Cairo
Cairo Was Once The
Byzantine City Of Babylon—The Same As In The Song "By The Rivers Of
Babylon…" In 969 AD, The Fatimid Rulers Captured The Reigns Of Power,
To Be Succeeded By The Mameluks, A Slave Dynasty. They Left Behind A
Warren Of Districts Like Al-Muski, Darb Al-Ahmar And Gamaliya. The
Old-World Charm Here Is Palpable, And Well Worth Soaking In. |
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The
Egyptian Museum
The Section Called
Old Cairo Is Where Babylon Once Stood—Its Main Attractions Are The
Coptic Hanging Church And The Monastery/Church Of St Sergius,
Supposedly Built On The Place Where The Biblical Holy Family Rested
While Escaping From King Herod. Memphis Borders Cairo And Is Renowned
For The Temple Of Ptah, Which Has Within Its Precincts The Alabaster
Sphinx And The Gargantuan Statue Of Rameses II.
Today, Cairo Is A Lively And Tourist-Friendly City, With An Active
Cultural Scene And A Bustling Nightlife. The Egyptian Museum Is A
Must-Visit, With Endless Rows Of Sarcophagi, Mummies And Other Tomb
Treasures. The Museum Is Open From 9 Am To 5 Pm On All Days Except
Friday, When It Is Closed For A Few Hours. Students Get A 50% Discount
On Entry Fee, Which Is US$6 And An Additional US$18 If You Want To See
The Royal Mummy Room. |
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Khan Al-Khalili
Is A Vast Maze Of Shops In Cairo That Offer Fantastic Opportunities
For SouvenirHunting. Bargain Like Crazy! |
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No Monuments Is
Egypt Are Visited As Much As The Pyramids At Giza And
The Sphinx This
Is Truly The Stuff That The Glossiest Egyptian Tourist Brochures Are
Made Of! The Three |
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Pyramids Are Devoted To The Father-Son-GrandsonTrio Of Cheops, Cephren And Mycerinus. The First Two Are The Most
Impressive.
Egyptologists And
Archeologists Differ Over The Exact Significance Of The Sphinx (Known
In Arabic As ‘Abu Al-Hol’ |
Or The ‘Father Of Terror’) In Egyptian
Culture, But There Is No Doubting The Sheer Grandeur Of The Figure.It Is Considered The Most Ancient Capital Of Egypt Established By King Mina. |
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Among Its Monuments :
• The Colossal
Tatue Of Ramses Ii Exhibited In The Museum.
• The Alabaster Statue Of The Sphinx For King Tuthmosis III.
• The Serapeum :
Temple Of Mummification Of Apis , The Sacred Bull . |
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| Another Important
Place To Visit In Saqqara Is The Pyramid Of
Unas, The Serapeum Of Burial Place The Sacred Bulls And Mastabas Which
Are Known As The Tombs Of Nobles, The Most Famous Of Which Is The Tomb
Of Ptah Hotep, The Tomb Of Kagemni And The Tomb Of Mereruka. |
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The Citadel
One of Cairo's major attractions, the massive Citadel complex dominates the city skyline. Built on a limestone spur by Salah al-Din (Saladin) in the 12th century, most of its features are associated with Mohammed Ali, the early 19th century leader who freed Egypt of the Mameluke yoke.The Citadel offers fantastic panoramic views of Islamic Cairo in a
castlesetting |
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rich in history Perhaps its most famous tale is of
Mohammed Ali inviting 470 Mameluke leaders to a feast in the Citadel
palace, only to have them trapped in a narrow passageway upon leaving
and slaughtered by his men. Legend says only one Mameluke escaped by
leaping the walls on his horse. Within the Citadel complex are the
following attractions: Al-Gawhara (Jewel) Palace, Mohammed Ali
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| Mosque, Police Museum, Sultan Al-Nasir Mosque, Military Museum,
Carriage Museum, Archaeological Museum, Suleyman . |
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Mohamed Ali
Alabaster Mosque
Designed By The
Greek Architect Yussuf Bushnaq, The Mohammad Ali (Alabaster) Mosque In
The Citadel Was Begun In 1830 (Finished In 1857) In The Ottoman Style
By Mohammad Ali Pasha, Ruler Of Egypt, And Founder Of The Country's
Last Dynasty Of Khedives And Kings. The Mosque Is The Tomb Of Mohammad
Ali And Is Also Known As The Alabaster Mosque Because Of The Extensive
Use Of This Fine Material From Beni Suef. Its Two Slender 270 Foot
Minarets Are Unusual For Cairo. From The Arcaded Courtyard, Visitors
Have A Magnificent View Across The City To The Pyramids In Giza. Just
Off The Courtyard Is The Vast Prayer Hall With An Ottoman Style Dome
Which Is 170 Feet Above. The Parapet To The Southwest Offers A Good
View Of The Sultan Hassan And Ibn Tulun Mosques And Of Cairo Itself.
Perhaps Because Of Its Location, It Is One Of The Most Frequented
Mosques By Tourists |
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* The North Coast
Has The Novelty Of Pleasant Climate Even In The Summer (It Being The
Egyptian Mediterranean), And Has Two Main Tourist Centres— And Marsa
Matrouh |
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Alexandria
It's The Second Largest City In Egypt, It Has An Atmosphere That
Is More Mediterranean Than Middle Eastern; Its Ambience And Cultural
Heritage Distance It From The Rest Of The Country Although It Is
Actually Only 225 Km. From Cairo. Alexandria Lies Northwest Of The
Nile Delta And Adjoins Lake Mariut |
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. It Is Linked To Cairo By The Delta
Road (231 Km.) And The Desert Road (225 Km.). It Is One Of The Most
Notable Summer Resorts In The Middle East, Known For Its Temperate
Winters And Beaches, With Soft Sands And Magnificent Scenery That
Stretch For 40 Km. Along The Mediterranean Sea. Founded By Alexander
The Great In 331 Bc, Alexandria Became The Capital Of The Graeco-Roman
Egypt, Its Status As A Beacon Of Culture Symbolized By Pharos And The
Setting For The Stormy Relationship Between Cleopatra And Mark Antony.
The City, Immortalizing Alexander's Name, Flourished, Beyond All
Expectations, Into A Prominent Cultural, Intellectual And Economic
Metropolis, The Remains Of Which Are Still Evident To This Day. There
Is So Much To See In This City. Listed Below Is A Brief Overview Of
Some Of The Sites That You Can Visit. |
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The Graeco-Roman Museum:
Houses Many Collections Of Rare Roman Relics And Coins- About
40 Thousand Pieces, From The 3rd Century B.C. To The 7th Century A.D.
The Most Important Being The " Tanafra " Statues.
Pompeii's Pillar ) |
This Is A Granite Pillar, Over 25 Meters High, And
Built Amidst The Ruins Of The Serapium In 297 A.D., In Honor Of
Emperor Diocletian. |
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| The Catacombs Of Kom Al-Shqafa: This Is The Largest Roman Cemetery. It
Is Of Three Levels And Cut In The Rock To A Depth Of 100 Feet. Dating
To The Beginning Of The 2nd Century A.D., It Is A Blend Of Pharaonic
And Roman Art. |
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| The Tombs Of Al-Anfushi: These Limestone Tombs, Dating From About 250b.C. Are Decorated
With Pictures Of Egyptian Gods And Daily Life. |
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Other Tourist Attractions
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The Fort Of Qait Bay
The Fort Of Qaitbay Lies On The Northern Tip Of The Eastern
Harbour On The Same Site Where The Pharaohs Of Alexandria Once Stood
The 15th Century Fort Built In The Mediaeval Style . Comprise Three
Floor 5 . Currently In Houses The Marine Museum Preserving
Alexandria’s Marine Heritage. |
Al-Montazah Palace
Acres Of Formal Gardens And A Beautiful Beach Make Montazah
(Shown To The Right ) The Foremost City Pleasure Grounds. Montazah
Palace, A Grand Structure Built In A Mixture Of Turkish And Florentine
Styles, Is Now A Great Statehouse. |
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The Mosque Of Mursi Abbas
Located At El Anfoushi Area . The Mosque Is One Of Alexandria
‘S Islmic Landmars With Its Very High Minaret And Four Domes. |
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Marsa Matrouh
Is Being Enthusiastically
Developed By The Egyptian Government As A Major |
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Tourist Center,But
Despite Some Good Beaches (Shatt Al-Gharam, Agiba And Ubaiyyad),It
Has Little To Offer
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Upper Nile Area (Which Is Actually In The South Of The Country) Boasts
Three Very Interesting Towns, Albeit For Different Reasons.
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Luxor
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Is A
Regular Tourist Hotspot For The Reason Most Travelers Visit Egypt—The
Sheer Grandeur Of Its Well-Preserved Monuments Dating From The Old,
Middle And New Kingdoms Of Ancient Egypt. The Best Part Is That You
Don’t Need To Be An Egyptologist Or Even A History Buff To Appreciate
The Beauty Of Luxor’s Monuments. |
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| The Temple
of Karnak The Great Temple Of Amun
At Karnak Was Once The Religious Centre Of Thebes And Upper Egypt.
Karnak Was Linked To Luxor By A Sphinx-Lined Avenue, And The Whole
Complex Of Temples Was In Turn Linked To The Nile Via A Canal Through
Which Moved The Sacred Boats Of The God Amun. Passing Through A
Smaller Avenue Of Ram-Headed Sphinxes, Erected By Ramesses II, We Come
To The Massive Pylon Entrance Of The 30th Dynasty. Inside The Great
Courtyard, Which Dates From The 22nd Dynasty, Are Three Chapels
Dedicated To The Gods Amun, Khous And Mut By Seth II. The Impressive
Hypostyle Hall Has 134 Soaring Columns; Each Column Is Carved With
Scenes Of Gods And Pharaohs; The Inscriptions On The Walls Tell Their
Stories Of War And Peace. |
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The Valley of the Kings: Situated In A Secluded
Area Of The West Bank, The Valley Of The Kings Contains 62 Excavated
Tombs, Mostly Royal But Some Belonging To Members Of The Nobility.
There Are Differences In Style, Colour And Content In Each Of The
Tombs; The Earliest Have Staircases, Corridors And Right-Angled Bends
While The Later Ones Are More Simplified, |
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Sloping Corridors. The Walls And Ceilings Were Painted With Scenes And
Inscriptions Designed To Assist The King In His Journey Through The
Underworld. |
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A Visit To The Valley Of The Kings Usually Takes In Two Or
Three Of The Tombs,Dependent On The Number Of Visitors In The Valley
And Which Tombs Are Open. Other Main Tombs Include Those Of Amenophis
II (One Of The Best Preserved), Ramesses IX (Never Completed),
Ramesses VI And Seti I (Largest And Most Elaborate). |
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The Valley of the Queens : Also Situated On The West
Bank, The Valley Of The Queens Is Smaller Than The Valley Of The Kings
But Is Ringed By Impressive Cliffs. The Tombs Belong To Lesser
Important Personages (Queens And Princes) But Have Many Interesting
Facets. The Main Tombs Are Those Of Queen Titi (An Otherwise Unknown
Royal Lady), Prince Khaemwaset (Ramesses III's Eldest Son) And Prince
Amenhirkhepeshef (Notable For Its Vivid Colouring). The Finest Tomb,
Is Tomb Of Queen Nefertari. Recent Excavations Have Unearthed
Previously Unknown Tombs, Although Most Are Damaged Or Undecorated.
The Mortuary Temple Of Queen Hatshepsut
The Temple Of Hatshepsut At Deir El-Bahari, Unlike Any Other Temple In
Egypt, Is Composed Of Three Widely-Spaced Terraces With Ramps Leading
From One To The Next. It Is Said That The Queen Intended It As A
Pleasure. |
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Aswan
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While Aswan Was
Always Of Strategic Importance To Egypt, The Town Only Became A City
In The 1960s When Great Forces Of Workers Constructing The High Dam
Were Housed There.
The High Dam Itself Is Over Two Miles Long And 360ft High And Affords
Views Over Lake Nasser. The Lake Is, At Its Fullest, 310 Miles Long, 6
Miles Wide And On Average 600ft Deep. As Well As Being A Beautiful
Resort, Aswan Has A Huge Array Of Temples, Monuments And Sights.
The Ptolemaic Temple Of Philae Was, Like Abu Simbel, Transported From
Its Flooded
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Site To A New Position Above The Water And Completely Rebuilt Stone By Stone. |
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The Beautiful Kiosk Of Trajan Stands Close By
On The Same Island. Kitchener Island And Its Botanical Gardens Are
Reached By Felucca Before Continuing To Elephantine Island (Although
Not Desembarking) Which Has An Ancient Nilometer Built Into Its
Eastern Side And Numerous Rock Reliefs, Inscriptions And Traces Of
Pharaonic Temples.
The Granite Mausoleum Of The Late Aga Khan Commands A Splendid View Of
Aswan And The Nile Valley Beyond Which The Desert Stretches As Far As
The Eye Can See. In The Ancient Granite Quarry Of The Pharaohs, An
Unfinished Obelisk Lies Cracked And Damaged, But Clearly Demonstrates
The Method Used To Cut These Vast Pieces Of Stone. |
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Philae:
South Of The City Of Aswan Lies The Beautiful Temple Complex Of
Philae (Pronounced "Feel-I"). Its Main Temple Was Dedicated To The
Goddess Isis And Its Construction Was Undertaken During The Third
Century B.C. Philae Was The Last Bastion Of Ancient Egyptian Religion
And Hieroglyphic Usage. It Is Also A Superb Example Of Threatened
Cultural Heritage Being Saved In The Face Of Modern Civilization's
March To Change The Environment.The Island Of Philae And Its Temples Came Under Threat At The Turn Of
The Century When The British Erected The Aswan Dam At The First
Cataract. |
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Philae Began To Spend Some Of Its Time Beneath The Backed-Up
Flood Waters Of The Nile. The Dam Was Progressively Raised In The
Following Decades, But The Final Nail In The Coffin For The Island Of
Philae Came With The Construction Of The Aswan High Dam In The 1960s.
The Temples Were Destined To Disappear |
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Forever Beneath The River's
Waters. Fortunately, Philae Was Saved From Drowning. In 1977 , A Coffer Dam Was
Constructed Around The Temples And The Water
Was Pumped Out. Then The
Temples Were Carefully Dismantled With Every Block Assigned A Number
And Its Position Noted. A Nearby Higher Island Called Agilkai Was
Modified To Resemble Philae And The Temples Were Resembled. In 1980,
Philae Was Once Again Opened To The Public.
Today, Philae Is One Of The Highlights Of Any Visit To Aswan. To Reach
It, One Can Take An Organised Excursion Booked Through A Travel Agent
Or Hotel. Alternatively, Take A Taxi To The Boat Landing At Shellal On
The East Side Of The Old Aswan Dam. From There, A Short Boat Trip Can
Be Arranged To The Island.
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Oasis |
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Oasis, A Depression In The Desert Comprising Springs, Wells And Trees,
Reflects The Beauty, Charm And Diversity Of Nature; Its Surrounding
Desert...Green Valleys...Water Wells...High Plateaus...Therapeutic
Sulphur-Rich Springs. |
In Egypt There Are Plenty Of Oases In The
Western Desert. The Most Significant Are Fayyum, Kharga, Dakhia,
Paris, Farafrah, Bahereya, Siwa And The Qattara Depression. The Fayyum
Oasis Lies In Depression, Right In The Western Desert, About 103 Km.South-West Of Cairo. |
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It Is Surrounded By High Plateaus, And Separated
From The Nile Valley By A High Ridge To The East At Al-Lahun.The
Oasis Is Famed For Its All-Year-Round Pleasant Climate And Beautiful
Scenery. There Is Evidence Of Pre-Historic Settlements As Well As
Pharaonic, Greek Roman, Coptic, & Islamic Monuments. Fayyum Boosts A
Combination Of Rural, Coastal, Desert, And Urban Environments, And
Thus Holds Out Great Attractions To Tourists. The Hawara Pyramid
(Shown To The Right) Dating From (1991-1778 Bc) Can Be Found Here. The
Oases Provides A Vast Amount Of Tourist Attractions, Below Is A Brief
Overview Of Some Of The Sites That You Can Visit! |
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Al-Wadi Al-Gadeed Oases :(The New
Valley Oases): The New
Valley Oases Occupies Some 67% Of The Western Desert And 45.8% Of The
Total Area Of Egypt. It Lies 602 Km. From Cairo And 232 Km. From
Assyut. It’s Bordered By The Governorate Of Matruh In The North, Sudan
In The South, Libya In The West, And The Governorates Of Middle Egypt
In The East. It Includes The Kharga, Dakhla, Farafrah And Paris Oases
With More Than 99 Monuments Dating To Different Ages.
The Area Enjoys A Mixture Of The Desert Environment, Green Plains,
Wells, And Sulphur-Rich Springs, Both Cold And Hot. In One Spring, The
Water Temperature Reaches 43 C And Is Suitable For The Treatment Of
Rheumatic And Digestive Ailments, Colds And Allergies.The Oases Are
Famed For Their Dry Climate Most Of The Year, And Humidity Never
Exceeds 9.5%. Warm, Sunny Winters Allow Them To Be An International
Health Spa. |
Dakhla Oasis:
Dakhla (Capital Mut) Is The Second
Provincial Capital Of The Governorate And Lies 200km. North-West Of
Kharga. Midway Is The Zayyan Resthouse. Dakhla Contains Several Wells,
The Most Important Of Which Are: The Mut Wells In Which The
Temperature Reaches 43 C. One Well Is 1224 Meters Deep. It Has A Round
Swimming Pool And Tourist Resthouses With Complete Facilities.The
Pharonic Wells Of Ayn Al-Qasr In Which Water Temperature Reaches 45 C. |
Kharga Oasis:
Capital Of The New
Valley Governorate, It Lies 232 Km. South Of Assyut. It Is
Characterized By Its Numerous Monuments, Springs And Tourist Sites
Such As The Ponds Of Fish In Bulaq Village. |
Paris Oasis: (Temple Of Dush): Located 90 Km. South Of Kharga, It Houses
The Roman Temple Of Dush Dedicated To The God Serapis. There Is Also A
Mud-Brick Turkish Fortress, An Ancient Church And Some Pottery Dating
To The Coptic Period |
Farafrah Oasis:
About 320 Km. Northwest Of Dakhla And 170 Km. North Of Bahereya
Oasis, It Is Suitable For Car Tours And Safaris By Means Of The
Circular Road Connecting It With Dakhla And Bahereya. There Are
Remains Of Roman Buildings, Including Qasr Al-Farafrah, Built Of
Mud-Brick, And Qasr Abu Minqar. |
Siwa Oasis
About 306 Km. South West Of Marsa Matruh
And 627 Km From Cairo, This Oasis Is Renowned For Its Beautiful
Scenery, Thick Groves Of Palm And Olive Trees, Water Springs, And The
Surrounding Mountains. It Has A Steady Climate, Chilly In The Winter,
Hot In The Summer And Moderate In Spring And Autumn. |
Sinai :
Land Of Discovery. The Route To The Promised Land; Where Isis
Sought Osiris And The Pharoahs Found Gold. Where Moses Witnessed The
Burning Bush And Bedouins Camped By Crusader Forts. A Meeting Point
For Three Great Religions, At The Crossroads Of Africa And Asia. After
80,000 Years At The Heart Of History, Experience The Continuing
Contrasts. Sinai: Where Rock Meets Coral Reef And The Desert Stops At
The Sea. Where The Grandeur Of Granite Meets The Golden Beaches Of The
" Red Sea Riviera ". Tropical Fish And Rare Birds; Spectacular Sunsets
And Clear Starry Nights. |
Sinai Is Rich In Scenery. To The North, Palm-Shaded Sandy Beaches
Stretch Along The Mediterranean Shore. Along The Gulfs Of Aqaba And
Suez, Soft Golden Sands Surround Bays Of Clear Blue Water. There Are
Tourist Villages, Fishing And Snorkeling Centers, Where The Waters Are
Rich With Rare Marine Life And Exquisite Coral Reefs. Sweet
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Water
Springs Are Scattered Throughout Sinai. In The South, The Towering
Mountains With Their Beautiful Reddish Colored Rocks Are Surrounded By
Huge Valleys Leading To The Holy Mountain.Sinai Also Has Various Medicinal Plants |
And Different Kinds Of
Indigenous And Migrating Birds. Has An Airport That Can Handle Small
And Medium Size Aircrafts. |
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Monastery
Of St. Catherine:
This Was Built In The 6th Century And Dedicated To The Daughter
Of A Ruler Of Alexandria, Who Converted To Christianity And Was
Subjected To Great Torture. The Huge Walls Of The Monastery Surround A
Number Of Small Churches. On The East Wall Is An Ancient Basket And A
Pulley Which Was Used Instead Of Opening The Door. |
Ras
Mohammed: (Shown To The Right) Situated At The Peak Of The Sinai
Peninsula, 53 Km. From Sharm Al Shiekh And Its Narrowest Part Between
The Gulfs Of Suez And Aqaba. It Is Renowned For Having The Most
Exquisite Coral Reefs In The World And For Being A Refuge To Rare
Marine Life. It Has Recently Declared A Nature Preserve And Most Fit
For Diving.
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| Sharm Al-Shiekh: |
Overlooks The Gulf Of Aqaba, And Is About 53 Km. From Ras
Mohammed And 336 Km. From Suez. It Is Both A Summer And Winter Resort
Due To Its Moderate Climate All Year Round And Depends On Fishing And
Tourism. It Is The Mecca Of All Those Who Seek Tranquility And Love
The Sun. There Are Several Well Equipped Diving Centers. |
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| Dahab |
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: About 81 Km. North Of Sharm Al-Shiekh, It Is One Of The Most
Beautiful Beaches In South Sinai Because Of Its Gleaming Sand, Clear
Waters And Colorful Marine Life. It Has A Tourist Village, Diving
Centers, Camping Sites And Boats And Waterskiing Facilities.
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Hurghada
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Founded In The Early 20th Century , Hurghanda Has Gone On To
Become The
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Foremost Tourist Resorts Of The Red Sea Coast And An
International Centre For Aquatic Sports. If It Takes Place In The
Water You Can Do It Here: Windsurfing, Sailing, Deep-Sea Fishing, And
Snorkeling. The Unique Underwater Gardens Are Some Of The Finest In
The World. |
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Safaga
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Is A Working Port With Several Tourist Villages Specializing In Diving
Holidays, A Handful Of Hotels And Some Excellent Fish Restaurants.
Daytrips To Tobia Islands Or Mons Claudianus In The Red Sea Can Be
Arranged With Local Guides. |
