper Egypt and the center of the cult of a triad of gods, which consisted of Horus of Behdet, Hathor, and their son, Hor-Sama-Tawy. In the old Greek documents, Edfu was known as “Apollopolis Magna” because the Greeks identified Horus with their god. Today, the most important monument in the city of Edfu is the Temple of Horus, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful and preserved Temples in Egypt.
And of course, if you really want to immerse yourself in Egyptian culture, it would be best for you to go to the capital city, Cairo. The place is teeming with bazaars and restaurants where you can buy your taste of Egyptian culture. It's surely not a place to miss.
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5.) TEMPLES OF LUXOR AND KARNAK
What better way to experience ancient Egypt than to visit the very place where they worshipped their gods. The Temples of Karnak is the biggest site for Egyptian worship. It has a monument to just about every god in the Theban religion.
6.) THE NILE RIVER
And of course, you can't miss out on the famous Nile River. It is, after all, what nourished Egypt and turned it into the place of wonder that it is. In fact, what's great about visiting the Nile is that you can take a Felucca and sail down the legendary river, taking in the sights of the city and the sunset.
7.) VALLEY OF THE KINGS
The Valley of the Kings or Biban El Moluk is the place where Egypt's most esteemed pharaohs were buried. This place is teeming with mummies and undiscovered treasures. In fact, this is the place where archaeologists found one of the most famous mummies of all time - Tutankhamun.
8.) EGYPTIAN MUSEUM
Of course, since it would be unwise to leave the Egyptian treasures in the tombs they were found in, the archeologists put them in the Egyptian museum where they would be put under high security. If you want to learn about Egypt, this is the best place to start. There's no other place with a higher concentration of Egyptian artifacts, and you can even follow the tour so that you can be oriented with the history of each of the artifacts. Here you can see the beautiful mask of Tutankhamen and all the treasures found in his tomb.
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| The mummy of the famous pharaoh Ramses the Great |
9. HATSHEPSUT TEMPLE DEIR EL- BAHRI
The Temple of Deir El-Bahri is one of the most characteristic temples in the whole of Egypt, due to its design and decorations. built of limestone, not sandstone like most of the other funerary temples of the New Kingdom period.
It is thought that Senimut, the genius architect who built this Temple, was inspired in his design by the plan of the neighboring mortuary Temple of the 12th Dynasty King, Neb-Hept-Re. The Temple was built for the great Queen Hatshepsut (18th Dynasty), to commemorate her achievements and to serve as a funerary Temple for her, as well as a sanctuary of the god, Amon Ra.
This unique Temple reflects clear ideas about the serious conflict between Hatshepsut, and her nephew and son in law, Tuthmosis III, since many of her statues were destroyed, and the followers of Tuthmosis III damaged most of her Cartouches, after the mysterious death of the queen.
10.) COM OMBO TEMPLE
The Temple of Kom Ombo stands on the east bank of the Nile, right next to the river, about 4Km from the town. It was dedicated to two gods, Horus and Sobek
The Temple was mainly dedicated to the god Sobek, the crocodile god, together with his wife, in another form of the goddess Hathor. The Temple is of Greco-Roman structure, dating back to the year 119 BC, when Ptolemy VI, who started the construction, built it out of limestone. Neos Dionysus finished most of the building, while the Emperor Augustus added the final touches
11.) THE STEPPED PYRAMID AT SAKKARA
Saqqara is one of the most extensive archaeological sites in Egypt! It was the cemetery for Memphis, the capital of Ancient Egypt, yet it is still one of the virgin archaeological sites, despite the fact that so much has already been found here!
Today it is considered as one of the oldest stone structures built by man, and the first time the Ancient Egyptians would attempt to use limestone. Zoser’s Pyramid is entirely built of limestone, small bricks of limestone, and not of the best quality, and yet it has remained for more than 4700 years!
When conducting a visit to Sakkara don’t miss the following sites:
Saqqara is one of the most extensive archaeological sites in Egypt! It was the cemetery for Memphis, the capital of Ancient Egypt, yet it is still one of the virgin archaeological sites, despite the fact that so much has already been found here!
Today it is considered as one of the oldest stone structures built by man, and the first time the Ancient Egyptians would attempt to use limestone. Zoser’s Pyramid is entirely built of limestone, small bricks of limestone, and not of the best quality, and yet it has remained for more than 4700 years!
When conducting a visit to Sakkara don’t miss the following sites:
- The Step Pyramid of King Zoser, and it surrounding complex:
- The Pyramid of King Titi
- The tomb of Mereruka and the tomb of Kagimni
- The Mastaba tomb of Ti, and the tomb of Ptah-Hotep
12.) THE OLD MARKET OF EL KHAN EL-KHALILI
The Khan El-Khalili is one of the most interesting bazaars, not only in Egypt, but also in the whole Middle East.
It was named after Prince Jaharkas Al-Khalili, who was one of the powerful Mamluke Princes in the 14th century. It is famous for its unusual, typically oriental souvenirs, and handmade crafts. The Medieval atmospheres of this traditional market, together with the labyrinth layout of the streets, gives visitors o lot of pleasure and a glimpse into what medieval markets once were like.
Every visitor can take the opportunity to safely enjoy the walk through the narrow streets of Khan El-Khalili. We strongly recommend visiting this vivid bazaar, but keep in mind that in open traditional markets, the prices are not fixed; remember to bargain (haggle) to get the best price. The Khan El-Khalili Bazaar is place where art and commerce come together to give a unique and remarkable, harmonious experience.
Cafes, restaurants, shops, and large number of vendors and buyers constitute a dynamic panorama of the place. Drinking Hibiscus, Karakare, Helba, or any of the various typical Egyptian beverages, is a pleasant experience for visitors and guests to get a real taste experience. For smokers, there is the Shisha, or water pipe, to be tried.
Mohamed Ali Mosque is amongst the most interesting Mosques in Egypt. It stands proudly on the highest point inside the courtyard of the Citadel of Saladin, and is also called the Alabaster Mosque. The architect was Yousf Boushnaq, a Turkish man who had come over from Istanbul to build this great Mosque for Mohamed Ali, the ruler of Egypt from1805 until 1849. He based his plans on the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, and the construction began in 1830 A.D. The work continued ceaselessly until the death of Mohamed Ali in 1849, and had to be finished during the reign of his successors. Mohamed Ali was buried in the tomb situated on the south-eastern side of Beit Al Salah, on the right side of the entrance that leads to the main section.
In 1899 the Mosque showed signs of cracking and repairs were undertaken, but some of these repairs were not adequate. Therefore, in 1931, during the reign of King Fuad I, a committee was set up, comprising of several great architects, which eventually presented a report recommending the demolition of the big main dome, the semi domes and the small domes, and then reconstructing them according to the original design. Between 1931 and 1939, the project, including demolition, building and rebuilding, painting and gilding, was undertaken; the total cost being 100,000 LE.
The main material used for the construction was limestone, but the lower parts of the Mosque, and the forecourt, are faced to a height of 11.5m with alabaster.
14.) THE COLOSSI OF MEMNON The main material used for the construction was limestone, but the lower parts of the Mosque, and the forecourt, are faced to a height of 11.5m with alabaster.
13.) MOHAMED ALI MOSQUE
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On your way to visit the west bank of Luxor, the first monument that you will encounter, before you get to valley, 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.
Parts of the northern statue cracked and fell during an earthquake in 27 BC.
Parts of the northern statue cracked and fell during an earthquake in 27 BC.
The Aswan High Dam was a great project! In fact it was one of the most important achievements of the last century in Egypt, for many years symbolising the New Era of the Revolution of 1952. It provides Egypt with water and electricity, and secures the country from the risk of the destructive inundation of the River Nile.
The High Dam of Aswan is a great project. In fact it was one of the most important achievements of the in the last century in Egypt, even for many years it was a symbol of the New Era of the Revolution of 1952. It provided Egypt with water and electricity and secured the country of the risk of the destructive inundation.
The Unfinished Obelisk lies, in its original location, in a granite quarry in Aswan. It is 42m in length and was most probably abandoned when some cracks appeared in the rock, during its construction. Had this obelisk been completed, it would have been the heaviest obelisk ever cut in Ancient Egypt, weighing nearly 1100 tons! It is believed that it was constructed and abandoned during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut (18th Dynasty).
I hope and I pray God to give me the chance to visit you my belove Egypt again......
