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MEMPHIS AND
SAKKARA
Memphis served as the capital of upper and
Lower Egypt some 5.000 years. Aged first dynasty, Mena, the
first Pharaoh of this dynasty, built a great white-walled
palace and the temple of Ptah. One of the most exciting
historical and archaeological areas all over Egypt is
Sakkara, situated about 12 miles southwest of Cairo. The
site is dominated by the famous step pyramid of King Zoser.
It was the first Pyramid to be built in ancient Egypt,
preceding those at Giza by many centuries; it is the work of
the famous pharaonic architect Imhotep
THE EGYPTIAN MUSEUM
The Egyptian Museum is the most important
depository of Egyptian antiquities anywhere in the world. It
features artifacts from the Pharaonic and Greco-Roman
periods, including the celebrated mummies of ancient
Egyptian kings and queens, as well as the world famous
Tutankhamen's treasures.
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THE SALADIN CITADEL
& OLD CAIRO
Situated on a spur of Muqattam hills, the Citadel dominates
Cairo’s skyline and it was the nerve center of the city and
Egypt for almost 700 years. Its construction was initiated
in 1776 by Saladin and completed by Mohamed Ali in the
1820’s. It is rich and varied in history, including the
mameluke massacre during the rule of Mohammed Ali. Al-Mo'alaqa
Church, located in the historically oldest part of Cairo, is
built in the fifth century over the Southern gate of Fort of
Babylon, the basilical style church of Al-Mo'alaqa is rich
antiquities from the early Christian era. And also visit the
basilica church of Abu Serga was constructed above the cave
in which the Holy Family took refuge. The Ben Ezra Synagogue
stands in a pleasant shady garden in the centre of Cairo.
Its long existence is attested to by the accounts of many
travelers who visited it over the centuries, including
Benjamin of Tudela in the 13th century, who records that he
saw the torah of Ezra- the Scribe there. The first Jewish
synagogue was destroyed when the Romans occupied Egypt and
was later rebuilt by Abraham Ben Ezra, the chif rabbi of
gazelle skin dating from the 5th century B.C, a drawing of a
seven-branched candelabra on deer skin, and the manuscript
known as the "Atlas of Moses".
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THE PYRAMIDS AND
THE SPHINX OF GIZA
The Pyramids of
Cheops, Chephren and Mycrinus were reckoned by the Greeks to
be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A single pyramid
is built with 2.300.000 blocks each weighing an average of
two and one-half tons. In the face of such immensity, one
cannot help but feel the wonder and awe that so many writers
and artists have sought to convey over the centuries. The
Cheops Pyramid is especially interesting, since its interior
burial chambers are open for inspection by the public. Not
far from the Pyramids is the great Sphinx of Giza which
dates from the time of Chephren (2620 BC). Hewn from natural
yellowish limestone and standing 65 feet high and 187 feet
long, this unforgettable statue combines the head of a
Pharaoh with a lion’s body.
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