Under the rays of the sky lies a piece of paradise, the city of Giza, which contains ancient tales dating back more than 4,000 years. It has achieved immortality and comes in the form of constructions that are the largest and most important in the world, such as the Giza Plateau, which includes Memphis, the first official capital of Egypt, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the Great Sphinx. And many others dating back to the Ancient Kingdom of Egypt (2575-2150 BC). It is located on the west bank of the Nile River, southeast of central Cairo. Giza remains a densely populated part of Cairo. Here is amazing information you will learn about the city of Giza:
The great history of Giza
The history of Giza dates back to the 2nd millennium BC where Giza served as a tomb for many of the pharaohs who ruled ancient Egypt which came in the form of great constructions such as the Great Pyramids of Giza located near Memphis. The city was subjected to a number of conquests at the hands of the Persians, Romans, and Byzantines, which changed the city and added a lot of history and importance. In 639 AD, Egypt came under the rule of the Islamic Caliphate, and in the same year the city of Giza, which means “valley” or “plateau,” was founded.
The Best attractions and cemetery in Giza
Due to the long history of the great city of Giza, there are some of the largest monuments ever built that display the true appeal and grandeur of this timeless civilization and the advanced mentality, beautiful imagination, vision and strong will of the ancient Egyptians such as:
The Great Pyramid, it is the biggest of the three, with an average length of each side at the base of 755.75 feet (230 m) and an original height of 481.4 feet (147 m). The middle pyramid was construct for Khafre (Greek: Chephren), the fourth king of the eight Fourth Dynasty; The structure is 707.75 feet (216 m) high on each side and was originally 471 feet (143 m) high.
The southern and last pyramid built is the pyramid of Menkaure (Greek: Mykerinus), the fifth king of the Fourth Dynasty; Each side was 356.5 feet (109 m) long, and the full height of the structure was 218 feet (66 m).
The three pyramids were plundered from the inside and outside in antiquity and the Middle Ages. Consequently, the burial objects originally deposited in the funeral chambers are missing, and the pyramids no longer reach their original heights because they have been almost completely stripped of their outer casings of fine white limestone; The Great Pyramid, for example, is now only 451.4 feet (138 meters) high. Khafre’s temple retains the outer limestone casing only in its upper part.
A mortuary temple was built near each pyramid, which was connected with a slanting bridge to the valley temple on the edge of the Nile River plains. Also nearby were subsidiary pyramids used to bury other members of the legal family.
Huge statues are counted one of the distinctive features of ancient Egyptian civilization, and the Sphinx is the most popular of them. The statue was carved into the rock of the same place during the Fourth Dynasty (2613-2494 BC), making it the oldest, as the ancient Egyptian sphinxes represented the king. With the body of a lion as a clear sign of his strength.
It is the oldest known monumental sculpture. It is about 73.5 meters long, containing 15 meters in length, its front legs, 19.3 meters wide, and its highest height above the ground is about 20 meters to the top of the head. The Sphinx was built facing the sunrise, where it was built. It was sculpted entirely from limestone of a mysterious creature that contains popular characteristics between a lion and a human.
The statue has the body of a lion sitting in front of the disk of the sun, and its head is sculpted in the form of a royal human. The lion embodies the icon of strength and solidity, while the human head symbolizes wisdom. The Sphinx took over He has captured the imagination of travelers and explorers for thousands of years, even in ancient Egyptian times.
During the Eighteenth Dynasty (1550-1295 BC), he came to be seen as a manifestation of the sun god, and he was called Hor-imakhet, “Horus on the horizon.” King Amenhotep II (about 1427-1400 BC) built a temple next to the Sphinx, which he dedicated to this god. His son Thutmose IV (1400-1390 BC), also construct a huge painting between his front feet, which is called the Painting.
The dream, in which a wonderful event was recorded, and everyone who visits the place of this statue is amazed by the symbolism that the Sphinx refers to, as if the statue was standing near the three pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure to protect them, as this great statue accompanied the pyramids for thousands of years.
Valley Temple of Kafare located in Giza, Egypt. It is believed to have been built during the rule of Pharaoh khafre, around 2550 BC, as section of the complex surrounding the Great Pyramid that included the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid Temple of Khufu, and the Valley Temple of khafre. The temple was made of limestone and was located on the eastern bank of the Nile River, on the same place as the Great Pyramid.
The temple was relatively large, around 105 meters long and 30 meters wide, and was most likely used for religious rituals and ceremonies in honor of Pharaoh chephren. The inlet to the temple was from the eastern side, and was decorated with bas-reliefs depicting Pharaoh Khafre and various religious scenes. Inside the temple there are many rooms and small chambers, containing a small sanctuary where a statue of the pharaoh may have been placed.
The temple also contains a number of inscriptions and hieroglyphs that supply valuable information about the history and importance of Pharaoh khafre. The temple was likely used for numerous religious rituals and ceremonies, many of which were linked with the god Horus and the pharaoh Khufu. The temple was used to make offerings to the pharaoh and was also used as a place of worship, where people would come to pray to the pharaoh and the god Horus. The temple was in the place of the modern city of Giza, which reaches the Giza Plateau. In ancient times, it is likely that the banks of the Nile came directly to the temple.”
The Step Pyramid of Saqqara is a unique structure credited with launching the golden age of pyramids in ancient Egypt. It was designed by the genius Imhotep, the minister of Pharaoh Djoser in the Old Kingdom. It has a unique design consisting of six steps and is 62 meters high, and is surrounded by a large complex, the first of its kind, containing enchanting decorations and magnificent ceremonial structures.
With the birth of a new civilization, Memphis became the first capital ever to be established. It was built by Pharaoh Menes in 2925 BC during the Old Kingdom era (2686-2181 BC), where it was called The Life of the Two Lands. It is located 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Cairo on the West Bank, at the beginning of the Nile Delta. Memphis included the great temple of Hetka-Ptah, “the Enclosure of Ka-Ptah,” which is translated in Greek as “Ig-ptahs,” which is the etymological origin of the word “Egypt.”
The Dahshur area is a royal cemetery located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile River, 40 km (25 miles) south of Egypt in Giza. It contains a number of pyramids that were built in the period from 2613 BC to 2589 BC, such as one of the most famous pyramids, “the curved pyramid.” It is considered one of the first pyramids to be built in ancient Egyptian history on the west bank of the Nile River. The Pyramid of Amenemhat III, also known as the Black Pyramids, is one of the most famous buildings of the Middle Kingdom in Egypt (2055-1650 BC) and one of the only five remaining of the eleven pyramids in Dahshur, which was later called the Black Pyramid after its location. The blackened appearance of the decaying adobe core is revealed by missing casing blocks. The Red Pyramid also known as the North Pyramid is the third pyramid of King Sneferu and his final success in building a true pyramid at the beginning of the 26th Dynasty BC in the Fourth Dynasty.
The city of Giza is one of those places that has everything a traveler could look for starting from magnificent monuments and antiques to an endless number of activities such as a camel or horse ride around the Giza Pyramids complex where history was created, a dinner cruise on the Nile River as well. It is a great way to fully enjoy the beauty and grandeur of the pyramids from afar at sunrise or sunset, as the light of the sky will touch your skin. One of the truly magical activities you can do is the sound and light show where all the great monuments will come to life and tell their ancient tale of wonders and hidden secrets.
Experience the awe-inspiring grandeur and uncover the timeless allure of the Giza Pyramids, one of the most remarkable ancient wonders of the world. Immerse yourself in the rich history, captivating mysteries, and enduring legacy of these architectural marvels that have stood the test of time.