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Egypt Travel - Tourist Attractions in Egypt
Landmark Cairo Tower reopens Cairo's famous icon, the 60-story-high Cairo Tower, has just reopened with stunning new LED night-time light effects and panoramic-view restaurants.
The highest spot in Cairo, enhanced with strategically-placed telescopes, the panoramic view on ...
Pyramids Sound and Light Show with Private Transport Want a truly unforgettable evening of entertainment in Cairo? Then don't miss the world-famous Pyramids Sound and Light Show in Giza! You'll hear the story of Egypt as seen through the eyes of the Sphinx over the ages, and see the breathtaking site ...
Egypt is synonymous with Pharaohs, the pyramids, temples
and antiquities from ancient civilizations. And at the centre of these great
civilizations lies the Nile River that has influenced their economics,
social life, politics and religion. It is the oldest travel destination on
earth: Greek and Roman travelers came in 430 BC to wonder at some of the
very sights that make it a modern travel destination today. The magnificence
of the painted Valley of the Kings, exquisite temples and the pyramids were
all sought-after subjects of admiration, and many were already 2,500 years
old!
From desert landscapes and dry, rugged mountains that reach to the sea,
dusty cities full of exotic sounds and smells, and green strips of
agricultural land snaking along the banks of the Nile, Egypt has something
to offer all travelers from all walks of life. Spectacular diving in the Red
Sea; unique desert experiences, whether on the back of a camel to Mount
Sinai or on a jeep safari to the inner oases; the color and chaos of
Cairo
and its markets; and felucca cruises on the Nile River are just some of the
exotic attractions awaiting visitors. Egypt promises an unforgettable
experience of history and relaxation - a mixture of discovery and pleasure.
Pyramids at Giza, Egypt
The
people of ancient Egypt believed that death on Earth was the start of a
journey to the next world.
The embalmed body of the king was entombed in a chamber either underneath or
within the pyramid to protect it and allow his transformation and ascension
to the afterlife, and a place among the gods.
During the Old Kingdom era, the kings of Egypt began to emphasize their
divine associations and their people believed them to be manifestations of
the god Horus.
After the time of Khufu, kings were also proclaimed to be sons of the great
sun god Re.
After his death, the king became associated with Osiris, the father of Horus
and god of the underworld. His sacred powers were passed on to the new ruler
- usually his son.
The Great Sphinx
Surveying
the sands of Giza, the great Sphinx has stood guard since about 2500 B.C.
The greatest monumental sculpture in the ancient world, the Sphinx is carved
out of a single ridge of stone 240 feet (73 meters) long and 66 feet (20
meters) high. It represent the body of a lion with the head of a king or a
god.
The Great Sphinx is located in Egypt on the Giza plateau, situated about six
miles west of Cairo. This area is part of the necropolis of ancient Memphis,
the seat of power for the pharaohs.
Badly eroded, it has undergone numerous restorations over the millennia,
beginning with one conducted about 1400 B.C. by the pharaoh Tuthmosis IV,
who dreamt that the Sphinx asked him to clear the sand around it in return
for the crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The Sphinx has recently undergone a
major modern restoration. |
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Alexandria, Egypt
The second largest city and the main port of Egypt, Alexandria was built
by the Greek architect Dinocrates (332-331 BC), by the orders of Alexander
the Great. The city, immortalizing Alexander's name, quickly flourished into
a prominent cultural, intellectual, political, and economic metropolis, the
remains of which are still evident to this day.
Alexandria had two celebrated royal libraries, one in a temple of Zeus and
the other in a museum. The collections were said to contain c.700,000 rolls.
They were gradually destroyed from the time of Caesar's invasion, and
suffered especially in AD 391, when Theodosius I had pagan temples and other
structures razed.
Luxor
Luxor was once the centre of Egyptian power. It's been said that Luxor is
the world's greatest open air museum. One of the places to see is Luxor
Temple, started by Amenophis III in c1350BC but added to after his lifetime.
Sharm El Sheikh
The simplicity of sun, sea and sand. The luxury of five-star hotels,
water sports, shopping and entertainment. This is Sharm el-Sheikh, one of
the most accessible and developed tourist resort communities on the Sinai
peninsula. All around are Bedouins, colorful tents, mountains and sea. There
are small, intimate hotels with modern designs, as well as larger hotel
complexes belonging to International chains, plus about all the amenities
one could expect of a tourist center, including casinos, discos and
nightclubs, golf courses and health facilities. In fact, with diving and
snorkeling, windsurfing and other water sports, horses and camel riding,
desert safaris, and great nearby antiquities attractions, it is almost
impossible for a visitor to ever suffer from boredom.
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