Archive for the ‘Egyptian Temples & Tombs’

  • 1
    Great Sphinx of Giza – A Dream Come True Visit
    What do recollect on hearing the words, Great Sphinx? Probably a lion with a human head in Egypt! Yes, the Great Sphinx of Giza refers to a statue whose head is of female, the body is of a sitting lion, and the wings are of an eagle. Located on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile, this sphinx is the largest monolith structure on the planet. Built in 2555 BC to 2532 B.C by the ancient Egyptians of Old Kingdom, the Great Sphinx of Giza is the oldest known historic piece. The body is 200 feet long and 65 feet tall with the face being 13 feet wide with eyes 6 feet high. Significance This huge statue is so old that the Egyptian Pharaohs revered it as God without knowing anything about it and built a small temple in its facade. Facing east, the Sphinx is associated with the rising sun and so the later Egyptian kings revered  [...]
    Posted at February 26th, 2010 in Egyptian Temples & Tombs
  • 1
    Temple of Luxor – Spectacular
    The Temple of Luxor, a great Ancient Egyptian complex, is sprinkled on the east bank of the  Nile in the Luxor city that was once the ancient Thebes. Discovered in 1400 B.C.E and regarded as ipet resyt (the southern sanctuary), the temple is devoted to the Theban Triad of Amun, Mut, and Chons. Made at the reign of the New Kingdom, the earliest structures are yet surviving that include the barque chapels behind the first pylon (monumental gateway) constructed  by Hatshepsut and then by Tuthmosis III. Ramses II constructed the pylon (the large wall), two obelisks (only one is seen), and six self statues. Prime Attractions Avenue of Sphinxes Nectanebo built the sphinxes and reinstated the ram-headed sphinxes of Amenhotep III. This path covers 2 miles linking the Temple of Luxor and the Karnak Temple and forms the entrance to the temple  [...]
    Posted at February 26th, 2010 in Egyptian Temples & Tombs
  • 1
    Temple of Abu Simbel – Unveiling the Twin Rock Monument
    Located in southern Egypt on the west bank of Lake Nasser at 290 km from Aswan, the temple of Abu Simbel is twin giant rock shrines in Nubia. Regarded as the Nubian Monuments, they are designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. These temples were initially built out of the mountainous outcrop during Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century B.C. as a tribute to himself and his queen Nefertari for marking the victory at the Battle of Kadesh. However, they were displaced in the 1960s on a simulated hill above the Aswan High Dam reservoir so that they could not be immersed while creating Lake Nasser. No doubt, even today despite its shifted location, the temple of Abu Simbel is still visited by thousands of tourists each year. The larger temple, the Great Temple, is dedicated to Ra-Harakhty, Ptah, and Amun, the three Egyptian deities.  [...]
    Posted at February 25th, 2010 in Egyptian Temples & Tombs
  • 0
    Marveling at the Great Pyramid of Giza
    Ah! The Great Pyramid of Giza tours was my ardent desire at least once in lifetime. The oldest and largest pyramid in the Giza Necropolis is also known as the Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt. Ranked among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still surviving intact, the pyramid is a tomb of the fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek) built in 20 years that ended in 2551 BC. Materials The Great Pyramid of Giza was initially 280 Egyptian cubits tall, 146.478 m currently reducing it to 138.75 m due to erosion. It is made up of over 2.3 million limestone blocks obtained from a close by quarry. The largest granite stones are in the King’s chamber weighing 25 to 80 tonnes brought from 500 miles. Most of them believe that the construction was done by transporting huge stones from a quarry, dragging,  [...]
    Posted at February 23rd, 2010 in Egyptian Temples & Tombs
  • 0
    The Pyramids of Giza Rank First on the Hot List of a Tourist
    The pyramids of ancient Egypt are the tombs of kings and queens of that time when a pyramidal tomb was regarded as the privilege. But, this was only applicable for the Old and Middle Kingdoms. Currently, over 93 Pyramids adorn Egypt among which the most popular are the Pyramids of Giza. Here, you can wonder at the three major pyramids of the 4th dynasty (2550 B.C). Major Monuments The Great Pyramid of Khufu This is the largest, biggest, and most integral among the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Ranked as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, it was the tallest one on the planet until 4300 years when the Eiffel Tower was built. It is made completely from limestone and has the height of 137 m reduced from 146.5 m because of the stealing of the fine quality casing stones coverage in the 15th century by the Ottoman Turks for houses and  [...]
    Posted at February 23rd, 2010 in Egyptian Temples & Tombs
Page 3 of 3123