Ancient Egyptian Monuments in Cairo
Memphis and Saqqara
Memphis, the oldest capital of Egypt, was built by King Menes, and lies 24 kms south-west of Cairo. The colossal statue of Ramses II is exhibited in the museum. This is the most beautiful representation of Ramses II. lt is made of fine-grained limestone, 13 meters long, and weighs 120 tons. Also in Memphis are the Temple for Embalming the Sacred Apis Bull
Saqqara is the oldest Ancient Egyptian cemetery. lt lies on a desert plateau, south-west of Cairo. Above rises the Step-Pyramid and mortuary compound, built by the engineer lmhotep for King Zoser. It is composed of six receding mastabas on top of each other. The Pyramid measures 123.5 by 107 m at the base and about 59 m in height.
South of the Step-Pyramid, lies the Pyramid of Unas, last of the V Dynasty pharaohs. It is noted for its tomb chamber whose walls are inscribed with the "Pyramid Texts", and whose ceiling is decorated with stars. Near to the Pyramid of Unas lies the Persian Shaft, a tomb of XXVI (Persian) Dynasty, 25 m deep.
Saqqara also houses the Serapeum (Temple of Serapis). Only the lower corridors remain, measuring several hundred meters in length. Close to the Serapeum lies the Greek Philosophers Circle, which contains statues of Plato, Heraklites, Pythagoras and Pindar. The Mastabas of Ptah-Hotep, Kagemni, Ti, and Mereruka lie south-west of the Step-Pyramid and contain numerous mural paintings and inscriptions portraying daily farming and hunting activities, wildlife scenery, medical practices, and religious and funerary rites.
The Pyramids of Giza
The Ancient Egyptians built the pyramids as tombs to preserve the bodies of their dead kings, especially that they believed in resurrection and immortality, The Pyramids of Giza lie at the western edge of Greater Cairo, about 10 kms from downtown, and comprise:
The Great Pyramid
The most famous structure in the world and the only surviving of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was built by King Khufu (Cheops) of the IV Dynasty around 2650 BC. lts height now is 137 m (original height: 146 m). Almost 2.5 million blocks of stone were put into building this pyramid. All this, however, dwindles when compared to the precision and astounding ability of the ancient Egyptian in building this pyramid. Close to the eastern flank of the Pyramid of Khufu lie three small pyramids dedicated either to his wives or family members.
The Second Pyramid
Built by Khafre (Chephren), south-west of his father's (Khufu's) pyramid though lower in height: 136 m. It still retains, on some of its upper parts, the remains of the limestone that had once covered it all. At the base, it measures 215.5 m square. lts interior is simple, with two entrances on the north side. The visitor can also still see the remains of Khafre's mortuary temple, the Temple of the Valley, and rising causeway. These temples witnessed the religious rites during the embalming of the body.
The Third Pyramid
Built by Menkaure (Mycerinus), south-west of the Great and Second Pyramids. lt is much smaller than either one (62 m high). lt is distinguished by the fact that the lower part of its sides still retain their granite slab coverings.
The Solar Boats of Khufu
The Ancient Egyptians carved spacious areas in the rock, near the Pyramids. There they
placed wooden boats, to be at the disposal of the King when he went on his journey of Day
and Night with the sun god, Ra, in the afterworld. Recent excavations unearthed three such
sun-boat sites, on the east side of the Great Pyramid. Two other sites were discovered on
the south side. When the huge stone slabs were removed, they revealed parts of a large
boat, made of cedar wood, in very good condition. There were also other implements, such
as oars, ropes and a kiosk for sitting. The boat is 43.5 m long, and the prow and stern
are 5 m and 7 m high respectively. The boats are now housed in a special museum, south of
the Pyramid of Cheops. The museum is open from 9-4 daily.
Tel (+202)909.146
The Sphinx
On the way to the Temple of the Valley, lies the large statue of the Sphinx. One of most famous monuments in the world, it is indeed a legendary statue for it has the body of lion and the face of a man. lt is 70 m long and 20 m high. The face of the Sphinx closely resembles that of King Kephren.
The Egyptian Museum (Tahrir Square)
One of the most prominent museums in the world, it offers visitors a chance to aquaint
themselves with Egypt's ancient history over a period of 50 centuries. lts most
significant showpiece is the magnificent Tutankhamun
(King Tut) collection.
Tel (+202) 757.035
Back to Cairo Homepage