Our first stop in Egypt, a museum dedicated to Imhotep, the architect of the pyramids.
The Step Pyramid of Djoser, the world's earliest known stone monument and the prototype for all pyramids to follow. (27th century BC)
Hypostyle hall of Djoser's necropolis. The ceiling is obviously modern but the pillars are unrestored. (27th century BC)
I believe this is Djoser's funerary temple but I'm not certain. (27th century BC)
Step pyramid of Djoser. (27th century BC)
Trinkets for sale at Saqqara, location of the Step Pyramid of Djoser.
Outer wall of Djoser's necropolis at Saqqara. Note the frieze of cobras representing the goddess Wadjet, the protector of the pharaohs. (27th century BC)
Colossus of Ramses II at the Memphis Museum. Memphis, near modern Cairo, was the capital of Egypt for most of the Pharaohnic period.
Colossus of Ramses II
Statue of Ramses II
Alabaster sphinx from the 18th dynasty (New Kingdom period). Weighing 80 tons, this is the largest calcite statue ever found. (16th - 13th century BC)
Getting ready for our first cheesy group shot.
The better of the trinket sellers got creative with their displays.
The Bent Pyramid. Built by the 4th-Dynasty pharaoh Sneferu, this was the first attempt to build a smooth-sided pyramid as opposed to the “step” pyramids that preceded it. Originally it was supposed to incline at a 54 degree angle but they discovered halfway through building that the lower stones could not support the stress. So halfway through, they changed the incline to 43 degrees, giving the pyramid its odd shape and modern name. (26th century BC)
The Red Pyramid. Unhappy with the Bent Pyramid, Sneferu had this second pyramid built. It uses the 43 degree incline successfully used for the top of his first pyramid. As such, it is the world's oldest “modern” (smooth-sided) pyramid. Sneferu was the father of Khufu, and this pyramid is second in size only to his son's Great Pyramid. (26th century BC)
A smaller pyramid at Dahshur, near the Bent and Red pyramids. Mindi may not be the tallest woman but having her in the picture still gives a good idea of how huge these stones are! (Sorry, Mindi!)
A view of Cairo from our hotel balcony in Maadi. And, yes, that is air pollution preventing you from seeing the horizon. We'd measure the air quality each morning by how far we could see. This was one of the better days.
The pyramids at Giza built by three successive generations. From left to right, the Pyramid of Menkaure, the Pyramid off Khafre, and, finally, the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Although Khafre's pyramid looks larger than his father's Great Pyramid, it is actually smaller. Knowing he couldn't build a pyramid larger than his esteemed father's, he instead built it on higher ground to make it look more prominent.
Khafre's Pyramid and his father Khufu's Great Pyramid.
The Great Pyramid of Khufu. Originally standing around 480 feet tall, it was the world's tallest man-made structure until the Eiffel Tower was built 4,500 years later. It consists of over 2 million stone blocks weighing an average of 2.5 tons each. The base stones weigh as much as 15 tons. (c. 2570 BC)
The Great Pyramid
Khafre's Pyramid is the only one to retain some of the polished outer stone casing that originally covered all three pyramids at Giza. This covering would have made the pyramids gleam in the sun the way the summit of this pyramid does. The outer stones were removed by the medieval rulers of Cairo for building palaces and mosques. No doubt they considered it very convenient that the pharaohs had left them these nicely stacked blocks of stone thus saving them the expense of quarrying the rocks themselves. (26th century BC)
The moon keeps a watchful eye on Khafre's Pyramid.
The Great Pyramid and Khafre's Pyramid
The Pyramids of Giza. From left to right, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure.
Obligatory cheesy tourist picture
The Pyramid of Menkaure. At around 220 feet, the third Giza pyramid is much smaller than that of his father, Khafre, and grandfather, Khufu. (26th century BC)
The Sphinx, known to the Arabs as Abu al-Hol, “the father of terror”. It was the Greeks that gave it the name, Sphinx, based on their own mythology. It was carved during the construction of Khafre's Pyramid (in the background). (26th century BC)
The Sphinx
The Tomb of Queen Khentkawes, daughter of Menkaure. This was the last major tomb built at Giza. There's a funny myth/urban legend about Menkaure pimping her out to get the stones to build it.
This solar barque was one of five buried in pits near the Great Pyramid of Khufu. These are believed to have been intended to carry the pharaoh to the next world.
Hopefully one of my travelling compadres can remind me what this is. All I can remember is that it's a government building facing the Nile. That, and it looks really cool.
A felucca on the Nile at sunset. There's not much more awesome than relaxing in a sailboat on the Nile after a long day of trekking around pyramids and museums.
I couldn't resist taking pictures of Americana wherever I could find it. My attempt to order my usual, a Quad Grande No-Whip Mocha, almost resulted in me getting four mochas, rather than the desired four espresso shots in a single mocha. If I go again, I'll make sure to learn how to order Starbucks in Arabic.
A jewelry maker at the entrance to the Coptic district of Old Cairo. “Copt” is a Westernization of the Arabic “quibt”, itself derived from the Greek “aegyptios”, meaning “Egyptian”. St. Mark introduced Christianity to Egypt in the first century AD, and Egypt was one of the first countries to embrace the new faith.
Convent, still in use and inhabited by nuns, dating back to at least the 15th century.
Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church is one of the oldest and most important churches in Egypt. It is known more commonly as the “Hanging Church” because it is suspended above a gatehouse of the Roman Babylon Fortress. There is some disagreement on the exact date it was built, but the current structure dates to the 7th to 9th century AD. It appears that another Christian church had been on this site since the 3rd or 4th century AD.
The Virgin Mary overlooking the courtyard of the Hanging Church.
The Holy Family's flight to Egypt to escape King Herod.
The Hanging Church
Stained glass window in the Hanging Church.
The Church of St. George. The original church dates back to the 10th century but the existing structure was built in 1909.
The Coptic Museum in Cairo
The Mosque of Sayyidna al-Hussein, one of the holiest Islamic site in Cairo, near the Khan al-Khalili bazaar. The mosque is said to contain the head of Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. Hussein's death cemented the split between the Sunni and Shiite branches of Islam. It is off-limits to non-Muslims, which was disappointing because it features prominently in Naguib Mahfouz's excellent novel, “Palace Walk”, which I had recently read. The current structure was built in 1870 on the site of the original 12th-century mosque.
Mosque of Sayyidna al-Hussein
Mosque of Abu Dahab near the Khan al-Khalili market. Known for its Ottomon style architecture, it was built in 1774 AD.
Drinking tea near the al-Hussein Mosque.
“If the city boasts a surprising number of endearing stray cats, it is largely because people feed them out of respect for the Prophet, who is said to have cut a piece from his cloak so as not to disturb a cat sleeping in his lap.” -- Max Rodenbeck, "Cairo: The City Victorious"
Fishawi's coffee house in the Khan al-Khalili bazaar claims to have been open day and night for 200 years (except during Ramadan). A perfect place for some mint tea and a sheesha.
The Citadel presents an imposing visage overlooking Cairo. Founded in 1176 by Salah ad-Din (Saladin, as the name was bastardized by Westerners) as a fortification against the Crusaders, it remained the home to Egypt's varied rulers for 700 years. After overthrowing Salah ad-Din, the Mamluk's (former slaves who came to rule Egypt for 267 years) expanded the Citadel with lavish palaces and mosques, only one of which currently remains. Between 1517 and 1798, the Ottomons, who had overthrown the Mamluk's, continued expanding the Citadel while letting the Mamluk palaces deteriorate. When Napoleon overthrew the Ottomons, the Citadel became the French base of operations during their brief rule of Egypt. The current look of the Citadel owes much to the famed ruler, Mohammed Ali, who demolished the Citadel's remaining Mamluk structures after taking Egypt back from the French. The last military use of the Citadel was as a barracks for the British army during WWII.
Minaret on the Mosque of an-Nasr Mohammed, the only surviving Mamluk structure in the Citadel. The Persian-style tiling used here is unique in Egypt.
The Citadel
Prison cells inside the Citadel.
The Mosque of Mohammed Ali inside the Citadel crowns Cairo's skyline. The Turkish-style mosque was built between 1830 and 1848.
The domes and minarets of the Mohammed Ali Mosque.
The courtyard of the Mohammed Ali Mosque.
This is a terrible picture but I included it to give an indication of the size inside the Mosque of Mohammed Ali. As a Westerner, I marvelled at the immensity of the prayer halls, which look even larger since they don't need seats. The chandalier here is amazing and I truly wish I could have captured the beauty of it and the rest of this room.
Carol inside the Mosque of Mohammed Ali.
Heather inside the Mosque of Mohammed Ali.
Mindi inside the Mosque of Mohammed Ali.
Alison inside the Mosque of Mohammed Ali.
The marble tomb of Mohammed Ali.
Egyptian rulers of antiquity lining the path to the Citadel's Military Museum. The building housing the museum was once the Harem Palace of Mohammed Ali. It's good to be the king.
Statue of a Mamluk warrior in the Military Museum.
Statue of Mohammed Ali pointing towards his mosque.
The Egyptian flag flying over the Citadel.
What Muslim meal isn't made better with a nice helping of American sausage?
These Soviet-style concrete apartment buildings, built during Nasser's era, dominate large parts of Cairo. But I was struck by the vivid colors used to paint the doors and shutters on many of them.
Pottery vases in the Islamic (Fatimid) section of Old Cairo, not far from the Khan al-Khalili bazaar and the al-Hussein mosque. You are literally transported back in history walking through here as the buildings haven't changed since medieval times. (Although there were presumably fewer Vespas back then.) This is not far from Bein al-Qasreen, the “Palace Walk” of Naguib Mahfouz's Cairo Trilogy.
Medieval Cairo
Window covering on Beit el-Suhaymi, a palatial 17th and 18th century Ottoman mansion that has been fully restored to show how the wealthier Cairo merchants of the time lived. The answer is, pretty darn well. (“Beit” means “house”, so the name is literally, Suhaymi's house.)
Inside Beit as-Suhaymi.
Inside Beit as-Suhaymi. Our excellent tour guide joked that this is the harem room. (I'm rather partial to the one on the left, myself.) Actually, this would be a room where the women (wife and daughters) of the house could welcome their guests and friends. The room was off-limits to men, allowing the women to relax and socialize free of the restrictions placed on them in the company of men. The pattern on the windows allowed the women to look out to the street below without fear of being seen by men, which was, of course, taboo.
Carol relaxing in the haremlik in Beit as-Suhaymi.
A balcony overlooking the courtyard of Beit as-Suhaymi.
Skylights in the massage room of Beit as-Suhaymi.
A 17th century bathroom in Beit as-Suhaymi.
The garden of Beit as-Suhaymi.
Artisan etching a brass plate.
The sights and smells in the outdoor spice and vegetable market were heavenly!
Minaret on the Mosque of al-Azhar.
Courtyard of the al-Azhar Mosque. Founded in 970 AD by the Fatimids, the mosque and its university remain one of Cairo's most prestigious and important religious and educational institutions. The Sheikh of al-Azhar is the highest religious authority for Egyptian Sunni Muslims. Its madrassa (university), founded in 988, is the second-oldest educational institution in the world.
Al-Azhar Mosque
Stitched applique for sale in Sharia al-Khaimiyya, “the Street of the Tentmakers”, where several of my friends bought wall hangings. This particular piece shows Anubis, the ancient Egyptian god of the dead, weighing a dead person's heart against the feather of truth. If the bad deeds in your heart outweighed the feather, you were unfit for the afterlife and not allowed to pass into the next world. (Thanks to Eck for pointing it out to me and for the explanation.)
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Our friends set up a fun treasure hunt using puzzle clues to find things inside the museum. Dave and Heather won. Carol and I came in second. Pat and Mindi were right behind us. And Eric and Alison are still not talking to any of us...
Entrance courtyard of the Egyptian Museum.
Statue of the warrior goddess, Sekhmet, outside the Egyptian Museum.
Statue of Sekhmet outside the Egyptian Museum.
The Nile Hilton provides a distinctive landmark overlooking central Cairo. Built in 1959 on the site of a former British Army barracks, it was the first modern hotel in Cairo.
Abdeen Palace was the residence of the Egyptian monarchy between 1874 and 1952 when King Farouk was exiled and the monarchy abolished. Now it is the official presidential palace although, according to the Lonely Planet guide, President Mubarak prefers his residence in nearby Heliopolis.
The Egyptian flag flying over Abdeen Palace.
Abdeen Palace
Kids practicing soccer in the gardens near Abdeen Palace.
You just don't see this kind of thing on the streets of DC.
The Garden City district of Cairo was built in the early 1900s to house British officers and administrators in a style reminiscent of a Victorian-era English garden suburb. Its curved streets and eclectic architecture made for an interesting walk, although its heyday was clearly in the past.
A church in the Garden City district.
A mansion in the Garden City district.
This apparently abandoned and decaying mansion would have made the perfect setting for a Dickens novel.
Mansion in the Garden City district.
The Four Seasons hotel in the Garden City district.
A view over the Nile from the Garden City district.
The Temple of Amun at Karnak. With structures dating back to the 21st century BC, by the New Kingdom period (roughly the 16th through 12th centuries BC), Karnak had become the center of religious worship in Egypt. Its Egyptian name was Ipet-Sut, “The Most Esteemed of Places”. The Temple of Amun remains the largest religious building ever made and, at its peak, employed over 80,000 men as labourers, guards, priests, and servants.
Sphinxes lining the entrance to the Temple of Amun.
Sphinx at the entrance to the Temple of Amun.
Temple of Amun
Colossus of Ramses II at the entrance to the Great Hypostyle Hall of the Temple of Amun.
Obelisk in the Temple of Amun.
The Sacred Lake behind the Temple of Amun where priests purified themselves before performing rituals in the temple.
A pharaoh shown smiting his enemies.
The Great Hypostyle Hall of the Temple of Amun. There are 134 of these columns that originally supported the hall's roof.
A bicycle in the town of Luxor.
The Colossi of Memnon, two 60 foot statues of Amenhotep III, are the first signs of the Theban Necropolis on the West Bank of the Nile across from Luxor. (14th century BC)
The Colossi of Memnon
Statue guarding the ruins of the Ramesseum, the memorial temple to Ramses II. Known classically as the Tomb of Ozymandius, the shattered head of the Colossus of Ramses lying inside the temple ruins inspired Shelley's poem, “Ozymandius”. (Which really just reminds me that “The Watchmen” movie comes out next week!)
The house where famed archaeologist Howard Carter lived while searching for, and then excavating, the Tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings.
The entrance to the Valley of the Kings, known to the ancient Egyptians as the Great Necropolis of Millions of Years of Pharaoh. The valley contains 63 royal tombs from the New Kingdom period (16th to 11th century BC).
Peak overlooking the Valley of the Kings.
Entering the Valley of the Kings.
A tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
The Tomb of Tutankhamun. Due to its popularity, an additional ticket is required to visit this tomb, which the Lonely Planet guide calls, “the least impressive of all the royal tombs”. Tutankhamun was a minor king who reigned for a mere 10 years between the ages of 9 and 19. He is notable only for restoring polytheism in response to his older brother's attempt at discarding the old gods in favor of one “true” God. His modern-day fame comes from the fact that the treasures of his tomb were intact, having been spared the fate of robbery and vandalism of the previously discovered royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
If you look very closely in the distance, you can see people climbing a fairly large staircase. This leads to the tomb of Tuthmosis III, supposedly one of the best of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. My fear of heights kept me from finding out first-hand, but Carol says it was very nice.
The Tombs of the Nobles. Containing some 400 tombs belonging to the aristocrats of ancient Egypt, the Lonely Planet guide claims the tombs here are “some of the best, but least visited, attractions on the West Bank.” I don't know about that. The tombs of Menna and Nakht, recommended by that guide, were smaller and less impressive than the tombs I saw in the Valley of the Kings. But unlike the Valley of the Kings, we did have them to ourselves, and the paintings along the walls were quite vivid.
Tombs of the Nobles
Medinat Habu, the mortuary temple of Ramses III, is second in size only to Karnak among the temples of Thebes. It was one of my favorite sites in all of Egypt. This Syrian Gate acts as an entrance and has stairs leading up that apparently provide a beatiful view of the village near the temple. Unfortunately, the stairs were closed off when we were there. (12th century BC)
Statue of the warrior goddess Sekhmet at Medinat Habu.
Depiction of Ramses III's victory over the Libyans.
Pillars in the first court of Medinat Habu.
Medinat Habu
Shaded from the sun, these carvings in the temple at Medinat Habu have not faded in color the way virtually all other carvings we'd seen had. It provided a way to imagine how colorful the entire temple, and many other temples we had seen, looked at the time.
Scribes taking a census of the numbers of enemies killed during a battle by counting their severed hands.
Sofra Restaurant and Cafe in Luxor, a fabulous location for our last lunch in Egypt.
Sofra Restaurant and Cafe in Luxor
