The Pyramids and The Great Sphinx
For many, the Great Pyramids of Egypt and the Great Sphinx is the ultimate travel
bucket list item. Shrouded in mystery and one of the seven wonders of the
ancient world, the pyramids are synonymous with Egypt. Likewise, their
human-headed neighbor and the black body are one of the first features that
come to mind when you think of the land of the Pharaohs.
I had dreamed of visiting Egypt for years just to stand in
the shadow of some of the oldest known structures on the planet. Their history
- known and unknown - has fascinated Adam and me and led to many discussions
about what it would be like to visit the pyramid complex in person. For me, the
pyramids and the Sphinx were on par with standing in front of Moi Island on
Easter Island, the Great Wall of China, or on the ice in Antarctica.
The Pyramids and the Great Sphinx lived up to the hype
you've made over the years? Below is an overview of what we learned, and what
we thought during our visit to the famous Giza sites - and how you can make the
most of your visit!
The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
The Pyramids of Giza are one of the oldest man-made
buildings. Built around 2500 BC, it is located just south of bustling Cairo and
about five miles (nine kilometers) west of the Nile. Today, like all these
centuries ago, 95 percent of the Egyptian population lives near the Nile. The
pyramids were built on the Giza Plateau, while most people know the three
largest pyramids - including the Great Pyramid - there are six other structures
that are part of the complex and were built around the same time. The construction
probably took nearly 100 years, meaning that five different pharaohs supervised
the work and there were between 15,000 and 40,000 workers actively involved in
the project at any given time.
The Great Pyramid
There are still many questions about how the pyramids were
designed, the building techniques needed to construct them, and how the
materials were acquired. While there are some questions that we may not have
answers to, we do know more about the origin of the pyramids thanks to the
records found throughout the country. It is worth noting that in 2013
archaeologists discovered many papyrus scrolls hundreds of miles away that
explain in detail how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids. The manuscripts
are written primarily in hieroglyphs now known as the Mir Diaries, how 200
workers traveled more than 500 miles (850 meters) to Aswan in the southern part
of the country to obtain red granite, which was then floated in the Nile and
used to build the Great Pyramid.
Astronomy played a big role in ancient Egypt, and the
pyramids of Giza may also be rooted in somewhat religious worship in the sky.
Each of the three pyramids - Khufu, Khafir and Menkawar - heads neatly to the
north, south, east, and west, as if the workers had used a compass to position
them. The three pyramids are closely related to the three stars in the
constellation Orion, specifically in its belt. Orion is associated with the
Egyptian god Osiris, the god of the afterlife and renaissance, which may link
the purpose of the pyramid complex.
The pyramids of Giza are interesting in comparison to other
structures found throughout the country. While the pyramids were often used as
tombs for the kings and queens of Egypt, no tombs, mummies, or human remains
were found in the pyramid complex in Giza. In addition, the interior space is
almost empty of hieroglyphs that adorn tombs in Luxor, Aswan and other sites in
Egypt. Some theories suggest that tombs were raided centuries ago, and corpses
and valuables were removed at that time, and others indicated that the pyramids
were once covered with limestone that carried hieroglyphics but were removed
long ago. As more than 4,000 years pass from its initial construction to
today's theories, these mysteries may remain for some time.
Six additional pyramids are behind the pyramids of Khufu,
Khafir, and Menkawer. Three of them are known as the Queen's Pyramids, which
belonged to Umm Khufu, the mother of Khafir, and the wife of Khufu. Others
served as temples or cemeteries. The pyramid complex includes two vast tombs to
the east and west of the pyramid of Khufu, where a number of kings are buried.
The Sphinx
The Giza Plateau is also home to the Great Sphinx, the famous neighbor of the pyramids.
Although Sphinx is looming alongside the massive pyramids
just a few hundred meters away, the questions of how it appears and why it
appears appear larger. The most widely held theory suggests that the Sphinx was
built simultaneously with the pyramids and is proud of the face of the Pharaoh
sentry. There are many other theories, though some say that the face may be a
khufu instead, while some indicate that the head was not intended to be a human
but rather a dog or anubis, who was the god of the Egyptian dead.
At one point the Sphinx was both a nose and a beard, but
today both are missing. Although the preferred theory suggests that Napoleon's
army launch an artillery shell at the nose of the Sphinx (a theory that was
refuted by the meaningless descriptions that proceeded Napoleon's time in
Egypt), there is a more accepted theory that tells how the nose was destroyed
in the 1970s from the last century. Who was dismayed by the people who made
offerings to the Sphinx and worship as if it might be a God? There may be some
truth to this idea; the Sphinx has a lion's body associated with sun worship
and the Leo constellation.
Napoleon in the Great Sphinx of the nineteenth century
Among Sphinx's tentacles is a more modern addition:
Dream Stele.
Dream Stele is a large stone slab installed by the ancient
Egyptian pharaoh Tuthmosis IV. The inscriptions are not fully translated, but
through prose, it tells a story indicating that the sun god Ra was given by the
pharaoh. According to Dream Stele, Prince Tuthmosis went to the Great Sphinx in
the middle of the day and slept while sleeping in the shadow of the Sphinx.
Then the Sphinx spoke directly to him and promised him ownership on the ground
if he would discover the sphinx's body by removing the sand that had buried it
to the neck for generations.
Although Dream Stele can't get close to seeing it up close,
it's clearly visible from any viewing platform where you can see Sphinx.
The Step Pyramid of Memphis
Not far from Giza in the ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis
is the ancient Saqqara (or Saqqara) cemetery. Among the country's oldest tombs are
the oldest pyramids in Egypt: the
Pyramid of Djoser or the Step Pyramid. It was built in the twenty-seventh century
BC and is more than two thousand years old from the pyramids of Giza. The
pyramid was really innovative at the time, and it was the first Egyptian
pyramid to use the mastaite in this way. The mastaba was translated into the
eternal house in the ancient Egyptian, and was usually rectangular structures
with flat clay surfaces. The step pyramid, made of stone, consists of six spans
above each other with the smallest mouth at the top. The importance of this
structure is evident: with multiple “eternal homes”, Pharaoh Zoser built his
path to an eternal revival and was not reunited with the sun god Ra.
Saqqara Pyramid (or Saqqara)
The Step Pyramid of Saqqara is a great structure for
visiting. The entrance contains forty limestone pillars and a limestone roof
that opens onto the southern court overlooking both the Southern Cemetery and
the Step Pyramid. The southern tomb may have ended before the pyramid, and
although it is not possible to enter any of the two structures, the southern
cemetery shares similar colors and signs. It should also be noted that the
architect of Step Pyramid of Sakkara was Imhotep, a consultant to Pharaoh Djoser
and possibly the first person to use stone pillars to construct and support the
building.
Knowing that the step pyramids can be found all over the
world - including places we visited like Chichen Itza in Mexico and Borobudur
in Indonesia - it was especially impressive to see the oldest of these
structures with our own eyes.
Visiting the Pyramids and the Sphinx: Tips for Your Visit
Prepare For the Weather
We visited on a very warm day in Giza, when temperatures
rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). We each took two
bottles of water and drank most of them; do not reduce the amount of
dehydration that could befall you after a short period of hot, sunny weather!
We also wore long pants, breathable, short sleeve shirts, which made us
somewhat relaxed and protected us well from the sun. The solar screen and hat
are a must when preparing to spend any time outside of exploration.
Expect Crowds, But Not Tourists
Egypt has been struggling to rebuild its tourist numbers
since the 2011 revolution, but we were surprised by the low number of travelers
that we saw in the most popular tourist attractions in the country. However, we
were often surrounded by people, mostly men who were directing souvenirs in our
direction or begging us to buy something from them. This sometimes affected our
experience because it was difficult to stand quietly and indulge in the
greatness of the moment we were constantly offering products to buy. Saying
"No" was enough for most of the sales team, but some of them were
more steadfast and would watch with us in a long way in the hope that we would
be influenced to buy something.
Consider- And Reconsider- A Carriage Ride
There is an incredible view of the entire Giza Plateau from
a group of sand dunes just outside of it, and our guide recommended that we
take the opportunity to go there to get some great pictures. She offered us an
opportunity to ride a camel or ride a shuttle to get there. I remember my under
star performance on beauty in Morocco, we chose to take the shuttle.
Unfortunately, the shuttle was not a medium like our described guide; it was a
horse and cart. We have some serious concerns about animal welfare and its
treatment in tourist sites like this, and we made the decision to take the
transport trip only because the horse that was assigned to him was in good
condition at the time. While we were happy with the pictures we got, we feel
some regret about riding in transportation and supporting the industry. There
are many reports about animals receiving poor care and treatment, and we both
hope we will have better information on what the "shuttle" was before
its ride - verbally or financially. Any animal transport is not included in the
entrance fee, and we recommend negotiating directly with the locals who provide
the service if you plan to visit the view. We let our guide give us a price,
and we later found that we paid more than one person more than we would have
done if we negotiated directly with the locals.
You’ll Only Need A Few Hours
The pyramids and the Sphinx are incredible, but they are
mainly appreciated from the outside and do not require much time. We spent
about two hours in Giza and another hour in Haram Steps, and this felt like
enough time for us. We did not go inside any of the structures; there are
additional fees to enter the Great
Pyramid, and our guide denied us entry because there is not much to see
(something we have no objection to losing, because the Valley of the Kings in
Luxor satisfies everything we wanted from that kind of experience). It is
possible to enter one of the Queen's pyramids as part of the admission fee, but
the entrance is very small and very steep. This requires you to kneel down and
walk back down a narrow ladder-type tunnel, and when we found out we discovered
many nails coming out of the wood. We decided to skip it. You may want to do
the same.
There Are Two Entrances
If you visit the pyramids without a guide, ask the taxi
driver to take you to the car entrance instead of the pedestrian entrance near
the Sphinx. The trip would be a little longer, but there were incredible
numbers of street vendors and people trying to sell products at the pedestrian
entrance. There are far fewer people at the entrance to the car, and you can
walk in from there. You can usually rent a guide (there was plenty available)
or camel rides if this is your intention as well. We got inside the car
entrance and found it quieter than the pedestrian entrance, which we made on
our way back from Giza.
Consider A Guide
Although we usually prefer to visit websites on our own, we
used a targeted service throughout our visit to Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. This
means we don't need to worry about transportation, and we've been able to take
advantage of some information and explanations about what we saw. Guides can be
arranged in advance - either before you arrive in Egypt or through most hotels
- or a qualified guide can be found right at the entrance. If your plans are to
take you to both Giza and the Step Pyramid of Memphis, you may want to consider
a half-day or full-day tour.
Where to Stay
While most visitors find a hotel in Cairo, we stayed at
Barcelo in Giza. Overall, we were satisfied with our stay there; we had a nice,
spacious room and felt comfortable and safe while we were there. Giza, like
Cairo, is noisy, and we heard the traffic outside our window on each of the
nights that we were there, but we were happy with all that in all aspects of
our stay. The big breakfast buffet was fun the whole day before exploring, and
we really enjoyed our dinner at the hotel's restaurant. The lounge on the top
floor of the hotel has a wonderful view of the city. Among the surprises we
encountered was the Atin Bazaar, the gift shop, which presented the best
souvenirs that we found in Giza at really competitive prices. We were just as
happy to meet its owner, a great man with a lot of historical knowledge about
his homeland. We enjoyed our conversations with him and were glad to have some
wonderful souvenirs at our home to remember our trip.
Enjoy The Pyramids and The Sphinx!
Visiting the pyramids and the Great Sphinx was an incredible experience and we will not forget.
Standing in front of these huge structures and thinking about the manpower and
planning required, long before helping modern technology, is puzzling and
humble. If seeing the pyramids and sphinx is included in your collection list -
or if you are ready to immerse yourself in an incredible culture - then this
will be a lifetime vacation. Please let us know if Giza is in your travel plans,
and let us know about the tips that you have to share!
Related Article:
Facts about the Great Pyramid of Giza
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