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Cairo
Important
sites
Pyramides,
Sphinx,
Citadel
of
Mohamed
Alki
,Cairo
Geniza ,The
Egyptian
Museum ,Khan El-Khalili
,
Old
Cairo ,
Cairo
Tower
Al
Qahira
Fatimia
Mosques
Al-Azhar
Mosque
Established
in 972,
Al-Azhar
mosque
was
historically
the site
of the
renowned
Al-Azhar
University,
until
the
university's
move in
the late
20th
century
to a new
campus
in Nasr
City.
·
Al-Hakim
Mosque
Jame-al-Anwar,
928
·
Aqmar
Mosque,
1125
·
Juyushi
Mosque,
1085
·
Lulua
Mosque,
1015
Islamic
sites in
the old
city
·
Imam
Hussein
Mosque
·
Mosque-Mausoleum
Zaynab
·
Sayyidah
Ruqayya
Mashhad
·
Sayyeda
Nafisa
Mosque
·
Mohammed
Ali
Basha
Mosque
Palaces
Montaza
Palace,
in
Montaza
Ras
al-Tiin
Palace,
in Ras
al-Tiin
Presidential
Palace,
in
Maamoura
Recreational
Montaza
Royal
Gardens
Antoniades
Park
Shallalat
Gardens
Alexandria
Zoo
Green
Plaza
Fantazy
Land
Maamoura
Beach,
Alexandria
Marina
Village
City
Panorama
.
Museums
Alexandria
Aquarium
The
Alexandria
National
Museum
The
Graeco-Roman
Museum
Royal
Jewelry
Museum
The
Museum
of Fine
Arts
The
Cavafy
museum
Alexandria
is a
main
summer
resort
and
tourist
attraction,
due to
its
public
and
private
beaches
and
ancient
history
and
Museums,
especially
the
Bibliotheca
Alexandrina,
based on
reviving
the
ancient
Library
of
Alexandria.
Aswan is
a city
in the
south of
Egypt,
the
capital
of the
Aswan
Governorate.
It
stands
on the
east
bank of
the Nile
at the
first
cataract
and is a
busy
market
and
tourist
centre.
The
modern
city has
expanded
and
includes
the
formerly
separate
community
on the
island
of
Elephantine.
East
bank
sightseeing's
Luxor
Temple
Luxor
International
Airport
Karnak
Temple
Luxor
Museum
Mummification
Museum
Winter
Palace
Hotel
West
bank
sightseeing's
Valley
of the
Kings
Valley
of the
Queens
Medinet
Habu
(memorial
temple
of
Ramesses
III)
The
Ramesseum
(memorial
temple
of
Ramesses
II)
Deir
el-Medina
(workers'
village)
Tombs
of the
Nobles
Deir
el-Bahri
(Mortuary
Temple
of
Hatshepsut,
etc.)
Malkata
(palace
of
Amenophis
III)
Colossi
of
Memnon
(memorial
temple
of
Amenophis
III)
Hurghada
is a
city in
the Red
Sea
Governorate
of
Egypt.
It is a
main
tourist
center
and
second
largest
city
(after
Suez) in
Egypt
located
on the
Red Sea
coast.
Sharm
el-Sheikh
is a
city
situated
on the
southern
tip of
the
Sinai
Peninsula,
in South
Sinai
Governorate,
Egypt,
on the
coastal
strip
along
the Red
Sea. Its
population
is
approximately
35,000
(2008).
Sharm
el-Sheikh
is the
administrative
hub of
Egypt's
South
Sinai
Governorate
which
includes
the
smaller
coastal
towns of
Dahab
and
Nuweiba
as well
as the
mountainous
interior,
Saint
Catherine's
Monastery
and
Mount
Sinai.
Scuba
diving
and
water
sports
Sharm
el-Sheikh
has also
become a
favourite
spot for
scuba
divers
from
around
the
world.
Being
situated
near the
Red Sea,
it
provides
some of
the most
stunning
underwater
scenery
and warm
water
making
this an
ideal
place to
dive.
Visitors
to Sharm
el-Sheikh
can
experience
a
variety
of water
and
activities.
Beach
seekers
find
many
activities
such as
diving,
snorkelling,
windsurfing,
kitesurfing,
para-sailing,
boating,
and
canoeing.
Ras
Mohammed
is the
national
park of
South
Sinai,
located
on the
tip of
the
Sinai
Peninsula.
Along
with
Nabq, it
has
famous
dive
sites in
the Red
Sea,
with
800-metre
(2,600 ft)
deep
reef
walls,
pounding
current
and
coral
gardens.
The
Sharm
el-Sheikh
Hyperbaric
Medical
Center
was
founded
in 1993
with a
grant
from
USAID by
the
Egyptian
Ministry
of
Tourism,
represented
by Dr.
Adel
Taher to
assist
with
diving
related
illnesses
and
complete
the
area's
reputation
as a
full-service
dive
destination.
Edfu is
an
Egyptian
city,
located
on the
west
bank of
the Nile
River
between
Esna and
Aswan,
with a
population
of
approximately
sixty
thousand
people.
For the
ancient
history
of the
city,
see
below.
Edfu is
the site
of the
Ptolemaic
Temple
of Horus
and an
ancient
settlement,
Tell
Edfu
(described
below).
About 5
km (3
miles)
north of
Edfu are
remains
of
ancient
pyramids.
Edfu Temple of Horus
The town
is known
for the
major
Ptolemaic
temple,
built
between
237 BCE
and 57
BCE,
into the
reign of
Cleopatra
VII. Of
all the
temple
remains
in
Egypt,
the
Temple
of Horus
at Edfu
is the
most
completely
preserved.
Built
from
sandstone
blocks,
the huge
Ptolemaic
temple
was
constructed
over the
site of
a
smaller
New
Kingdom
temple,
oriented
east to
west,
facing
towards
the
river.
The
later
structure
faces
north to
south
and
leaves
the
ruined
remains
of the
older
temple
pylon to
be seen
on the
east
side of
the
first
court.
The
remains
of the
ancient
settlement
of Edfu
are
situated
about 50
m to the
west of
the
Ptolemaic
temple -
to the
left of
the
older
temple
pylon.
This
settlement
is known
as
Wetjeset-hor
and the
Latin
name was
Apollinopolis
Magna.
According
to
Notitia
Dignitatum,
part of
Legio II
Traiana
Fortis
was
camped
in
Apollo
superior,
which
was the
Roman
name for
the
town.
Kom Ombo
is an
agricultural
town in
Egypt
famous
for the
Temple
of Kom
Ombo. It
was
originally
an
Egyptian
city
called
Nubt,
meaning
City of
Gold
(not to
be
confused
with the
city
north of
Naqada
that was
also
called
Nubt/Ombos).
It
became a
Greek
settlement
during
the
Greco-Roman
Period.
The
town's
location
on the
Nile 50
km north
of Aswan
(Syene)
gave it
some
control
over
trade
routes
from
Nubia to
the Nile
Valley,
but its
main
rise to
prominence
came
with the
erection
of the
temple
in the
2nd
century
BC.
Saint
Catherine's
Monastery
(Greek:
Μονὴ τῆς
Ἁγίας
Αἰκατερίνης
Moni tes
Hagias
Aikaterines)
lies on
the
Sinai
Peninsula,
at the
mouth of
a gorge
at the
foot of
Mount
Sinai in
the city
of Saint
Catherine
in
Egypt's
South
Sinai
Governorate.
The
monastery
is
Orthodox
and is a
UNESCO
World
Heritage
Site.
According
to the
UNESCO
report
(60100
ha /
Ref:
954),
this
monastery
is one
of the
oldest
working
Christian
monasteries
in the
world
together
with the
Monastery
of Saint
Anthony,
situated
across
the Red
Sea in
the
desert
south of
Cairo,
which
also
lays
claim to
that
title.
St.
Catherine's
Monastery
possesses
some of
the
earliest
icons in
existence,
including
this
6th-century
hot wax
icon.
The
oldest
record
of
monastic
life at
Sinai
comes
from the
travel
journal
written
in Latin
by a
woman
named
Egeria
about
381-384.
She
visited
many
places
around
the Holy
Land and
Mount
Sinai,
where,
according
to the
Hebrew
Bible,
Moses
received
the Ten
Commandments
from
God.
The
monastery
was
built by
order of
Emperor
Justinian
I
(reigned
527-565),
enclosing
the
Chapel
of the
Burning
Bush
ordered
to be
built by
Helena,
the
mother
of
Constantine
I, at
the site
where
Moses is
supposed
to have
seen the
burning
bush;
the
living
bush on
the
grounds
is
purportedly
the
original.
It is
also
referred
to as
"St.
Helen's
Chapel."
The site
is
sacred
to
Judaism,
Christianity
and
Islam.
Though
it is
commonly
known as
Saint
Catherine's,
the
full,
official
name of
the
monastery
is, The
Sacred
and
Imperial
Monastery
of the
God-Trodden
Mount of
Sinai,
and the
patronal
feast of
the
monastery
is the
Transfiguration.
The site
was
associated
with
Saint
Catherine
of
Alexandria
(whose
relics
were
purported
to have
been
miraculously
transported
there by
angels)
and it
became a
favorite
site of
pilgrimage.
The
monastery
possesses
copies
of an
important
historical
document,
the
Achtiname,
in which
Muhammad
is
claimed
to have
bestowed
his
protection
upon the
monastery.
A
Fatimid
mosque
was
built
within
the
walls of
the
monastery,
but it
has
never
been
used
since it
is not
correctly
oriented
towards
Mecca.
During
the
seventh
century,
the
isolated
Christian
anchorites
of the
Sinai
were
eliminated:
only the
fortified
monastery
remained.
The
monastery
is still
surrounded
by the
massive
fortifications
that
have
preserved
it.
Until
the
twentieth
century,
access
was
through
a door
high in
the
outer
walls.
From the
time of
the
First
Crusade,
the
presence
of
Crusaders
in the
Sinai
until
1270
spurred
the
interest
of
European
Christians
and
increased
the
number
of
intrepid
pilgrims
who
visited
the
monastery.
The
monastery
was
supported
by its
dependencies
in
Egypt,
Palestine,
Syria,
Crete,
Cyprus
and
Constantinople.
Nuweiba
is a
coastal
town in
the
eastern
part of
Sinai
Peninsula,
Egypt.
Located
on the
coast of
the Gulf
of Aqaba,
. It is
believed
by many
to be
the site
of the
Exodus
account
of
ancient
Israelites
crossing
the Red
Sea.
Ain Sukhna is a town
in Suez Governorate,
Egypt, lying on the
western shore of the
Red Sea's Gulf of
Suez. It is situated
55 km south of Suez
and approximately
120 km east of
Cairo.
The town's name is
from the Arabic word
for a hot spring,
referring to the
sulfur spring in the
nearby Gabal Ataka,
the highest peak in
the Eastern Desert.
Tourism
Ain Sokhna's
location fairly near
to Cairo has made it
a major destination
for Cairene
holidaymakers
desiring to get out
of the capital's
notorious summer
heat. With a
motorway constructed
in the late 2000s,
Ain Sokhna is little
more than an hour
outside of Cairo and
is thus chiefly a
weekend destination,
with longer holidays
frequently taken on
the Alexandria or
the western part of
the Northern Coast
instead. It is one
of the few resorts
on Egypt's Red Sea
Riviera chiefly
occupied by
Egyptians; most
other resorts are
occupied by European
tourists.
El
Alamein
is a
town in
the
northern
Matrouh
Governorate
of
Egypt.
Located
on the
Mediterranean
Sea, it
lies 106
kilometres
(66 mi)
west of
Alexandria
and 240
kilometres
(149 mi)
northwest
of
Cairo.
As of
2007, it
has a
local
population
of 7,397
inhabitants.
Tourism
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;
many are
simply
marked "IGNOTO",
unknown.
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,
Indian
and
Canadian
forces.
The
names of
213
Canadian
airmen
appear
on the
El
Alamein
Memorial
in
Egypt.
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.
World
War II
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."
Taba is
a small
Egyptian
town
near the
northern
tip of
the Gulf
of Aqaba.
Taba is
the
location
of
Egypt's
busiest
border
crossing
with
neighboring
Israel.
Little
more
than a
bus
depot
and a
luxury
hotel
(complete
with
casino),
Taba is
a
frequent
vacation
spot for
Egyptians
and
tourists,
especially
those
from
Israel
on their
way to
other
destinations
in Egypt
or as a
weekend
getaway.
It is
the
northernmost
resort
of
Egypt's
Red Sea
Riviera.
Ras
Mohammad
is a
national
park in
Egypt at
the
southern
extreme
of the
Sinai
Peninsula,
overlooking
the Gulf
of Suez
on the
west and
the Gulf
of Aqaba
to the
east.
2011
allowing
of
fishing;
In May
2011 the
governor
of South
Sinai
issued a
decision
to allow
fishing
in Ras
Muhammad
until
the end
of June
2011.
The
decision
was met
by
opposition
from the
Egyptian
Chamber
of
Diving,
stating
that
commercial
fishing
in the
area
destroys
the
ecosystem
and
diving
tourism.
Marsa
Matrouh
is a
Mediterranean
seaport
and the
capital
of the
Matrouh
Governorate
in
Egypt.
It is
240 km
(149
miles)
west of
Alexandria
and 222
km from
Sallum,
on the
main
highway
from the
Nile
Delta to
the
Libyan
border.
Another
highway
leads
south
from the
town,
toward
the
Western
Desert
and the
oases of
Siwa and
Bahariya.
During
Ancient
Egyptian
times
and
during
the
reign of
Alexander
The
Great,
the city
was
known as
Amunia.
In
Ptolemaic
and
Byzantine
times it
was
known as
Paraitonion
(Παραιτόνιον),
and in
Roman
times,
as
Paraetonium.
Monuments
and
Tourist
Sites
Ruins
of the
Temple
of the
King,
Pharaoh
Rameses
II (1200
B.C)
Drown
city of
Caesar.
Drown
Palace
of
Cleopatra.
Egyptian
Fleet
Anchorage
which
was
built by
the
Ptolemies,
the
remains
of the
naval
installations
still
stand
west of
the
port.
Coptic
Chapel:
built in
the
early
Coptic
age, and
contains
several
caves
bearing
inscriptions.
Rommel's
Hideout:
A cave,
hewn in
the
rock,
where
Rommel
drew up
plans of
his
military
operations.
It has
now been
turned
into a
military
museum.
The
British
Cemetery:
Thousands
upon
thousands
of
rock-hewn
tombstones
stand
straight
rows
amidst a
fenced
garden.
The
German
Cemetery:
It is a
fortress
like
memorial
that was
built on
a high
overlooking
the sea.
The
Italian
Cemetery:
It is a
high
tower
fort
standing
on a
high
hill.
The
walls of
the
building
are
covered
with
marble.
Main
Beaches
Ageebah
Beach:
About 28
km. west
of Marsa
Matrouh
downtown,
it is
distinguished
by its
numerous
natural
caves
and
enchanting
scenery.
Al-Obayed
Beach:
About 20
km. west
of Marsa
Matrouh
downtown,
beauty
surpasses
that of
Marsa
Matrouh
beach.
Romel
Bay.
Dahab is
a small
town
situated
on the
southeast
coast of
the
Sinai
Peninsula
in
Egypt.
Formerly
a
Bedouin
fishing
village,
located
approximately
80 km
(50
miles)
northeast
of Sharm
el-Sheikh,
Dahab is
considered
to be
one of
the
Sinai's
most
treasured
diving
destinations.
Following
the Six
Day War,
the town
was
occupied
by
Israel
and is
known in
Hebrew
as
Di-Zahav,
a place
mentioned
in the
Bible as
one of
the
stations
for the
Israelites
during
the
Exodus
from
Egypt.
The
Sinai
Peninsula
was
restored
to
Egyptian
rule in
the
Israel-Egypt
Peace
Treaty
in 1982.
The
arrival
of
international
hotel
chains
and the
establishment
of other
ancillary
facilities
has
since
made the
town a
popular
destination
with
tourists.
Dahab is
served
by Sharm
el-Sheikh
International
Airport.
Masbat
(within
Dahab)
is a
popular
diving
destination,
meaning
that
there
are many
(50+)
dive
centers
located
within
Dahab.
Port
Said is
a city
that
lies in
north
east
Egypt
extending
about 30
km along
the
coast of
the
Mediterranean
Sea,
north of
the Suez
Canal,
with an
approximate
population
of
603,787
(2010).
The city
was
established
in 1859
during
the
building
of the
Suez
Canal.
Museums
Port
Said
National
Museum,
It is
located
in
Palestine
street
in front
of the
tourist
jetty,
near the
centre
of the
city. It
contains
about
9000
artifacts
that
narrate
the
story of
Port
Said and
Egypt.
Port
Said
Military
Museum
was
inaugurated
in
1964.It
is
located
in 23
July
street,
It
narrates
the
story of
the
Egyptian
resistance
in Port
Said for
the
tripartite
aggression
during
the Suez
Crisis
in 1956,
the wars
of 1967
and
1973,
also It
contains
a hall
that
narrates
the
genesis
of the
city and
the Suez
Canal.
Suez is
a
seaport
city in
north-eastern
Egypt,
located
on the
north
coast of
the Gulf
of Suez
(a
branch
of the
Red
Sea),
near the
southern
terminus
of the
Suez
Canal,
having
the same
boundaries
as Suez
governorate.
It has
three harbors,
Adabya,
Ain
Sokhna
and Port
Tawfiq,
and
extensive
port
facilities.
Together
they
form a
metropolitan
area.
Railway
lines
and
highways
connect
the city
with
Cairo,
Port
Said,
and
Ismailia.
Suez has
a
petrochemical
plant,
and its
oil
refineries
have
pipelines
carrying
the
finished
product
to
Cairo.
Suez is
a way
station
for
Muslim
pilgrims
travelling
to and
from
Mecca.
Ismaοlia
is a
city in
north-east
Egypt.
Known in
Egypt as
"The
City of
Beauty
and
Enchantment"
Ismailia
is
situated
on the
west
bank of
the Suez
Canal,
it is
the
capital
of the
Ismailia
Governorate.
The city
has a
population
(including
surrounding
rural
areas)
of
approximately
750,000
inhabitants.
It is
located
approximately
half way
between
Port
Said to
the
north
and Suez
to the
south.
The
Canal
widens
at that
point to
include
Lake
Timsah,
one of
the
Bitter
Lakes
linked
by the
Canal.
Marsa
Alam is
a town
in
south-eastern
Egypt,
located
on the
western
shore of
the Red
Sea. It
is
currently
seeing
fast
increasing
popularity
as a
tourist
destination
and
development
following
the
opening
of Marsa
Alam
International
Airport
in 2001.
Marsa
Alam is
situated
near the
Tropic
of
Cancer
where
the
Arabian
Desert
meets
the Red
Sea, and
it has
the
appearance
of a
tropical
paradise
with its
palm
trees,
mangroves
and sea
coasts
fringed
with
barrier
coral
reefs.
It has
already
gained a
strong
reputation
amongst
scuba
divers
due to
its
numerous
and
unspoilt
diving
sites
both
along
the
coast
and
offshore.
Sightings
of
spinner
dolphins,
dugongs
and
hammerhead
sharks
are a
frequent
occurrence
for
those
who
venture
into its
waters.
Marsa
Alam
also has
some
inland
attractions,
such as
the
Emerald
Mines
and the
Temple
of Seti
I at
Khanais.
Al-Qusair
is a
city in
Egypt.
Approximately
5000
year
old, it
lies
along
the Red
Sea. Its
ancient
name was
Leucus
Limen.
Al-Qusair
is
located
205
kilometers
south of
Hurghada,
103km
north of
Marsa
Alam and
73km
north of
the
Marsa
Alam
International
Airport.
Its
population
was
approximately
20,000
as of
1986.
Today,
its
population
is
around
50,000.
Port
Safaga is a
town in
Egypt,
on the
coast of
the Red
Sea,
located
53 km
(33
miles)
south of Hurghada.
Overview
Safaga
has a
small
but
thriving
tourism
industry,
specialising
in scuba
diving.
Safaga
was a
merchant
port for
many
years;
now the
town,
with its
wide
azure
bay,
long
sandy
beaches
and
pretty
islands,
is a
favourite
sports
destination
in the
Red Sea
Riviera.
Safaga
is
especially
popular
among
kitesurfers
and
windsurfers,
and was
the host
of the
1993 Red
Sea
World
Windsurfing
Championships.
At 53 km
(33
miles)
south of
Hurghada,
Safaga
acquires
its
unique
character
from
both its
port and
the
small
surrounding
village.
A
holiday
in
Safaga
is
mainly
about
watersports
and
sightseeing,
with
little
nightlife
around,
except
for some
nice
beach
parties
organised
by the
local
divers
and
surfers.
The
black
sand
dune
beaches
characteristic
of
Safaga
are a
favourite
spot for
sun
bathers.
The sea
water is
known to
be
highly
saline
and rich
in
minerals
which
are
beneficial
for the
skin,
and it
is a
popular
curative
destination
in the
Red Sea
Riviera.
Safaga
is also
home to
some of
the most
outstanding
diving
of the
Red Sea,
with the
bays
chain
reefs of
Tobia
Arbaa,
and the
impressive
walls of
Panorama
and Abu
Qifan
towering
reefs,
where
often
big
pelagics
such as
tunas,
sharks
and
mantas
can be
spotted.
Safaga
is also
a good
starting
point
for a
day trip
into the
Eastern
Desert
to check
out the
granite
quarries
of Mons
Claudianus,
or to
the
sights
of Luxor,
one of
the most
impressive
sights
of
Egypt,
only 220
km (137
miles)
away.
El-Tor
is the
capital
of South
Sinai
Governorate
of
Egypt,
located
at the
Sinai
Peninsula.
The name
of the
city
comes
from the
Arabic
name of
the
mountain
where
the
prophet
Moses
received
the
tablets
from
God;
this
mountain
is
called
Jabal Al
Tor.
The El
Tor
strain
of
cholera
was
discovered
there in
1905. It
was a
quarantine
camp for
Pilgrims
returning
from
Hajj.
The
Raithu
desert
is
situated
around
El-Tor,
between
Saint
Katherine
city and
the Red
Sea. It
is part
of the
Archdiocese
of Mount
Sinai
and
Raithu
of the
Orthodox
Church
of
Jerusalem.
The
"Martyrs
of
Raithu"
were 43
anchorites
slain by
Nomadic
Tribes
in the
Romans
Era of
Diocletian.
Christian
monks
fleeing
persecutions
had been
present
since
the 3rd
century,
and the
Raithu
monastery
(or
Rutho)
was
commissioned
in the
6th
century
by
Byzantine
emperor
Justinian.
The
latter
was
proposed
as a
UNESCO
World
Heritage
site on
November
1st,
1994 in
the
Cultural
category.
Ras Sidr
is an
Egyptian
city
located
on the
Gulf of
Suez and
the Red
Sea
coast.
It is a
part of
the
South
Sinai
Governorate,
and
consists
of three
areas:
Wadi
Sidr,
Abu Sidr
and
Soerp.
The
region
has been
known
since
ancient
biblical
times.
Approach
to Ras
Sidr is
by way
of the
main
Suez to
Sharm el
Sheikh
Rd
through
almost
total
desert
terrain.
The road
is
dotted
with
farms
where
olives,
tamarinds,
and
fruits
are
grown.
Ras Sidr
is 200
km from
Cairo
and
approx
60 km
from the
Ahmed
Hamdi
Tunnel
crossing
in Suez,
on the
western
side of
the
Sinai
Peninsula,
and
almost
opposite
the
resort
of El
Ayn An
Sokhna
on the
opposite
Red Sea
coastline.
Ras Sidr
has a 95
km beach
coastline
which
offers
waters
for
swimming
and sea
sports.
The area
also
attracts
bird
watchers
as
tourists
can see
different
species
of
migrating
birds.
Faiyum
is a
city in
Middle
Egypt.
Located
130 km
(81 mi)
southwest
of
Cairo,
it is
the
capital
of the
modern
Faiyum
Governorate.
The town
occupies
part of
the
ancient
site of
Crocodilopolis.
Founded
in
around
4000
B.C., it
is the
oldest
city in
Egypt
and one
of the
oldest
cities
in
Africa .
The
center
of the
city is
on the
canal,
with the
four
waterwheels,
that are
adopted
by the
governorate
of
Fayoum
as its
national
symbol,
their
chariots
and
bazaars
are easy
to spot.
Famous
Sites
Qasr
Qarun,
located
44 km
(27 mi)
from the
city
Qaitbay
Mosque,
located
in the
city,
and was
built by
the wife
of the
Mamluk
Sultan
Qaitaby
Hanging
Mosque,
built
under
the
Ottoman
Rule
over
Egypt
Lahun
Pyramids,
located
4 km (2½
mi)
outside
the city
Hawara,
archeological
site
located
27 km
(17 mi)
from the
city
Wadi
Rayan,
or Wadi
Elrayan,
the
largest
waterfalls
in
Egypt,
located
around
50 km
(31 mi)
from the
city
Minya is
the
capital
of Minya
Governorate
in Upper
Egypt.
It is
located
approximately
245 km
(152
miles)
south of
Cairo on
the
western
bank of
the Nile
River,
which
flows
north
through
the
city.
The name
of the
city is
derived
from its
Ancient
Egyptian
name
Men'at
Khufu
meaning
the
nursing
city of
Khufu,
linking
it to
the
Pharoah
Khufu or
Cheops,
founder
of the
Great
Pyramid
at Giza.
Asyut
was the
capital
of the
Thirteenth
Nome of
Upper
Egypt (Lycopolites
Nome)
around
3100 BC.
It was
located
on the
western
bank of
the
Nile.
The two
most
prominent
gods of
the
Ancient
Egyptian
Asyut
were
Anubis
and
Wepwawet,
both
funerary
deities.
During
the
First
Intermediate
Period,
the
rulers
of "Zawty"
(Khety
I,
Itefibi,
and
Khety
II) were
supporters
of the
Herakleopolitan
kings,
of whose
domain
the Nome
formed
the
southern
limits.
The
conflict
between
this
Nome and
the
southern
Nomes
under
the rule
of the
Eleventh
dynasty
ended
with the
victory
of
Thebes
and the
decline
of
Asyut's
importance.
The
shield
of a
king
named
Recamai,
who
reigned
in Upper
Egypt
(probably
during
the
"shepherd
dynasty"
in the
"Lower
Country"),
has been
discovered
in Asyut.
Lycopolis
has no
remarkable
ruins,
but in
the
excavated
chambers
of the
adjacent
rocks
mummies
of
wolves
have
been
found,
confirming
the
origin
of its
name, as
well as
a
tradition
preserved
by
Diodorus
Siculus,
to the
effect
that an
Ethiopian
army,
invading
Egypt,
was
repelled
beyond
the city
of
Elephantine
by packs
of
wolves.
Osiris
was
worshipped
under
the
symbol
of a
wolf at
Lycopolis.
According
to a
myth, he
had come
"from
the
shades"
as a
wolf to
aid Isis
and
Horus in
their
combat
with
Typhon.
Other
Ancient
Egyptian
monuments
discovered
in Asyut
include;
the
Asyut
necropolis
(west of
the
modern
city),
tombs
which
date to
dynasties
Nine,
Ten and
Twelve,
and the
Ramessid
tombs of
Siese
and
Amenhotep.
Sohag is
a city
in Egypt
that
lies on
the west
bank of
the
Nile. It
has been
the
capital
of Sohag
Governorate
since
1960.
Prior to
that,
the
capital
was the
city of
Girga
and the
name of
the
governorate
was
Girga
Governorate.
It also
included
Esna
Governorate
(nowadays
Qena
Governorate)[4]
Until
the 19th
century
there
was only
a
village
located
in the
area. In
1960,
the
capital
of the
province
of Sohag
Girga
transferred
to this
location
and the
city was
renamed
accordingly.
It is
unclear
how long
this
site has
been
inhabited.
There
are
several
mummies
here
that
date to
Roman
times,
the
village.
In
Coptic
times,
there
was a
community
of monks
living
at the
White
Monastery
in the
area.
Qena is
a city
in Upper
Egypt,
and the
capital
of the
Qena
Governorate.
Situated
on the
east
bank of
the
Nile, it
was
known as
Kaine
during
the
Greco-Roman
period
and as
Cainepolis
in
antiquity.
This
provincial
capital
is
located
about 57
miles
from El
Balyana
and 39
miles
north of
Luxor.
It is
most
famous
for its
proximity
to the
ruins of
Dendara.
It owes
its
modern
prosperity
to the
opening
of the
Wadi
Qena
towards
the Red
Sea,
which is
a major
traffic
route
between
Upper
Egypt
and the
Red Sea.
Tourists
traveling
between
Luxor
and the
Red Sea
will
assuredly
pass
through
this
city
since
there is
only one
good
road
connection.
Qena is
noted
for its
pottery,
in
particular
the
porous
water.
Qena has
witnessed
major
restorations,
and came
third in
the
UNESCO
City
Beauty
contest.
Beni
Suef is
an
important
agricultural
center,
which
grew
from a
small
village
at the
turn of
the
century
and now
hosts a
population
of over
200,000.
It was
famous
for its
linen
manufacturing
in the
Middle
Ages,
and
continues
to be
heavily
involved
in
cotton-spinning
and
carpet-making.
It is
also
known
for its
alabaster,
quarried
in the
nearby
hills.
Beni
Suef is
located
about
115 km
(72
miles)
south of
Cairo.[citation
needed]
The
Meidum
Pyramid
and
Fayum
Oasis
are
nearby.
Beni
Suef is
known
for its
large
mansions,
including
the
Ismail
Mansion,
owned by
General
Ahmed
Mamdouh
Ismail.
Beni
Suef
University
and the
private
Al Nahda
University
are
located
in Beni
Suef.
Abu
Simbel
temples
refers
to two
massive
rock
temples
in Abu
Simbel (ΓΘζ
ΣγΘα in
Arabic)
in Nubia,
southern
Egypt on
the
western
bank of
Lake
Nasser
about
230 km
southwest
of Aswan
(about
300 km
by
road).
The
complex
is part
of the
UNESCO
World
Heritage
Site
known as
the
"Nubian
Monuments,"
which
run from
Abu
Simbel
downriver
to
Philae
(near
Aswan).
The twin
temples
were
originally
carved
out of
the
mountainside
during
the
reign of
Pharaoh
Ramesses
II in
the 13th
century
BC, as a
lasting
monument
to
himself
and his
queen
Nefertari,
to
commemorate
his
alleged
victory
at the
Battle
of
Kadesh,
and to
intimidate
his
Nubian
neighbors.
However,
the
complex
was
relocated
in its
entirety
in 1968,
on an
artificial
hill
made
from a
domed
structure,
high
above
the
Aswan
High Dam
reservoir.
The
relocation
of the
temples
was
necessary
to avoid
their
being
submerged
during
the
creation
of Lake
Nasser,
the
massive
artificial
water
reservoir
formed
after
the
building
of the
Aswan
High Dam
on the
Nile
River.
Abu
Simbel
remains
one of
Egypt's
top
tourist
attractions.
Solar
phenomena
It is
believed
that the
axis of
the
temple
was
positioned
by the
ancient
Egyptian
architects
in such
a way
that on
October
21 and
February
21 (61
days
before
and 61
days
after
the
Winter
Solstice),
the rays
of the
sun
would
penetrate
the
sanctuary
and
illuminate
the
sculptures
on the
back
wall,
except
for the
statue
of Ptah,
the god
connected
with the
Underworld,
who
always
remained
in the
dark.
These
dates
are
allegedly
the
king's
birthday
and
coronation
day
respectively,
but
there is
no
evidence
to
support
this,
though
it is
quite
logical
to
assume
that
these
dates
had some
relation
to a
great
event,
such as
the
jubilee
celebrating
the
thirtieth
anniversary
of the
pharaoh's
rule.
In fact,
according
to
calculations
made on
the
basis of
the
heliacal
rising
of the
star
Sirius (Sothis)
and
inscriptions
found by
archaeologists,
this
date
must
have
been
October
22. This
image of
the king
was
enhanced
and
revitalized
by the
energy
of the
solar
star,
and the
deified
Ramesses
Great
could
take his
place
next to
Amun Ra
and Ra-Horakhty.
Rosetta
is a
port
city on
the
Mediterranean
coast of
Egypt.
It is
located
65 km
(40 mi)
east of
Alexandria,
in
Beheira
governorate.
It was
founded
around
AD 800.
With the
decline
of
Alexandria
following
the
Ottoman
conquest
of Egypt
in 1517,
Rashid
boomed,
only to
wane in
importance
after
Alexandria's
revival.
During
the 19th
century
it was a
popular
British
tourist
destination,
known
for its
charming
Ottoman
mansions,
citrus
groves
and
cleanliness.
The town
of
Rashid
came to
be known
in the
West as
Rosette
(Rosetta),
the name
by which
it was
referred
to by
the
French
during
Napoleon
Bonaparte's
campaign
in
Egypt.
Rosetta
gave its
name to
the
Rosetta
Stone
(French:
Pierre
de
Rosette)
which
was
found by
French
soldiers
at the
nearby
Fort
Julien
in 1799.
