 |
Giza Pyramids in Cairo
|
 |
| Side view of the Sphinx with the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) |
LOCATION: GIZA, CAIRO, EGYPT
Most often Cairo is the starting point for a traditional Egypt tour. It is the city of a thousand minarets, teeming with life, and chock-full of great tourist attractions.The Giza Pyramids attractions are to be at the top of your Cairo travel plans.
Giza (al-Giza) is a city all its own, but has been swallowed in recent years by sprawling metropolitan Cairo. It's west of the urban district and near Pyramids Road (close to the famous Pyramids of Giza) in the valley, which connects central Cairo with Giza. The Pyramids themselves are a constant and popular attraction for the world at large. They stand for ancient Egyptian civilization's best and most archetypal work. Together with the Sphinx, they simply embody ancient Egypt.
The Giza District offers travelers accommodations, food, and entertainment not to be had elsewhere. Many services cluster along the local transport mainstay, Pyramids Road.
Giza will eventually host the Grand Museum of Egypt, next to the Giza Pyramids. Irish architects created the design with Shih-Fu Peng in the lead. It will largely replace the Egyptian Museum and should be complete in 2011.
Most must-see attractions within the Giza area are concentrated on the Giza plateau at the end of Pyramids Road. These include:
The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops)
The Great Giza Pyramid of Khufu is the last surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was originally 146 m (479 ft) high but now stands a still impressive 137 m (449 ft). Over 2 million blocks of stone were used to construct it, and all with manual labor.
The Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren)
The Giza Pyramid of Khafre is a little smaller than the Great Pyramid but appears slightly larger than it from a few angles because of a better position on the plateau.
The Solar Barque Museum
The Solar Barque Museum is just alongside the southern face of the Great Pyramid. This museum is well done and showcases an excavated reconstructed "solar boat," which was buried with the pharaoh for use on his daily journey with the sun across the sky. Entry fee is LE 40.
The Interior of the Pyramids
If you venture into the interior of the pyramids, be warned that they're hot, humid and may be claustrophobic. If you can stand it, however, entrance into them is very interesting and educational. Personal viewing of the interior walls and passageways can give you an even deeper appreciation of the tremendous achievements these pyramid builders attained when they built these impressive structures.
The Pyramid of Menkaure (Mycerinus)
The Giza Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the Giza Pyramids and stands just 62 m (203 ft) high (originally 66.5 m).
It should be noted that although not all of that Pyramids can be equally accessed so that interested parties can explore them inside, the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities will be closing even the accessible ones one at a time so that they can do conservation and renovation work.
The Pyramids Sound and Light Show
Admission for foreign languages shows is LE 60, Arabic show LE 11, and private shows in foreign languages, LE 65 + LE 300, which also covers operating expenses. The Arabic private show is LE 16.50 + LE 150, which is perhaps slightly kitsch and also takes liberties with historical detail. Nonetheless, these are worthwhile evening activities.
The "voice of the Sphinx" tells visitors of the history of the Giza Plateau and its place in Egyptian history as a laser display simultaneously picks up the details of the Pyramids and projects historical scenes on the side of the Great Pyramid itself.
