Nefertari's temple

Nefertari also known as Nefertari Merytmut was one of the Great Royal Wives (or principal wives) of Ramesses the Great.

Nefertari means 'Beautiful Companion' and Meritmut means 'Beloved of [the Goddess] Mut'. She is one of the best known Egyptian queens, next to Cleopatra, Nefertiti and Hatshepsut. Her lavishly decorated tomb, QV66, is the largest and most spectacular in the Valley of the Queens. Ramesses also constructed a temple for her at Abu Simbel next to his colossal monument here.

Nefertari held many different titles, including: Great of Praises (wrt-hzwt), Sweet of Love (bnrt-mrwt), Lady of Grace (nbt-im3t), Great King’s Wife (hmt-niswt-wrt), Great King’s Wife, his beloved (hmt-niswt-wrt meryt.f), Lady of The Two Lands (nbt-t3wy), Lady of all Lands (hnwt-t3w-nbw), Wife of the Strong Bull (hmt-k3-nxt), God’s Wife (hmt-ntr), Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt (hnwt-Shm’w-mhw).

Family

Although Nefertari’s origins are unknown, the discovery from her tomb of a knob inscribed with the cartouche of Pharaoh Ay has led people to speculate she was related to him. The time between the reign of Ay and Ramesses II means that Nefertari could not be a daughter of Ay and if any relation exists at all, she would be a grand-daughter. It is possible that Nefertari is the daughter of Mutnodjemet, sister of Nefertiti, and possibly daughter of Ay.[citation needed] There is no conclusive evidence linking Nefertari to the royal family of the 18th dynasty however.

Nefertari married Ramesses II before he ascended the throne. Nefertari had at least four sons and two daughters. Amun-her-khepeshef, the eldest was Crown Prince and Commander of the Troops, and Pareherwenemef would later serve in Ramesses II’s army. Prince Meryatum was elevated to the position of High Priest of Re in Heliopolis. Inscriptions mention he was a son of Nefertari. Prince Meryre is a fourth son mentioned on the façade of the small temple at Abu Simbel and is thought to be another son of Nefertari. Meritamen and Henuttawy are two royal daughters depicted on the façade of the small temple at Abu Simbel and are thought to be daughters of Nefertari.

Princesses named Bak(et)mut, Nefertari, and Nebettawy are sometimes suggested as further daughters of Nefertari based on their presence in Abu Simbel, but there is no concrete evidence for this supposed family relation.

Nefertari's temple



Inside Nefertari's temple

Biography

 

Nefertari first appears as the wife of Ramesses II in official scenes during the first year of Ramesses II. In the tomb of Nebwenenef, Nefertari is depicted behind her husband as he elevates Nebwenenef to the position of High Priests of Amun during a visit to Abydos. Nefertari also appears in a scene next to a year 1 stela. She is depicted shaking two sistra before Taweret, Thoth and Nut.

Nefertari is an important presence in the scenes from Luxor and Karnak. In a scene from Luxor, Nefertari appears leading the royal children. Another scene shows Nefertari at the Festival of the Mast of Amun-Min-Kamephis. The king and the queen are said to worship in the new temple and are shown overseeing the Erection of the Mast before Amen-Re attended by standard bearers.

Nefertari appears as Ramesses II’s consort on many statues in both Luxor and Karnak. In Western Thebes, Nefertari is mentioned on a statuary group from Deir el-BAhari, a stela and blocks from Deir el-Medina.

The greatest honor was bestowed on Nefertari however in Abu Simbel. Nefertari is depicted in statue form at the great temple, but the small temple is dedicated to Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. The building project was started earlier in the reign of Ramesses II, and seems to have been inaugurated by ca year 25 of his reign (but not completed until ten years later).

Nefertari’s prominence at court is further supported by cuneiform tablets from the Hittite city of Hattusas (today Boghazkoy, Turkey), containing Nefertari's correspondence with the king Hattusilis and his wife Pudukhepa. She is mentioned in the letters as Naptera.

Nefertari is shown at the inaugural festivities at Abu Simbel in year 24. Her daughter Meritamen is depicted taking part in place of her mother in some of the scenes. Nefertari may well have been in failing health at this point. After her death she was buried in tomb QV66 in the Valley of the Queens.

Memphis

Memphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first name of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo.

According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an important city throughout ancient Mediterranean history.

It occupied a strategic position at the mouth of the Nile delta, and was home to feverish activity. Its principal port, Peru-nefer, harboured a high density of workshops, factories, and warehouses that distributed food and merchandise throughout the ancient kingdom. During its golden age, Memphis thrived as a regional centre for commerce, trade, and religion.

  

Memphis' map

Memphis was believed to be under the protection of the god Ptah, the patron of craftsmen. Its great temple, Hut-ka-Ptah (meaning "Enclosure of the ka of Ptah"), was one of the most prominent structures in the city.

The name of this temple, rendered in Greek as Aί γυ πτoς (Ai-gy-ptos) by the historian Manetho, is believed to be the etymological origin of the modern English name Egypt.

The history of Memphis is closely linked to that of the country itself. Its eventual downfall is believed to be due to the loss of its economical significance in late antiquity, following the rise of coastal Alexandria. Its religious significance also diminished after the abandonment of the ancient religion following the Edict of Thessalonica.

The ruins of the former capital today offer fragmented evidence of its magnificent past. They have been preserved, along with the pyramid complex at Giza, as a World Heritage Site since 1979. The site is open to the public as an open-air museum.

Location

The ruins of Memphis are 20 km (12 miles) south of Cairo, on the west bank of the Nile. The modern cities and towns of Mit Rahina, Dahshur, Abusir, Abu Gorab, and Zawyet el'Aryan, south of Cairo, all lie within the administrative borders of historical Memphis.

The city was also the place that marked the boundary between Upper and Lower Egypt. (The 22nd city of Upper Egypt and 1st city of Lower Egypt).

History

Memphis became the capital of Ancient Egypt for over eight consecutive dynasties during the Old Kingdom. The city reached a peak of prestige under the 6th dynasty as a centre for the worship of Ptah, the god of creation and artworks. The alabaster sphinx that guards the Temple of Ptah serves as a memorial of the city's former power and prestige.

The Memphis triad, consisting of the creator god Ptah, his consort Sekhmet, and their son Nefertem, formed the main focus of worship in the city.

Memphis declined briefly after the 18th dynasty with the rise of Thebes and the New Kingdom, and was revived under the Persians before falling firmly into second place following the foundation of Alexandria. Under the Roman Empire, Alexandria remained the most important city. Memphis remained the second city of Egypt until the establishment of Fustat (or Fostat) in 641 CE. It was then largely abandoned and became a source of stone for the surrounding settlements. It was still an imposing set of ruins in the 12th century but soon became a little more than an expanse of low ruins and scattered stone.

Karnak temple, Luxor

The Karnak Temple Complex—usually called Karnak—comprises a vast mix of ruined temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings, notably the Great Temple of Amun and a massive structure begun by Pharaoh Ramses II (ca. 1391–1351 BC). Sacred Lake is part of the site as well. It is located near Luxor, some 500 km south of Cairo, in Egypt. The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut ("The Most Selected of Places") and the main place of worship of the eighteenth dynasty Theban Triad with the god Amun as its head. It is part of the monumental city of Thebes. The Karnak complex takes its name from the nearby, and partly surrounded, modern village of el-Karnak, some 2.5 km north of Luxor.

The complex is a vast open-air museum and the largest ancient religious site in the world. It believed to be the second most visited historical site in Egypt, second only to the Giza Pyramids near Cairo. It consists of four main parts (precincts), of which only the largest, the Precinct of Amun-Re, currently is open to the general public. The term Karnak often is understood as being the Precinct of Amun-Re only, because this is the only part most visitors normally see. The three other parts, the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Montu, and the dismantled Temple of Amenhotep IV, are closed to the public. There also are a few smaller temples and sanctuaries located outside the enclosing walls of the four main parts, as well as several avenues of goddess and ram-headed sphinxes connecting the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Amun-Re, and the Luxor Temple.

 

The Precinct of Mut is very ancient, being dedicated to an Earth and creation deity, but not yet restored. The original temple was destroyed and partially restored by Hatsheput, although another pharaoh built around it in order to change the focus or orientation of the sacred area. Many portions of it may have been carried away for use in other buildings.

The key difference between Karnak and most of the other temples and sites in Egypt is the length of time over which it was developed and used. Construction of temples started in the Middle Kingdom and continued through to Ptolemaic times. Approximately thirty pharaohs contributed to the buildings, enabling it to reach a size, complexity, and diversity not seen elsewhere. Few of the individual features of Karnak are unique, but the size and number of features are overwhelming. The deities represented range from some of the earliest worshiped to those worshiped much later in the history of the Ancient Egyptian culture. Although destroyed, it also contained an early temple built by Amenhotep IV, the pharaoh who later would celebrate a near monotheistic religion he established that prompted him to move his court and religious center away from Thebes. It also contains evidence of adaptations, using buildings of the Ancient Egyptians by later cultures for their own religious purposes.

One famous aspects of Karnak, is the Hypostyle Hall in the Precinct of Amun-Re, a hall area of 50,000 sq ft (5,000 m2) with 134 massive columns arranged in 16 rows. 122 of these columns are 10 meters tall, and the other 12 are 21 meters tall with a diameter of over three meters.

Tahrir Square, Cairo

Tahrir Square (Liberation Square) is a major public town square in Downtown Cairo. The square was originally called Ismailia Square, after the 19th-century ruler Khedive Ismail, who commissioned the new downtown district's 'Paris on the Nile' design. After the Egyptian Revolution of 1919 the square was called Tahrir (Liberation) Square, but the square was not officially renamed until the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, which changed Egypt from a constitutional monarchy into a republic.

At the centre of Tahrir Square is a large and busy traffic circle. On the north-east side is a plaza with a statue of Ottoman Egypt-era Cairene Omar Makram, and beyond is the masjed Omar Makram (Omar Makram Mosque).

The square is the northern terminus of the historic Qasr al-Ayn Street, the western terminus of Talaat Harb Street, and via Qasr ElNil Street crossing its southern portion it has direct access to the Qasr ElNil Bridge crossing the nearby Nile River.

The area around Tahrir Square includes the Egyptian Museum, the Mogamma government building, the Headquarters of the Arab League building, the Nile Hotel, and the original downtown campus of the American University in Cairo.

The Cairo Metro serves Tahrir Square with the Sadat Station, which is the downtown junction of the system's two lines, linking to Giza, Maadi, Helwan, Elmarg,and other districts and suburbs of Greater Cairo. Its underground access viaducts provide the safest routes for pedestrians crossing the broad

roads of the heavily trafficked square.

Tahrir Square

Tahrir Square 1980

 

Mogamma government building in Tahrir square



Tahrir Square from Google Earth

• 2011 Egyptian Revolution

Tahrir Square was the focal point of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution against former president Hosni Mubarak.

Over 100,000 protesters first occupied the square on 25 January, during which the area's wireless services were reported to be impaired.

In the following days Tahrir Square continued to be the primary destination for protests in Cairo.

On 29 January Egyptian fighter aircraft flew low over the people gathered in the square. On 30 January, the seventh day of the protests, BBC and other correspondents reported that the number of demonstrators had grown to at least 200,000, and on 31 January Al Jazeera correspondents reported that the demonstrations had grown to at least 350,000 people. On 1 February, Al Jazeera reported that more than 1 million protesters peacefully gathered in the square and adjacent streets.

More than 1 million people during Egyptian Revolution

The square became established as a focal point and a symbol for the ongoing Egyptian democracy demonstrations. On 2 February violence erupted between the pro-Mubarak and pro-democracy demonstrators here, followed by the 3 February 'Friday of Departure' demonstration, one of the named "day of" events centered in the square.

The 18-day-long revolt centered in the square — led by the young people of Egypt and joined by citizens of all ages, genders, and classes — succeeded in the ouster of Mubarak on Friday 11 February 2011, when the president officially stepped down from office. The announcement, that Mubarak had passed all authority to the Council of the Armed Forces, was made by longtime intelligence chief and new vice president Mr Omar Suleiman. Tahrir Square erupted in a night-long celebration after the twilight announcement, with shouts such as "Lift your head up high, you're Egyptian," "Everyone who loves Egypt, come and rebuild Egypt," and others. The next day Egyptian women and men came to clean up the square, "they came and cleaned up after their revolution," relaying 'projectiles' in the cobblestone paving and removing eighteen day's worth of trash and graffit.

• See Egyptian Youth cleaning tahrir Square after their revolution

 Egyptian Children cleaning Tahrir Square

Qasr Elnil Bridge's Lions

TOURISM IN EGYPT

TOURISM IN EGYPT

Museums and Sumptuous Palaces in Egypt

Museum of Islamic Art

Museum of Islamic Art

The Museum of Islamic Art is considered one of the greatest in the world with its exceptional collection of rare woodwork and plaster, as well as metal, ceramic, glass, crystal, and textile objects of all periods, from all over the Islamic world. It houses more than 102,000 objects. The Museum carries out archaeological excavations in the Fustat Area and has organized a number of National and International Exhibitions. It has been closed for renovations since 2003, but is set to re-open on September 1st, 2010.

Although recognition of Pharonic art was signaled in Cairo by the establishment in 1858 of the Department of Antiquities and the Egyptian Museum, the appreciation of Arab and Islamic Art lagged behind. The Khedive Ismail approved a proposal to establish a Museum of Arab Art in the Courtyard of the Mosque of Baibars, but this was not carried out until 1880 when Khedive Tawfiq ordered the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) to set it up.

Julius Franz, an Austrian Scholar of Hungarian Descent, the Head of the Technical department at the Awqaf, proposed in 1881 that the ruined Mosque of the Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim, adjacent to the Bab Al-Futuh, to be a provesional seat for the Museum. A Gallery was accordingly furnished there in the eastern arcade, consisting initially of 111 architectural pieces taken from other Monuments.

Matters improved the same year when Khedive Tawfiq approved the "Committee of Arab Antiquities", whose duties included running the Arab Museum, and providing it with objects as well as preserving the monuments. As a result, the arcades of the mosque were filled to overflowing. in 1884 a two story structure was built in the courtyard to house the collection of 900 objects, although its staff consisted of only one curator and a door keeper.

in 1887 Max Hertz, also Austro-Hungarian, replaced Julius Franz, and began making many changes, he suggested the name of the Museum back then as the gallery of Arab Antiquities (Dar Al-Athar Al-Arabiya), by 1895 the collection numbered to 1,641, and the new building became too crowded, he requested the Awqaf to build a larger Museum, and so in 1899 the Foundations of the present larger Building in Bab Al-Khalq.

The new and current Building was designed by Alfonso Manescalo, and was completed in 1902 in neo-Mamluk style, with its upper story housing the National Library. The old Museum in al Hakim was demolished in the 1970s during refurbishment of the Mosque.

The Museum entirely faces Historic Cairo. It has two entrances; one on the north-eastern side and the other the south-eastern side. A beautiful garden with a fountain once led to the first entrance but was later removed. The entrance on Port Said Street features a very luxurious facade, rich with decorations and recesses inspired by Islamic architecture in Egypt from various periods. The Museum is a two-story building; the first floor comprises the exhibition halls and the second floor comprises the general stores. The basement contains a store connected with the Restoration Section.

Al Manyal Palace Museum

Al Manyal Palace Museum

The museum was set up by Prince " Mohammad Ali Tawfiq " in 1899 in the middle of a thirty - feddan garden. The garden has a group of rare trees which the Prince had brought from various parts of the world. The palace's architecture, interior decorations and furniture are all modeled on the Arabesque style. The museum's collection is the most complete representative set of the " Ottoman " art. In addition, the museum contains early Islamic manuscripts and rare collections of embroidered textiles, carpets, crystal vessels and candelabra.

The Palace was built to commemorate and eternalize Islamic Art. It is considered amongst the most important and historic museums since it represents a crucial period in modern Egyptian history and portrays in detail the life of the Royal Family.

The architectural designs distinguish it from other museums because of its Modern Islamic art carrying the essence of Moroccan, Persian and Syrian styles.



The Palace is situated in the east of the River Nile along the island of Manial El-Roda. It covers an area of 61711 square meters, as buildings occupy 5000 square meters, 34,000 square meters for gardens and 22711 square meters for inner roads and garden constructions.



The Saa (clock) Tower

 The Palace is divided into 11 sections; the gate which was built in the style of middle age castles gates, has terraces for guards.

The palace facade resembles that of Iranian Mosques and Schools of the 14th C. The reception palace was designed for receiving official guests and is of two stories. The first story has two rooms, the ceremony room and the reception one for those who offer Friday prayers with the Prince, the second story has two halls; the Moroccan and Syrian halls.

The Saa (clock) Tower lies between the Reception Palace and the Mosque, which Prince Mohamed Ali built after the Andalosian and Moroccan fashions.

The fountain lies between the tower and the great Mosque, the Mosque despite its small size is considered an unmatchable architectural and ornamental antique.

The Hunting Museum is a long hall annexed to the east gate overlooking the garden. It displays possessions of King Farouk and Prince Youssef Kamal who loved hunting. This Museum was finished long after the death of the Prince and was opened to the public in 1962. 

The two-story residence is the oldest building in the palace and has a tower overlooking sights of Cairo and Giza. The first story consists of al-Shakma, the mirror lobby, harem room, blue saloon, dining room, arabesque saloon and the fireplace room. The second story consists of the jewelry room, arabesque room, Princes bedroom, maid’s room and a balcony overlooking the mirror hall. The Throne palace was designed after the Ottoman style in the form of a "Kosha".

El Alamein town

El Alamein town

El Alamein is a town in northern Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea coast in Matruh Governorate. It is 106 kilometres (66 mi) west of Alexandria and 240 kilometres (149 mi) northwest of Cairo. The population was about 7,397 in 2007.

With typical Mediterranean climate, El Alamein is blessed with pleasant weather all year long, with cold winters and warm-to-hot summers. Alamein is also known for its outstanding unpolluted environment, air, and beaches.

El Alamein has a war museum with collectibles from "the civil war" and other North African battles. Visitors can also go to the Italian and German Military Cemetery on Tel el-Eisa Hill just outside the town. The German cemetery is an ossuary with the remains of 4,200 German soldiers, built in the style of a medieval fortress. The Italian cemetery is a mausoleum containing many galleries of tombs. Many tombs bear the soldier's name. 

Battle of El Alamein

Battle of El Alamein

There is also a Commonwealth war cemetery with graves of soldiers from various countries who fought on the British side. This has monuments commemorating Greek, New Zealand, Australia, South African and Indian forces. Note that the remains of United States soldiers were not buried here. The Commonwealth cemetery, as is common at many such cemeteries in the world, consists of parallel rows of gravestones, each one bearing an engraving of the deceased soldier's unit emblem, his name and an epitaph from his family.

Two important World War II battles were fought in the area. At the First Battle of El Alamein (July 1 – July 27, 1942) the advance of Axis troops on Alexandria was blunted by the Allies, when the German Panzers tried to outflank the allied position. At the Second Battle of El Alamein (October 23 – November 4, 1942) Allied forces broke the Axis line and forced them all the way back to Tunisia. Winston Churchill said of this victory: "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end, but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." After the war, he wrote: "Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein, we never had a defeat."

Abdeen Palace

Abdeen Palace

Construction started in 1863 and continued for 10 years but the palace was officially inaugurated in 1874. Erected on an area of 24 feddans, the palace was constructed by the French architect Rousseau along with a large number of Egyptian, Italian, French and Turkish decorators. However, the palace’s garden was added in 1921 by Sultan Fuad I on an area of 20 feddans. The cost of building the palace reached 700,000 Egyptian pounds in addition to 2 million pounds for its furnishing. More money was also spent on the palace’s alteration, preservation and maintenance by consecutive rulers. The palace includes 500 rooms.

The palace was originally built on land belonging to an Ottoman Turkish nobleman named Abdeen Bey. The palace became the centre of the royal court, rather than the Citadel of Cairo (which had been the centre of Egyptian government since the Middle Ages) during the reign of King Fuad.

The palace, located in the Old Cairo district of Abdeen is today a museum. The upper floors, (the former living quarters of the royal family), are reserved for visiting foreign dignitaries. The lower floors contain the Silver Museum, the Arms Museum, the Royal Family Museum, and the Presidential Gifts Museum. A new museum, the Historical Documents Museum was opened in January 2005. Among other documents, it contains the Imperial Ottoman firman, or decree, which established the rule of Muhammad Ali and his family, and a certificate for the Order of the Iron Crown, from the short-lived South American Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia. Abdeen Palace is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of Egypt.

Abdeen Palace is considered one of the most sumptuous palaces in the world in terms of its adornments, paintings, and large number of clocks scattered in the parlors and wings, most of which are decorated with pure gold. Built by Khedive Ismail, to become the official government headquarters instead of the Citadel of Cairo, this palace was used as well for official events and ceremonies. Abdin Palace was so called as it was built on the debris of a house owned by the Turkish Prince Abdin Bey.

The Kings (Pharaohs) of Ancient Egypt

The title of "Pharaoh" actually comes to us from the Greek language and its use in the Old Testament. It originates in the Egyptian Per-aa, meaning "Great House", a designation of the palace, which first came to be used as a label for the king around 1450 BC, though it only became common usage some centuries later. For most of the time, the usual word for the king of ancient Egypt was nesu, but a whole range of titles were applicable to any full statement of a king's names and titulary.

According to Egyptian legend, the first kings of Egypt were later some of Egypt's most famous gods. We really do not know whether some of these individuals actually existed in human form or what regions of Egypt they may have ruled over. Only at the end of the Predynastic period, prior to the unification of Egypt, can we recognize specific kings who most likely ruled over either northern or southern Egypt. According to many sources, the first real king of Egypt, therefore ruling over the unified land, was Menes, who would have ruled Egypt around 3100 BC, but we have little if any archaeological basis for this name. Most scholars today believe that he may have been a king named Narmer, or more likely still, Aha, two figures that are better attested in the archaeological record.

However, Menes might have also been a legendary composition of several rulers. After these first rulers of a unified Egypt, the Egyptian monarchy lasted in a recognizable form for over three thousand years, basically ending with Cleopatra, though even Roman emperors attempted to style themselves as Egyptian pharaohs. We know of 170 or more specific pharaohs during this period of time. Although many changes occurred during that time, almost all of the fundamentals remained the same.

Kings were not only males, and unlike in modern monarchies, the ruler of ancient Egypt, whether male or female, was always called a king. In fact, Egypt had some very noteworthy female rulers such as Hatshepsut and others.

In ancient (Pharaonic) Egypt, the pinnacle of Egyptian society, and indeed of religion, was the king. Below him were the layers of the educated bureaucracy which consisted of nobles, priests and civil servants, and under them were the great mass of common people, usually living very poor, agricultural based lives. Except during the earliest of themes, when the highest official was apparently a Chancellor, for most of Egyptian history, the man or men just under the king were Viziers, (tjaty), a position that was roughly similar to a modern Prime Minister.

In many if not most accounts, the king is viewed as an incarnation of Horus, a falcon god, and the posthumous son of Osiris, who himself was a divine king slain by his brother, Seth. Horus fought his uncle for the return of the throne, and part of the accession process of the king was the proper burial of his predecessor, as Horus carrying out the last rites of Osiris. In fact, there are a number of cases where such an act may have been the legal basis for a non-royal figure's ascent of the throne. However, more usual was the succession of the eldest son, whose status as heir was frequently, if not always, proclaimed during his father's lifetime. Furthermore, there were a number of instances where this was taken a step further by the heir's coronation as a co-regent prior to the father's death. This has actually led to much confusion among scholars, because in some cases, the young heir began to count his regnal years only after the death of his father, while in other instances, he started to do so from the moment of his coronation. The ancient Egyptians did not use era dating as we do today (BC or AD), but rather relied on regnal dating of the king's rule, and therefore potential difficulties for modern, if not ancient, historians can easily be imagined.

The king himself (or herself) was the figure upon whom the whole administrative structure of the state rested. These god-kings usually commanded tremendous resources. The Pharaoh was the head of the civil administration, the supreme warlord and the chief priest of every god in the kingdom. All offerings were made in his name and the entire priesthood acted in his stead. In fact, he was himself a divine being, considered the physical offspring of a god. The myth of the ruler's divine birth centered on the god assuming the form of (or becoming incarnate in) the king's father, who then impregnated his wife, who accordingly bore the divine ruler.

Of course, the king was also subject to some rather grave responsibilities. Through his dealings with the gods, he was tasked with keeping the order, or ma'at of the land, and therefore keeping out chaos, often in the form of the enemies of Egypt from foreign lands. But he was also responsible for making sufficient offerings and otherwise satisfying the gods so that they would bless Egypt with a bountiful Nile flood, and therefore a good enough harvest to feed his people. When he failed at these tasks, he could bear not only blame, but a weakening of the state and thus his power. In drastic cases, such as at the end of the Old Kingdom, this could actually lead to a complete collapse of the Egyptian state.

Even today, many questions remain about the kings of ancient Egypt. We have a fairly good idea of their order through time, though often scholars disagree about specific dates related to our current form of the calendar. Our evidence of their order comes mostly from various "kings' lists, that almost exclusively were made during the New Kingdom. Another source is the Egyptian history written by Manetho, an Egyptian priest, but over the years, there have been modifications to both the kings' lists and Manetho's history made through archaeological discovery. Nevertheless, there are periods of Egyptian history, particularly those known as intermediate periods, where very little information exits on who ruled (usually only a part of) Egypt.

Basically, Manetho divided up ancient Egyptian history into thirty dynasties, though this division is a bit difficult, and modern scholarship has proven it to be not completely (and sometimes not at all) accurate. Most of the time, a dynasty consisted of a related family of rulers, though sometimes dynasties seem to have been broken up due to the establishment of a new capital. In a number of instances, modern Egyptologists believe that he may have been incorrect about the end of a family line.

Even today, the power that an ancient Egyptian pharaoh commanded in ancient Egypt and the resources under his control can seem staggering. One need only think in terms of the Great Pyramids, the wealth of gold and the grand temples to gain some understanding of their power. They commanded resources that many modern day states would be hard pressed to emulate, and they did so at a time when much of the remainder of the ancient world were struggling for a foothold in history.

The Baron Palace

The Baron Palace

A legendary palace of mysterious reflections and architectural elements that stir the most dormant of imaginations, The Baron Palace stands today in the modern district of Cairo, Heliopolis; silently echoing the magical period of the Baron. The Palace is a true enchantment which continues to be a rare reminder of a significant era of grandiose proportions, leisurely celebrations, exotic decorations and grand balls of royal presence.

Built in the early 20th century (between 1907 and 1910), the palace occupied a large expanse of land in the midst of the new city of leisure and luxury, Heliopolis. A district that was on the brink of creation, an ambitious project of converting the desert into a region with wide open areas of residential masterpieces, spacious roads, facilities and amenities to suit the royal elite.

The owner of the Baron Palace was the Belgian-born industrialist, Baron-General Edouard Louis Joseph Empain (1852-1929), who was known for his extravagant nature and passionate character. Sources state that while in Egypt on business, he had an affair with the Egyptian desert, sparking his desire for Heliopolis, and later fell in love with a beautiful Cairene socialite, Yvette Boghdadli. Together, they initiated the new city of Heliopolis, building every possible facility that could be needed by the elite, including a racetrack, a golf course and the like, in addition to constructing fine residential housing to suit the preferences of a distinct social class, whilst not forgetting to include more mediocre public housing.

Édouard Empain

The city was built in a unified building style, except for the palace and home of Empain, for which he chose to build in a Hindu style of prestigious aesthetics. Alexander Marcel, a French architect was assigned this task and challenge, and attempted to create an authentic realization of the vision that Empain had in mind. To this end, Marcel employed skilled Indonesian artists and sculptors, who labored in the creation of a masterpiece of architectural excellence with pure Hindu influences.

The construction of the exterior and interior of the palace was assigned to specialized teams to enable the professional execution and recreation of a residential Hindu temple. This they certainly did achieve, for as one enters the courtyard of the Palace, the initial feeling is one of magnificence and amazement. The sculptures, reliefs, murals, gilded ornamentation and mythical stone figures, which were once in crisp conditions of glistening reflections, must have set off the most intriguing discussions between the privileged guests.

The open courtyard surrounding the palace is landscaped with several pathways, while the main and largest pathway, wide enough to accommodate several vehicles, leads to the grand staircase of the palace. On either side of the main pathway are statues of snakes, elephants, Buddhas and Krishnas that are frozen in time with skillfully-created expressions. Today, some of the sculptures remain in good condition, the majority however are fragments of the statues, but are more than enough to invoke the most vivid of legends. Unfortunately, the grand size of the palace and open yards exist today as deserted rubble and guarded grounds that were once filled with lush greenery and foliage, creating an exotic contrast to the mythical stone sculptures.

The palace building itself has two main floors, with other underground divisions. The exterior of the building is ordained with chiseled stone, relief architecture, with the focal point being a Hindu style dome.

As the palace was located in one of the most prestigious locations, so were its neighbors, who included kings and pashas of the time. The guests of the Palace that Empain hosted were of course of equal stature, among whom were most notably King Albert and Queen Elizabeth of the Belgians.

The Palace itself accommodated the Baron's entire family, ending with his grandchildren who sold the Palace to Saudi buyers. The splendor and excessiveness of the Palace was enjoyed by both the Baron and his son in full effect. Each of whom embodied a real-life Great Gatsby in his own right, hosting elite balls, lavish parties of luxurious atmospheres, filling the halls of the palace with music, dance, and a fine collection of the country's social elite. The Baron's grandchildren however weren't so keen on the lifestyle or architectural tendencies of their parents, and thus handed over their mythical home to their buyers of choice.

Today, the Palace is considered an antiquity, and neither its current owners nor the Egyptian government has restored or opened the palace for visitors. It remains as a silent architectural masterpiece on one of the most used motor-highways in Egypt, existing in the distant sandy rubble of what survived of its treasures. The Baron Palace continues to invoke new and old legends, stories, fairytales, and mythical imaginations that spread along as rumors, echoing the morbid silence of its walls.

Nubian Museum

Nubian Museum

The International Museum of Nubia, The Nubian Museum is located in Aswan on an area of 50,000 square meters, 7000 of which are excluded to building, while the rest designed to be the yard of the museum. The building has three floors for displaying and housing, in addition to a library and information center. The largest part of the museum is occupied by the monumental pieces, reflecting phases of the development of the Nubian culture and civilization.

Three thousands pieces of antiquities, representing various ages; Geological, Pharaonic, Roman, Coptic and Islamic, were registered. The open-door exhibition includes 90 rare monumental pieces, while the internal halls contain 50 invaluable pieces dating back to the pre-history times, 503 pieces belong to Pharaonic time, 52 of Coptic era, 103 of Islamic age, 140 of Nubian time, in addition to 360 pieces having the tang of Aswan.

The museum was completed for an estimated construction cost of LE 75 million (approximately $22 million at the time), and was inaugurated on November 23, 1997.

The Museum built on steep cliff land, which enables it to create a full scale design for the Nile river from its origins in Ethiopia and Sudan to Egypt, and surrounded by Natural Botanical Garden which contains the most exclusive and famous Green life in Egypt.

Egypt Air Express Launches New Flight to Port Ghalib

Egypt Air Express

New Destination from Alexandria to Marsa Alam International Airport.
The M.A. Kharafi Group announced today that EgyptAir launched a new scheduled flight service from Alexandria to Marsa Alam International Airport, a key element in opening the area to wider domestic tourism. In addition, several new direct international routes will commence to Port Ghalib from Amman, Kuwait, and Jeddah. New flight routes will provide easier access to Port Ghalib, the perfect summer destination catered to individuals and families with activities such as safari dives, horseback riding, water sports, an arcade centre for kids and world renowned Six Senses Spas for adults.
Vice President, Ibrahim Saleh noted that "EgyptAir is the first airlines to commence regular operation of domestic flight services to Marsa Alam from Alexandria, thereby further opening this maginificently diverse area to access by global tourism. EgyptAir's scheduled flight service to Marsa Alam is a key element in opening the area to wider access by international tourists and source markets, as well as providing easy and appealing access to the area by the domestic tourism market." Egypt’s tourism market, especially around the Red Sea Riviera, has enjoyed substantial growth over the past few years as increasing numbers of holidaymakers are attracted to the warm, comfortable climate, the vast array of activities and historic sites and the favourable exchange rate offered by the Egyptian Pound.
Marsa Alam International Airport serves Egypt’s South Red Sea area including Port Ghalib which is just a few kilometres away from the airport. Comprising nine villages, a large conference centre, 160 retail and commercial outlets, 8200 apartments and villas, the international marina, four already operating hotels including The Palace by Intercontinental, The Oasis and The Sands by Crown Plaza and Marina Lodge, along with a substantial residential offering built, Port Ghalib is ready for occupation. In addition, a four lane ten-pin bowling alley, horse academy, children’s centre and all the water sports associated with such an international destination are all up and running. Once complete, the resort will include 19 additional hotels, a yacht club, an 18-hole golf course and further entertainment facilities and services.
Backed by mountains, deserts and oasis containing Bedouin encampments, natural fauna and flora, and rare wildlife, Port Ghalib is located in the town of Marsa Alam in south-eastern Egypt where the Arabian Desert meets the Red Sea. Formerly a quiet fishing village, the area is now an exciting tourist destination, attracting visitors with its combination of diverse cultural, historical and natural influences.
With three of the top ten dive sites in the world within easy reach from Port Ghalib – the Brothers Islands, Daedalus Reef, and Rocky Island – and some of best dolphin observing waters on earth, Port Ghalib is becoming the diving capital of the south Red Sea. Adding to this the proximity of Egypt's Nile Valley pharaonic monuments - only two hours away - and you have a wonderful unique area for tourism and tourism development.

Fly directly from Marsa Alam to Luxor & Abu Simbel

Egypt Air started,  weekly direct flights from Marsa Alam to Luxor and back every Monday and from Marsa Alam to Abu Simbel and back every Friday.
With these flights, it is now possible for visitors of Marsa Alam to enjoy the archeological sites in Luxor and Abu Simbel.
In addition, the flight of Abu Simbel / Marsa Alam is an excellent opportunity for the cruises of Aswan and Abu Simbel that disembark on Fridays to fly to Marsa Alam and enjoy some relaxation. The Luxor / Marsa Alam flight will be ideal for the Luxor cruises that disembark on Mondays to fly to Marsa Alam.
Flights Operation Marsa Alam / Luxor / Marsa Alam every Monday RMF LXR MS 370 0855 0945 LXR RMF MS 369 2025 2115 Marsa Alam / Abu Simbel / Marsa Alam every Friday RMF ABU MS 421 1055 1215 ABU RMF MS 422 1445 1605