Places To See: Egypt

TEMPLE OF PHILAE

Philae is mentioned by numerous ancient writers, including Strabo, Diodorus, Ptolemy, Seneca, Pliny the Elder. It was, as the plural name indicates, the appellation of two small islands situated in latitude 24° north, just above the First Cataract near Aswan (Ancient Egyptian: Swenet, "Trade;" Ancient Greek: Syene). Groskurd computes the distance between these islands and Aswan at about 61.5 miles (99 km).

Philae proper, although the smaller island, is, from the numerous and picturesque ruins formerly there, the more interesting of the two. Prior to the inundation, it was not more than 1,250 feet (380 m) long and about 400 feet (120 m) broad. It is composed of Syenite stone: its sides are steep and on their summits a lofty wall was built encompassing the island.

Philae, being accounted one of the burying-places of Osiris, was held in high reverence both by the Egyptians to the north and the Nubians (often referred to as Ethiopians in Greek) to the south. It was deemed profane for any but priests to dwell there and was accordingly sequestered and denominated "the Unapproachable". It was reported too that neither birds flew over it nor fish approached its shores. These indeed were the traditions of a remote period; since in the time of the Ptolemies of Egypt, Philae was so much resorted to, partly by pilgrims to the tomb of Osiris, partly by persons on secular errands, that the priests petitioned Ptolemy Physcon (170-117 BC) to prohibit public functionaries at least from coming thither and living at their expense. In the 19th century AD, William John Bankes brought the Philae obelisk on which this petition was engraved to England. When its Egyptian hieroglyphs were compared with those of the Rosetta stone, it threw great light upon the Egyptian consonantal alphabet.

The islands of Philae were not, however, merely sacerdotal abodes; they were the centres of commerce also between Meroë and Memphis. For the rapids of the cataracts were at most seasons impracticable, and the commodities exchanged between Egypt and Nubia were reciprocally landed and re-embarked at Syene and Philae.

The neighbouring granite quarries also attracted a numerous population of miners and stonemasons; and, for the convenience of this traffic, a gallery or road was formed in the rocks along the east bank of the Nile, portions of which are still extant.

Philae also was remarkable for the singular effects of light and shade resulting from its position near the Tropic of Cancer. As the sun approached its northern limit the shadows from the projecting cornices and moldings of the temples sink lower and lower down the plain surfaces of the walls, until, the sun having reached its highest altitude, the vertical walls are overspread with dark shadows, forming a striking contrast with the fierce light which illuminates all surrounding objects.

TEMPLE OF KARNAK

Located at the northern end of the town of Luxor, Karnak Temple has three main sacred areas that honour three gods: Montu, an ancient local warrior god; Amun, the chief god of Thebes; and the goddess Mut, wife of Amun. Amun, Mut and their son, Khonsu, were members of the sacred family known as the Theban Triad.

The construction of Karnak Temple began in the Middle Kingdom and was completed during the New Kingdom, some 1,600 years later. Every successive king of this era added to the temple, which covers two hectares (five acres) of land. It is a complicated site with four courtyards, ten pylons, a sacred lake and several buildings.

LUXOR

Luxor
A magnificent ancient township built on the site of the even more ancient city of Thebes, dating back 4,000 years. The Luxor Temple is a remarkably delicate work of architecture, originally built by Pharaoh Amenophis, and added to by various rulers over the aeons, including Alexander the Great. The Luxor Museum has a wonderful collection of ancient statuary, as well as relics from the ancient city of Thebes.

Temple of Karnak
Located at the northern end of the town of Luxor, Karnak Temple has three main sacred areas that honour three gods: Montu, an ancient local warrior god; Amun, the chief god of Thebes; and the goddess Mut, wife of Amun. Amun, Mut and their son, Khonsu, were members of the sacred family known as the Theban Triad.

The construction of Karnak Temple began in the Middle Kingdom and was completed during the New Kingdom, some 1,600 years later. Every successive king of this era added to the temple, which covers two hectares (five acres) of land. It is a complicated site with four courtyards, ten pylons, a sacred lake and several buildings.

Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings is famous for its royal tombs. These beautifully painted tombs have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. For over a thousand years, the kings, queens and nobles of the New Kingdom (1500-1070 BC.) were buried in this valley making it the world's most magnificent burial ground. The most famous tomb (KV No.62) belongs to the boy king Tutankhamun.

It was discovered on November 22, 1922 by the English archaeologist Howard Carter. The tombs were cut into the limestone rock in a remote wadi (a dried-up river valley) on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the present day city of Karnak. Their walls were painted and sculpted with magnificent murals depicting scenes of daily life and the land of the gods. The chambers were filled with treasures - everything from furniture to food, statues, boats and jewels, which a person may need to sustain life into eternity. The royals and their courtiers hoped to find refuge from robbers and their enemies, who had pillaged the pyramid tombs of their predecessors.

Temple of Madinat Habu
The entire Temple of Ramesses III, palace and town is enclosed within a defensive wall. Entry is through the Highgate, or Migdol, which, in appearance resembles an Asiatic fort. Just inside the Highgate, to the south, are the chapels of Amenirdis I, Shepenwepet II and Nitoket, wives of the god Amun. To the north side is the chapel of Amun. These chapels were a later addition dating to the 18th Dynasties, by Hatshepsut and Tutmoses II. Later the Ptolemaic kings of the XXV Dynasty made renovations.

Temple of Hathor in Dendara
The Temple of Hathor, goddess of Joy, is a Greco-Roman creation built between 125 BC and 60 AD. It emulates the Pharaonic pattern of hypostyle halls and vestibule preceding a darkened sanctuary. In this temple Hathor takes the human form rather than her bovine aspect.

Valley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens is a misnomer for it also houses the tombs of high officials and royal children along with the various queens and concubines. The valley contains 80 tombs, most of which are uninscribed and simple in plan although the murals in these can rival those in the Valley of the Kings. The reopening of the tomb of Nefertari in 1995 has given the Valley of the Queens an extra fillip.

GIZA

he Giza Plateau is the northern extension of the necropolis of Memphis, situated on the west bank of the Nile and is today part of the suburbs of modern Cairo.
The pyramids of Giza have always fascinated mankind and a great many mysteries have been built around them.

The Giza Plateau is famous for three pyramids. Khufu’s son, Khafre (Greek, Chephren) also constructed a pyramid next to his father’s monument. The third pyramid belongs to Menkaure (Greek, Mycerinus) and is the smallest of the three.

Each pyramid had its own associated structures which included satellite pyramids, mortuary temple, causeway and valley temple, though not all of these can be seen clearly today.

The pyramid complexes are surrounded by vast cemeteries of mastaba tombs, similar in size and originally laid out in street-like rows, but these have been disrupted by the intrusion of later burials. Mastaba is the name given to a large rectangular superstructure built over a deep burial shaft and comes from the Arabic word for ‘bench’. There are hundreds of mastaba tombs at Giza where the Old Kingdom elite were buried close to their pharaohs. The earliest and most extensive cemeteries are to the east and west of Khufu’s pyramid. There are also many private tombs cut into the rock-faces of quarries surrounding the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure. Many of the Old Kingdom tombs at Giza can be visited, but it is difficult to predict exactly which ones are open at any given time. Some of them have spectacular reliefs with beautifully carved hieroglyphs and engaged statues of their owners – the Old Kingdom was possibly the finest period of art in the history of Egypt.

The Giza Plateau’s other claim to fame is for the Great Sphinx, which is situated next to Khafre’s causeway and valley temple. One of the world’s greatest monuments and the first colossal royal statue of ancient Egypt, the Sphinx was known as ‘Abu Hol’ (Father of Terror) to the Arabic people. It is fashioned out of a natural limestone outcrop left over from the quarrying of stone by the builders of the Great Pyramid. The Sphinx is carved in the shape of a crouching lion with a human head, 73m long and over 20m high.

The Giza Plateau is an ongoing excavation site. There are new tombs and structures being discovered with amazing regularity and yet there must be so much still to uncover. Today the whole plateau is a vast tourist complex which could take the visitor weeks to see properly. The area is currently being re-developed to provide even more facilities, with many plans afoot to make the area more ‘tourist friendly’. The new Grand Egyptian Museum will also be built close to the pyramids. There is a Sound and Light Show each evening, presented in Arabic, English, French, Japanese and German, which uses the three pyramids as an impressive backdrop.

VALLEY OF THE KINGS

The Valley of the Kings is famous for its royal tombs. These beautifully painted tombs have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. For over a thousand years, the kings, queens and nobles of the New Kingdom (1500-1070 BC.) were buried in this valley making it the world's most magnificent burial ground. The most famous tomb (KV No.62) belongs to the boy king Tutankhamun.

It was discovered on November 22, 1922 by the English archaeologist Howard Carter. The tombs were cut into the limestone rock in a remote wadi (a dried-up river valley) on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the present day city of Karnak. Their walls were painted and sculpted with magnificent murals depicting scenes of daily life and the land of the gods. The chambers were filled with treasures - everything from furniture to food, statues, boats and jewels, which a person may need to sustain life into eternity. The royals and their courtiers hoped to find refuge from robbers and their enemies, who had pillaged the pyramid tombs of their predecessors.

EGYPTIAN ATTRACTIONS

Aswan
Among the major attractions of Aswan are of course the Aswan Dams. There are two. The first was finished in 1902, and was the largest in the world in its days. The new one was completed in 1971, and was constructed as a result of the increasing Egyptian population.

Granite Quarries
At the southern end of Aswan is one of the granite quarries that supplied the stone for temples and colossi in ancient times. In one section of the quarry lies a gigantic unfinished obelisk that had been hewn from the bedrock but later abandoned after a flaw was detected. Had this obelisk been finished it would have weighed 1168 tons and stood at a height of nearly 42 metres.

Felucca Ride to Botanical Gardens
The feluccas and Aswan are inseparable. The Nile's timeless beauty is best experienced on a lateen-sailed felucca. These indigenous boats offer an unforgettable and uniquely Egyptian event. Take a short ride on a felucca to the Botanical Gardens on Kitchner's Island and spend an afternoon on the island admiring exotic flora from as far as India and Malaysia.

Kom Ombo
Known for its unusual double temple, one half of which is dedicated to the falcon-headed god, Haruris and the other half to the crocodile god, Sobek.

Temple of Horus at Edfu
Here you find the sandstone Temple of Horus, the largest and best-preserved temple in Egypt. Built by the Ptolemaic Pharaohs, its bas-reliefs give a vivid picture of life in ancient Egypt.

Luxor
A magnificent ancient township built on the site of the even more ancient city of Thebes, dating back 4,000 years. The Luxor Temple is a remarkably delicate work of architecture, originally built by Pharaoh Amenophis, and added to by various rulers over the aeons, including Alexander the Great. The Luxor Museum has a wonderful collection of ancient statuary, as well as relics from the ancient city of Thebes.

Temple of Madinat Habu
The entire Temple of Ramesses III, palace and town is enclosed within a defensive wall. Entry is through the Highgate, or Migdol, which, in appearance resembles an Asiatic fort. Just inside the Highgate, to the south, are the chapels of Amenirdis I, Shepenwepet II and Nitoket, wives of the god Amun. To the north side is the chapel of Amun. These chapels were a later addition dating to the 18th Dynasties, by Hatshepsut and Tutmoses II. Later the Ptolemaic kings of the XXV Dynasty made renovations.

Temple of Hathor in Dendara
The Temple of Hathor, goddess of Joy, is a Greco-Roman creation built between 125 BC and 60 AD. It emulates the Pharaonic pattern of hypostyle halls and vestibule preceding a darkened sanctuary. In this temple Hathor takes the human form rather than her bovine aspect.

Valley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens is a misnomer for it also houses the tombs of high officials and royal children along with the various queens and concubines. The valley contains 80 tombs, most of which are uninscribed and simple in plan although the murals in these can rival those in the Valley of the Kings. The reopening of the tomb of Nefertari in 1995 has given the Valley of the Queens an extra fillip.
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