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The Wonders of Ancient Egypt

May 8th, 2009 No comments

The recent contest to create a list of the New Seven Wonders of the World gave special recognition to the Great Pyramids, who were one of the original seven wonders listed by ancient historian Herodotus. If you visit Egypt today, there are many wonders for you to explore.

Kom Ombo Temple: The Temple of Kom Ombo is an unusual double temple built during the Ptolemaic dynasty in the Egyptian town of Kom Ombo. The building is unique because its ‘double’ design meant that there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of gods. The southern half of the temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world with Hathor and Khonsu. The northern part of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god Haroeris. The temple is atypical because everything is perfectly symmetrical along the main axis.

Edfu Temple: The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile in the city of Edfu which was known in Greco-Roman times as Apollonopolis Magna, after the chief god Horus-Apollo. It is the second largest temple in Egypt after Karnak and one of the best preserved. The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built in the Greek period between 237 and 57 BC. The inscriptions on its walls provide important information on language, myth and religion during the Greco-Roman period in Egypt.

The Mosque of Muhammad Ali: The Alabaster Mosque is situated in the Citadel of Cairo and commissioned by Muhammad Ali Pasha between 1830 and 1848. Situated on the summit of the citadel the mosque, the largest to be built in the first half of the 19th century and is most visible mosque in Cairo. The mosque, along with the citadel, are the landmarks and big tourist attractions in Cairo. Its beauty rivals those of European cathedrals.

Temple of Karnak: Karnak a vast complex of ruined temples, pillars and other buildings. It is located near Luxor in Egypt. It was the most holy place in Ancient Egypt, the main place of worship of the Theban Triad with Amun as its head. It is the largest temple or temple complex in all of Egypt.

The Sphinx: Beneath the shadow of the Great Pyramid lies the mysterious Sphinx. Buried by sand over the years, the Sphinx was re-discovered by European in the 19th Century. It is the largest monumental sculpture of antiquity in the world today. It can be visited as part of any trip to the Pyramids when in Cairo.

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Top Attractions You Must See In Egypt

April 17th, 2009 No comments

When visiting some abroad place, most folks don’t in reality make out what to do and were to go to make the finest out of their tour. They mostly rely on tour guides if they sign up one to show them around. However most people don’t like to hire a tour guide for secrecy reasons or some other reasons. Also some people don’t want to waste their money hiring tour guides.

Never the less one should at least recognize about the generally admired attractions in the land they are visiting so that they have somewhat to glance forward to. There are hundreds of things to see in Egypt as it is mother country to one of the oldest empire of the world. Following are the top 10 attractions worth visiting in Egypt.

The Cairo tower is one of the greatest marvels of Egyptian architecture. The tower is about 187 meters high and gives a spectacular view of the city. The view is especially breath taking at night when the building lights look like twinkling lights in the black sky. Perhaps the most promising attraction in Egypt is the pyramid of Giza.

These pyramids are more than 4000 years old and are perhaps the oldest standing structures in the world. These gigantic structures were the tallest structures in the world for a long time. Although, their magnificent height is no longer a wonder for the world, yet their unique design and architecture still makes people wonder about the great civilisation of ancient Egypt.

The Nile River is also a grand place to stopover. The well-known river has been the resource of life for the Egyptians for centuries. The night panorama at the river is purely brilliant when the reflection of the stars highlights the beauty of the river. To the west bank of the river is the Valley of the Kings which is an entombment site for the kings of Egypt dating back to the 11th century B.C. These tombs are still being studied by archaeologists for more information about the inexplicable and great civilization of ancient Egypt.

Near the Valley of the Kings is the Luxor temple which is thought to be the temple of Amon Ra (The sun god), the major god in Egyptian mythology. For those who love history and want to see ancient artefacts, the Egyptian museum is the best place to visit. The museum is perhaps one of the greatest museums of the world and contains some artefacts dating back to 4000 B.C. The total number of artefacts is more than 120,000 and is still increasing.

The red sea coast is also a great place to visit. The resorts at the coast are among the finest in the world. There are a lot of activities to enjoy at the red sea coast such as underwater diving, fishing and other such activities. For those who enjoy romantic scenes, the white desert is perhaps one of the must see places. Viewing the sunset in this area is a truly breathtaking sight.

Last but not the least, Abu Simbel and Dakhla are two must visit places for anyone getting a chance to visit the wondrous land of Egypt.