Interactive Map of Ancient Egypt
Heliopolis (" city of the Sun," or "city of pillars") was a city in ancient Egypt, located right at the apex of the Nile Delta, 8 km east of the river and about 10 km north of the modern capital of Egypt, Cairo. The ruined area is called Tell Hisn and is located in the Cairo suburb of El-Matariya.
Heliopolis was an important religious center of the god Ra, later Atum-Ra- Khepri and Re-Horachte, and the formation of the so-called Heliopolitan Cosmogony became the basis of the faith of the ancient Egyptians.¨
Heliopolis – "Temple of Nine Gods"
In ancient texts, the city was called the "temple of the nine gods" and referred to as the 'Ennead of Heliopolis' the nine most important deities of Heliopolitan beliefs and the entire pantheon of gods. This group of nine major Egyptian deities included Atum (Iusaaset), Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephtys.
Another city's name was the "cradle of the gods," though several other names were used in different ancient texts, and among them, in Egyptian theology, it was called Per-Ra, "The City of Ra." In the Bible, it is mentioned as On.
As the center of sun worship in Egypt, Heliopolis played a crucial role in the life of the ancient Egyptians. At first, it was the god Tem (also Atem, Atum), a predynastic solar deity associated with the evening or the setting sun, worshiped there. He was credited as the father of the twins, Shu and Tefnut, the goddess of moisture, moist air, and rain dew. Ancient Egyptians believed that at the beginning of the world, the creator god Atum reemerged from a motionless ocean (nun), the primordial and motionless watery abyss. It was through self-fertilization that he gave birth to the first gods. Later, this god was considered a form of Ra.
Located in the heart of Tahrir Square, Cairo, the Egyptian Museum is a unique building designed to host the world's oldest collection of Pharaonic art and monuments. Built on an area of 13,600 sq. meters, with more than 100 exhibition halls, the museum is a product of a competition launched by the Egyptian Government in 1895 and thus it is considered the first national museum in the Middle East. The original collection, established in the late 19th century, was previously housed at a building in Bulaq. Afterwards it was transferred to the palace of Ismail Pasha in Giza, until its definitive resting place was completed. Several design projects were proposed, but the one presented by the French architect Marcel Dourgnon was chosen as the winner. The cornerstone was laid on 1st April 1897 at Tahrir Square by the Italian company of Giuseppe Garozzo and Francesco Zaffrani. Due to the fact that the competition was specifically created to find the most practical design and architecture strategy for hosting a vast exhibition of antiquities, the Egyptian Museum became the first purpose-built museum edifice in the region, setting a precedent for many other museological institutions that were to emerge during the 20th century.
Besides the site’s original and avant-garde design concept, the building carries an enormous scientific value, since it is considered the museum with the largest ancient Egyptian collection in the world, and has thus always been the flagship of museums for the study, research, conservation, and exhibition practices related to ancient Egypt and the influence it exerted on many other historical civilizations. The Museum displays an extensive collection spanning from prehistory up to the Graeco-Roman period. The museum originally contained a library, conservation laboratories, and an extra piece of land that extends to the Nile-bank, that later became the headquarters of the National Democratic Party, which was burnt down during the 2011 revolution. This land used to provide the museum with direct access to the Nile.
The Giza Plateau of Egypt, located about 15 miles southwest of modern Cairo, is one of the most important and famous archaeological sites in the world. It is home to the Great Pyramid, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing. Built by King Khufu in the Fourth Dynasty of ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom (around 2550 BCE), the Great Pyramid was the largest ever constructed in Egypt, originally reaching a height of 481 feet. Two of Khufu’s successors also built major monuments at Giza: Khafre, whose burial complex includes the second-largest pyramid as well as the Great Sphinx; and Menkaure, builder of the smallest of the three pyramids at Giza. As these royal complexes were being constructed, and even for centuries after Egyptian kings began to build their monuments elsewhere, hundreds of tombs were systematically added to cemeteries surrounding the pyramids, to serve as the eternal resting places for the royal family and bureaucratic elite.
Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), museum in Giza, Egypt, housing archaeological artifacts from thousands of years of human civilization in Egypt, spanning from the predynastic period to the Greco-Roman era (c. 3100 BCE to 400 CE).
The Hanging Church is also referred to as the Suspended Church or Al-Moallaqa. It is called the Hanging Church because it was built on the southern gate of the Roman Fortress. Logs of palm trees and layers of stones were constructed above the ruins of the Roman fortress to be used as a fundament. The Hanging Church is a unique church and has a wooden roof in the shape of Noah’s ark. From the 7th century to the 13th century, the Hanging Church served as the residence of the Coptic Patriarch. Al-Moallaqa has witnessed important elections and religious ceremonies.
The famous miracle of moving the Moqattam Mountain is closely related to al-Moallaqa. Al-Mu’izz, a Fatimid khaliph, asked Patriarch Abraham (975-978), the 62nd Patriarch, to prove the truth of a verse in the Bible. Al-Mu’izz asked Patriarch Abraham to move the Moqattam Mountain in order to prove the words of the gospel “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain: Remove from hence to yonder place, and it shall remove“ (Matthew 17-20).
After three days of praying and fasting in front of the painting of the Virgin Mary depicted on a column in al-Moallaqa, the Virgin Mary appeared to Patriarch Abraham in a vision and told him what to do. The painting of the Virgin Mary exists in the church to this day. Al-Mu’izz was convinced of the truth of the Christian belief and allowed the Coptic Church certain privileges.
The Abusir Pyramids, near Cairo in Egypt, are 14 Ancient Egyptian pyramids and named for the House of Osiris: Egyptian god of death and resurrection. Built by the pharaohs of the Fifth Dynasty, including those of Sahure, Neferirkare and Nyuserre Ini and, like Saqqara’s pyramids, the Abusir Pyramids formed part of the ancient city of Memphis.
Several of the Abusir Pyramids are relatively well preserved, particularly that of Nyuserre Ini. Overall, Abusir’s pyramids are not as impressive as those in Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur, in part due to the lower quality of the construction and stones used. Nonetheless, the quieter and less tourist-targeted site of Abusir still provides visitors with a worthwhile glimpse into the ancient Egyptian world.
Saqqara, the sweeping necropolis and pyramid field of Memphis, the first Capital of Egypt, has been an important historical site for 5,000 years of Egyptian history. This large area about 20 miles south of Cairo features the small square tombs (mastabas) of the kings of the first and second dynasties Most famously, the first king of the third dynasty, Djoser, asked his vizier and chief architect to erect for him the first monument built entirely of stone in ancient Egypt. The result is the famous step pyramid of Saqqara and its surrounding funerary complex, which was enclosed by a huge wall, probably emulating that which surrounded Memphis itself.
While kings of the fourth dynasty selected the Giza Plateau for their funerary monuments, kings of the fifth and sixth dynasties returned south to Saqqara where we find their pyramids and most of their high officials’ tombs. The importance of the necropolis region ebbed back and forth as the capital of Egypt moved, first, to the city of iTt-tAwy in the Middle Kingdom’s 12th dynasty, and then to the south in the New Kingdom to Thebes, where Amun became the State-god. The situation changed again for the brief “Amarna Interlude,” when King Amenophis IV (Akhenaten), built Tell el Amarna in Middle Egypt as his new capital. The New Kingdom royal necropolis was then moved south to Western Thebes in the reign of Amenhotep I, to what is known now as the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens. Most of the high officials and noblemen of this period were also buried in the cliffs of Western Thebes.
Yet these shifts of the capital did not undermine the importance of Memphis as an administrative center and a military post. Amenophis III built a new temple at Saqqara for the Memphite god Ptah, and the Apis Bulls – symbols of Osiris the god of the underworld – were buried at Saqqara as well. Because of the military importance of Memphis, many official and generals settled there and were buried at Saqqara. This trend started from the 18th-dynasty reigns of Thutmosis III and Amenophis III, and continued to the Ramesside period (19th dynasty).
Memphis, city and capital of ancient Egypt and an important centre during much of Egyptian history. Memphis is located south of the Nile River delta, on the west bank of the river, and about 15 miles (24 km) south of modern Cairo. Closely associated with the ancient city’s site are the cemeteries, or necropolises, of Memphis, where the famous pyramids of Egypt are located. From north to south the main pyramid fields are: Abū Ruwaysh, Giza, Zāwiyat al-ʿAryān, Abū Ṣīr, Ṣaqqārah, and Dahshūr. The Memphis archaeological zone was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It is home to the Memphis Triad: God Ptah, Goddess Sekhmet and son Nefertem
After the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza, the Red Pyramid at Dashur has the largest base (only slightly smaller than Khufu's pyramid, each side measures 722 feet) of any pyramid in Egypt. However, with it's sides sloping at 43 degrees 22', it is substantially shorter at 343 feet (104 meters). It is the fourth highest pyramid ever built in Egypt, with almost 160 layers of stone. Significantly, the Red Pyramid was the first successful, true, cased Pyramid built in Egypt, ushering in the era of the Giza style pyramids.
Built by Khufu's father, Snefru, what really makes this pyramid special today is the lack of crowds and circus atmosphere that plagues the Giza Plateau, along with the fact that it can currently be entered without limitation. Not long ago, the area of Dashur could not be visited, which probably explains why such an important monument receives so few visitors. However, it is only a short drive from Saqqara, and only a brief drive from Cairo.
The pyramid gets its common name from the reddish limestone used to build most of its core, but it is also sometimes referred to as the Shining or Northern Pyramid. Learning from prior mistakes, several layers of fine white limestone were used to lay the pyramid's foundation thus eliminating structural problems of earlier pyramids. Tura limestone was used as casing stone to cover the pyramid. Though some casing still remains, most has been removed. However, about every twentieth casing stone discovered had inscriptions on the back sides. Some were inscribed with the cartouche of Snefru while others had inscriptions in red paint naming the various work crews, such as the "Green Gang" or the "Western Gang". Snefru's cartouche was an important discovery, particularly since there are no identifying inscriptions within the pyramid.
In Egyptian mythology, the Ogdoad are a group of eight deities (divine beings) worshipped in Hermopolis. The gods of the Ogdoad were mostly seen as humans with the heads of animals, or just depicted as snakes and frogs. They were arranged in four male-female pairs, with the males associated with frogs, and the females with snakes. Their story is part of the Egyptian creation myth.
The Egyptians believed that before the world was formed, there was a watery mass of dark, directionless chaos. In this chaos lived the Ogdoad of Khmunu (Hermopolis). These were four frog gods and four snake goddesses of chaos. Together they represented balance in infinity.
Their names were Nun and Naunet (water), Amun and Amaunet (invisibility), Heh and Hauhet (infinity) and Kek and Kauket (darkness).
The chaos existed without the light, and thus Kek and Kauket came to represent this darkness. They also symbolized obscurity, the kind of obscurity that went with darkness, and night.
The Ogdoad were the original great gods of Iunu (On, Heliopolis) where they were thought to have helped with creation, then died and retired to the land of the dead where they continued to make the Nile River flow and the sun rise every day.
Amarna – City of the Sun God is set in the year is 1365 BCE, focussing on the rise and fall of Amarna . The city, newly founded by the Pharaoh Akhenaten, housed temples for the new god, palaces for the royal family, residential areas, workshops and burial grounds. However, following the death of Akhenaten, Amarna was destroyed and abandoned, and Egypt turned its back on his religious reforms.
Magic and animal deities played a crucial role in this society. When Akhenaten came to power, he abolished the ancient animal deities and ordained a new religion. Now, it was permitted only to worship the sun god, Aten (sometimes spelled ‘Aton’). He was depicted in the form of the solar disk, emitting rays that terminated in hands holding the hieroglyph ankh (= life) over the royal couple: Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti. The new cult led to major social upheaval, and the royal couple decided to move and build Amarna as a new place of residence.
The temple of Seti I is situated in Abydos, one of the most important archaeological sites of Ancient Egypt. Abydos is located in Upper Egypt, about 10 km from the Nile River. It was a necropolis for Egypt’s earliest kings and later became a pilgrimage center for the worship of the god Osiris. It is also where the cults of the deified kings of ancient Egypt were celebrated.
The temple of Seti I has an unusual L-shaped ground plan and was built primarily of limestone, with the occasional use of sandstone in different areas throughout the structure. The temple was completed after Seti I’s death, by his son, Ramesses II, whose cartouches are found in certain parts of the temple, along with his characteristic sunk relief style, that is different from the very fine raised relief of his father.
The entrance to the temple is located on the northeast and is through a large pylon, now destroyed, leading into the first open court, which is also badly damaged. A stairway ramp on the main axis of the temple leads to a raised terrace with a pillared hall that, in turn, leads to the second court through three entrances at the back of the hall. The courtyards were decorated by Ramesses II with scenes from the battle of Qadesh and of the king offering to the gods. Another staircase ramp leads to a raised terrace containing the covered part of the temple. A pillared portico forms the facade and seven gates, all but the central one of which were closed by Ramesses II, lead to the first hypostyle hall. The hall has twelve pairs of sandstone papyrus columns with bud capitals. Another seven gates give access to the second hypostyle hall, which has thirty-six columns similar to the ones in the first hypostyle hall. This hall is beautifully decorated with scenes of Seti I kneeling before the gods.
The second hypostyle hall leads to seven chapels dedicated to seven gods, namely: the deified form of Seti I, Ptah, Re-Horakhty, Amun-Re, Osiris, Isis, and Horus. The state of completion of these shrines indicates they they were among the first areas in the temple to be decorated, and were, therefore, completed prior to Seti I’s death. These chapels are decorated with scenes of the king offering to the gods and of him receiving the symbols of life and dominion, as well as royal insignia, in return. These scenes would have been complemented by the rituals that would have been performed by priests within the chapels’ walls, that served to transform the king into the god of death and resurrection, Osiris.
The Osiris chapel leads into a transverse area devoted to the cult of Osiris that includes two halls and two sets of chapels. The three small chapels to the right of the first hall are devoted to the gods Osiris; his consort, Isis, and their son, Horus. In ancient Egyptian religion, the living king represented Horus on earth, and when he died he became Osiris, ruler of the netherworld. Beyond these three chapels is a secret chamber with two pillars that could only be accessed by the highest priests, for it was where the mysteries of Osiris were enacted.
The temple’s southern extension contains more chapels, including those of the gods Ptah-Sokar and Nefertem, the “Hall of the Barques (where the barques used to carry the statues of the gods during ceremonies were kept) and the unfinished “Hall of the Butchers” (the temple slaughterhouse). The so-called “Gallery of the Ancestors”, which contains the famous Abydos King List, is also located in this section. It is believed that this is where the temple rituals would have started. A procession of priests would then visit the seven chapels, reaching the small chapel of Osiris. The rituals served to transform the deceased king, Seti I, into the god Osiris, with whom deceased Egyptian kings were identified.
The Dendera Temple Complex is an ancient Egyptian temple dedicated to the goddess Hathor. Located in Dendera, this Temple is a must-see for travellers interested in Egyptian history and architecture. With its well-preserved reliefs and stunning artwork, the Dendera Temple Complex offers a unique insight into ancient Egyptian culture
The Karnak temple complex describes a vast conglomeration of ruins of temples, chapels, pylons and other buildings - collectively known as Karnak.
Ptah is a very ancient Egyptian god evidenced from at least the Old Kingdom where his cult was located in the Memphis region. At Karnak in Luxor (ancient Thebes), his temple consists of three interconnecting sanctuaries that are, together with Ptah, consecrated to his Memphite triad, which also included Sekhmet and Nefertum. The sanctuaries are preceded by a small portico of two columns and a pylon in the name of Tuthmosis III, who built the core of the temple. It is oriented west-east, like the Temple of Amun. The temple was built on the site of an earlier temple of the Middle Kingdom in wood and brick that was restored by Shabaka during the 25th Dynasty and by the Ptolemies and Romans. Interestingly, the Ptolemies did not replace the earlier royal cartouches with their own, but actually repaired damaged and missing sections with the names of the original builders. The Temple is located on the northern perimeter of the Temple of Amun, just inside the gate leading to the Montu precinct.
Situated within the southwest area of the Karnak Temple Complex on Luxor’s East Bank, Khonsu Temple is regarded as an excellent example of a small but complete New Kingdom temple. Its construction began under Ramses III, however the monument was finished by a number of later rulers, including Libyan generals who were kings of Upper Egypt. The temple was named after Khonsu, the son of Amun and Mut. It consists of a peristyle court, bordered by a portico of twenty-eight columns that lead to a hypostyle hall connected to a barque sanctuary. Some of the most well-preserved and vivid relief carvings at Karnak were long-hidden within Khonsu Temple under centuries of smoke and grime.
The American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), with funding from the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID), oversaw and carried out conservation and documentation work in the temple. In later stages, this was accomplished via a field training school for conservators from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. In addition to cleaning and conserving six chapels inside the temple, the project included structural repairs to stabilize the monument, a photographic documentation training school for the Luxor inspectorate, and the introduction of visitor information and signage. The conservation interventions led by ARCE took place at the temple in phases beginning in 2006 and lasted until 2018.
Initial efforts in 2006 focused on installing a stone walkway that surrounded the temple’s east, north and south borders. Subsequent work included fitting new flooring in the main court and the hypostyle hall, cleaning columns in the main court, and partially rebuilding the temple’s north-facing facade. Italian conservators arrived in Luxor in late 2008 and focused on the stabilization, cleaning, and conservation of the temple’s painted reliefs. Their work largely focused on Chapel 12 during the 2008-2009 season. The chapel was outfitted with visitor-friendly sandstone flooring, a unique solar lighting device that filters and diffuses sunlight and eliminates the need for traditional lighting fixtures, a portable wall guard clear paneling structure which can be easily removed for cleaning, maintenance, or to expose the walls completely, and a small solar powered ventilation system that will exchange the air in the chapel during the day to help reduce any moisture caused by visitor respiration. Following these successful introductions, Chapel 12 then served as a prototype for conserving the other chapels in the temple.
In September 2019, ARCE celebrated the temple’s conservation with its partners USAID and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The event was attended by the Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Dr. Khaled El Anany, U.S. Chargé d’Affairs, Thomas Goldberger, then-USAID Egypt Director, Sherry Carlin, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Mostafa Waziry, and Luxor Governor Councilor, Mostafa Alham.
Mut’s primary cult center was at South Karnak, linked to the Amun Precinct by an avenue of rams. Covering over 20 acres, it contains three major temples. The Mut Temple itself is girdled by a horseshoe-shaped sacred lake (the Isheru).
Luxor Museum is an archaeological museum in Luxor (ancient Thebes), Egypt. It stands on the corniche, overlooking the east bank of the River Nile.
Largely built by the New Kingdom pharaohs Amenhotep III (1390–1352 BC) and Ramses II (1279–1213 BC), this temple is a strikingly graceful monument in the heart of the modern town.
The Colossi of Memnon (also known as el-Colossat or el-Salamat) are two monumental statues representing Amenhotep III (1386-1353 BCE) of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. They are located west of the modern city of Luxor and face east looking toward the Nile River. The statues depict the seated king on a throne ornamented with imagery of his mother, his wife, the god Hapy, and other symbolic engravings. The figures rise 60 ft (18 meters) high and weigh 720 tons each; both carved from single blocks of sandstone.
They were constructed as guardians for Amenhotep III’s mortuary complex which once stood behind them. Earthquakes, floods, and the ancient practice of using older monuments and buildings as resource material for new structures all contributed to the disappearance of the enormous complex. Little of it remains today except for the two colossal statues which once stood at its gates.
Their name comes from the Greek hero Memnon who fell at Troy. Memnon was an Ethiopian king who joined the battle on the side of the Trojans against the Greeks and was killed by the Greek champion Achilles. Memnon’s courage and skill in battle, however, elevated him to the status of a hero among the Greeks. Greek tourists, seeing the impressive statues, associated them with the legend of Memnon instead of Amenhotep III and this link was also suggested by the 3rd century BCE Egyptian historian Manetho who claimed Memnon and Amenhotep III were the same person.
Deir El-Medina is the modern Arabic name for the worker’s village which was home to the artisans and craftsmen of Thebes who built and decorated the royal tombs in the nearby Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens.
Once called the Great Necropolis of Millions of Years of Pharaoh, or the Place of Truth, the Valley of the Kings (Wadi Biban al-Muluk) has 63 magnificent royal tombs from the New Kingdom period (1550–1069 BC), all very different from each other.
Valley of the Queens, gorge in the hills along the western bank of the Nile River in Upper Egypt. It was part of ancient Thebes and served as the burial site of the queens and some royal children of the 19th and 20th dynasties (1292–1075 BC).
The Medinet Habu Temple was an important New Kingdom period temple structure in the West Bank of Luxor in Egypt. In ancient times Madinat Habu was known as Djanet and according to ancient belief was the place were Amun first appeared.
The mortuary temple of Hatshepsut (c.1478/72-1458 B.C.E.) dates from the New Kingdom. It nestles at the foot of the cliffs in a natural “bay” on the West Bank of Luxor. This area had long been sacred to the goddess Hathor and was the site of the earlier mortuary temple and tomb of King Nebhepetre Mentuhotep (c.2008-1957 B.C.E.) of the Middle Kingdom (ramp visible on the far left). After the introduction of Christianity, Hatshepsut’s temple was used as a monastery, hence its modern name, Deir el-Bahri, Arabic for “Northern Monastery.”
Hatshepsut was a female pharaoh who had herself represented pictorially as a male. She served as co-regent with her nephew Thutmose III (c.1479-1425 B.C.E.).
The Polish National Academy of Sciences is responsible for the study and restoration of the three levels of the temple. As of spring 1995, the first two levels were almost complete, and the top level was still under reconstruction.
Hatshepsut’s temple was well situated to escape rock slides, unlike the temples of Nebhepetre-Mentuhotep and Thutmose III (to the left and behind Hatshepsut’s Temple).
Dedicated to the ram-headed god Khnum the Temple of Esna construction started during King Tuthmosis III reign during the 18th Dynasty but the temple completed construction during the Ptolemaic period between 40 to 250 A.D.
Dedicated to the god Horus of Behedet, lord of Edfu, the Temple of Horus is the most famous monument at Tell Edfu. Due to its completeness and state of preservation, it is the best example of Ptolemaic temple building in Egypt.
Gebel al-Silsila is a mountainous region with sandstone quarries on both sides of the Nile. The sandstone quarries of Gebel al-Silsila have been used from the Middle Kingdom (c. 2034–1650 BC) until the 20th century. More than a hundred quarries were exploited to extract the sandstone blocks needed to construct many of ancient Egypt’s famous temples. The quarries have preserved tool marks and workers’ inscriptions that can be seen today.
Two temples existed on the west bank of Gebel al-Silsila, both dating to the reign of Horemheb (c. 1323–1295 BC), but only one has survived. This rock-cut temple is called the Speos of Horemheb and was dedicated to seven deities whose statues can be seen in its sanctuary.
The double temple was built at the time when Omboi was next to Elephantine and the administrative center of Ta-Seti, a district in Upper Egypt. The crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed god Haroeris were worshiped in this temple.
It is located in its original location a granite quarry in Aswan and would have measured 42 m making it the tallest obelisk in history but the project was unfortunately abandoned due to the discovery of numerous cracks in the obelisk
The Nubian Museum was founded in response to the international salvage campaign of the ancient Nubian monuments initiated by UNESCO upon the request of the Egyptian government in 1960. Work on establishing the Nubian Museum began in the early 1980s when a committee was formed comprising of specialists from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Egyptian universities, and UNESCO.
The task of designing the building was entrusted to the architect Dr. Mahmoud Al-Hakim, and the museum’s interior was designed by the Mexican engineer Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, whose job it was to exhibit the archaeological, historical, cultural, and environmental heritage of Nubia. The Nubian Museum was opened in 1997, with its distinctive architectural design clad in local sandstone and pink granite, reflecting traditional local Nubian architecture. In 2001 it was awarded the Agha Khan Award for Islamic Architecture.
The museum has three floors, exhibiting thousands of artefacts that shed light on the development of Egyptian and Nubian geographical, social, and cultural civilization. The main exhibition hall and diorama present the local traditions and handicrafts of Nubia. In addition to the exhibition galleries, the museum also holds a lecture hall, library, educational department, theatre, and an open amphitheatre for the presentation of Nubian folklore.
The garden attached to the museum serves as an open-air museum that includes a part of a Fatimid cemetery, a cave with prehistoric rock inscriptions, and a waterway symbolising the artery of ancient Egyptian civilization, the River Nile. A series of water channels demonstrates the relationship between the river and the Nubian village surrounded by plants that would have been common in ancient times. A reconstruction of a Nubian house offers a glimpse into the daily life of the Egyptians in Nubia.
The Philae Temple Complex, primarily honouring the Goddess Isis is located on an island in the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt, is a stunning example of ancient Egyptian architecture and culture.
Abu-Simbel: Built 1264 – 1244 BCE Built on the west bank of the Nile River, between the first and second cataracts of the Nile. It contains two temples, carved into a mountainside, that were built by Pharaoh Ramses II (1303-1213 BCE).
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization(NMEC)
The NMEC is considered the first of its kind in Egypt and the Arab world which presents the full range of the richness and diversity of Egyptian civilization throughout the ages, from prehistoric times to the present day. This happens by highlighting on the interaction between the Egyptians and the land on which they lived throughout history through cultural topics chosen to shed light on the tangible and intangible heritage of Egypt.
The Museum of Civilization is also an important educational and research center for visitors, both Egyptians and foreigners.
Location
-The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is located in the heart of the historical city of Fustat in the old city of Cairo, and the choice of the city of Fustat to be the seat of the museum was well thought out, as its geographical surroundings include monuments of different civilizations, as it is the best evidence of the tolerance of religions in Egypt, the cradle of civilizations.
-The Pharaohs took it as a place for a large city, which the Babylonians made a place for their settlement when they landed in Egypt; then the Romans took it as a base for their defense, with which they linked both the coastal and tribal areas; and keep away from it every foreign aggressor on Egypt; then the Jews and Christians took it as a headquarters for the establishment of their rituals as well. Amr Al-Aaas also has taken it as the capital and home of Muslim immigration, and the museum site is also distinguished by the fact that it contains a rare natural lake, Lake Ain Al-Sira, the only remaining lake in Cairo after the disappearance of many lakes.
The idea of establishing the museum
-The idea of building it dates back to King Farouk era from 1938 to 1949, and to King Farouk’s insistence on building a museum similar to the museums of Europe documenting the various civilizations of Egypt. antique. At the time, the Agricultural Society allocated an entire building inside it to set up a model for the Museum of Civilization to display all the historical stages in Egypt through paintings and artifacts.
-After many years, the idea of establishing the museum was renewed in 1982, after an international campaign led by "UNESCO" to establish the National Museum of Civilization, and after 17 years, the current site of the museum was chosen, and the construction and excavation process began in 2000.
-The establishment of the museum aims to be a cultural center and civilly, scientifically and research.. in addition to becoming a center for local, regional and international community communication in order to work to preserve the ancient Egyptian cultural heritage, protect it from looting and extinction, and accommodate 50,000 diverse artifacts from pre-dynastic times to the modern era.
-The museum’s exceptional collection includes the royal mummies, which are exhibited in a new interactive display using 21st century cutting-edge technology to go beneath the wrappings and reveal their secrets, in addition to shedding light on the rituals and religious beliefs surrounding mummification in ancient Egypt.
