Philae Temple Before and After the High Dam

Isis Temple in Philae Island

Have you ever heard about Isis Temple in Philae Island ?! and why it was relocated ?
Well, Isis Temple, usually known as “Philae Temple, is believed to be consecrated to the goddess Isis, but after the first Aswan dam was built the temple became submerged ! At that time, tourists used to visit the temple by riding boats !

Isis Temple in Philae Island

Later on, the relocation project began during the Aswan dam construction when UNESCO formulated a plan to move each structure, piece by piece. It was saved and relocated in other Island 550 kilometer from its original emplacement after the completion of the High Dam in 1971, so that the level of the water is stabilized around the chosen island.

Posted by : Memphis Tours Egypt
Memphis Tours Egypt since 1955

Up to 3,000 tourists witness the Illumination of Ramses II statue at Abu Simbel, 2012

Up to 3,000 tourists witnessed on Wednesday 22/2/2012 the celebration of the more than 3000-year phenomena of the sun falling perpendicular on the face of King Ramses II statue at the city of Abu Simbel, in southern Egypt.

The perpendicularity of the Sun’s rays penetrating the Great Temple to the inner sanctum to illuminate the face of King Ramses II, started at 06:22 am and ended in 06:53 am (local time) inside the sanctuary at the great city of Abu Simbel.

It is believed that the axis of the temple was positioned by the ancient Egyptian architects in such a way that on October 22 and February 22 (61 days before and 61 days after the Winter Solstice) the sun rays illuminate the sculpture on the back wall, except for the statue of Ptah, the god connected with the underworld, who always remained in the dark.

The Sun’s rays reach 60 meters into the sacred inner sanctuary of the temple to illuminate the face of the statue, announcing the start of the planting season for the ancient Egyptian. For 29 minutes the sun shines on the holy statues of Ramses II, Amon Ra (the sun god), and Ra-Harakhty, god of the rising sun.

Posted by : Memphis Tours Egypt
Memphis Tours Egypt since 1955

Abu Simbel Sun Festival 2012

Sun Festival Abu Simbel
When: 22nd February and 22 October 2012
Where: Abu Simbel, Egypt

Abu Simbel Sun Festival 2012

It’s not a fictitious legend or a camera trick from a Hollywood movie. It’s the Sun Festival at Abu Simbel Temple that nestles in darkness all round the year. The temple is angled in such a way that only twice a year during the months of February and October, on the birth anniversary and coronation of emperor Ramses II, at the break of dawn, natural sunlight streams into the complex and throws light on him and the Sun God’s seated besides illuminating the brilliant architecture of the sanctum Santorum. Who doesn’t get invited to this party? The answer is Ptah, the God of Darkness whose statue continues to be deprived of the light of day (perhaps best suited to his designation). But the rest can come and enjoy being a spectator to this marvellous sight.

Abu Simbel

Celebrations during Sun Festival
People gather around the temple during this time to see sunrise and to meditate. After taking a good look at the statues, you can enjoy the dance and singing shows arranged by locals. The people here put up a great celebration to mark this event. Don’t miss enjoying some local cuisine on your platter, as the food is quite delicious too.

It was the prospect of losing Abu Simbel to Lake Nasser that impelled UNESCO to organize the salvage of Nubian monuments in the 1960s. Watch the video to see how it’s moved safely.

The Tourism Minister Inaugurated a Marina for The Special Needs

 

Egyptian Minister of Tourism Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour today inaugurated the first marina for people with special needs in the Middle East and North Africa.

The inauguration comes during World Tourism Day festivities in Aswan, Upper Egypt.

This marina is a turning point for Egyptian tourism as it works toward meeting the needs of all tourism demands, and it provides the means for comfort, said Abdel Nour.

“Egypt will launch Nile cruisers from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan; the Nile crusiers will have a powerful impact in reviving Egyptian tourism.”

“The Amarco Nile Cruise Company resumed this project despite the halt in Nile cruises,” said the company’s CEO Mohammed Othman, adding that the company expects an improvement in the future.

The new marina costs about seven million EGP (U.S. $1.17 million) and construction is expected to take one year. The project provides full-service for special needs tourists, including transport from Aswan Airport to the marina, Othman said.

“The project also includes a floating hotel with a special escalator,” he added.

The floating hotel will have two royal suites, each of which is 116 meters. There will be four main suites measuring 76 meters and 48 suites measuring 38 meters.

The hotel will also have a conference hall large enough to hold 350 people, a health club, a gym and other 5-star level equipment.

“This new project will help activate tourism for people with special needs from all over the world, roughly 750 million people in the Arab and European world,” Othman added.

Thirty-five million such people exist in the Middle East, according to recent statistics from the World Tourism Organization.

Deputy Chairman of Amarco Kamar Samir today assured the return of Nile cruises from Cairo to Aswan.

First Assistant to the Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou, Tourism Ministry’s Advisor to the Ambassador Helmy Bedir, other leaders in the Tourism Ministry and leaders in the Union and Tourism sector attended the inauguration.

Reference : egypt4tours.net
Posted by : Memphis Tours Egypt
Memphis Tours Egypt since 1955

Did You Know How Old the Sphinx is?

 

 

For years, Egyptologists and archaeologists have thought the Great Sphinx of Giza to be about 4,500 years old, dating to around 2500 B.C. However, some recent studies have suggested that the Sphinx was built as long ago as 7000 B.C.

The relatively new theory is based on what is thought to be “precipitation-induced weathering” on the upper areas of the Sphinx. Archaeologists supporting this view contend that the last time there was sufficient precipitation in the region to cause this pattern of rainfall erosion on limestone was around 9,000 years ago, 7000 B.C.

More traditional Egyptologists reject this view for several reasons. First, a Sphinx built earlier than 7000 B.C. would upset our understanding of ancient civilization, as there is no evidence of an Egyptian civilization this old.

Also, the new theory focuses only on a specific type of erosion and ignores other evidence that would support an age of 4,500 years. Among these: The Sphinx is a rapidly weathering structure, appearing older than it is; subsurface water drainage or Nile flooding could have produced the pattern of erosion; and the Sphinx is believed to resemble Khafre, the pharaoh who built one of the nearby pyramids of Giza. He lived circa 2603-2578 B.C.

It’s exciting to contemplate the existence of an unknown civilization that predates the ancient Egyptians, but most archaeologists and geologists still favor the traditional view that the Sphinx is about 4,500 years old.

 

Reference : msnbc.com
Posted by : Memphis Tours Egypt
Memphis Tours Egypt since 1955

Top Five Temples in Egypt.

1- Karnak

Its Pylons and Great Hypostyle Hall are on an epic scale, reflecting the supermacy of the cult of Amun during the New Kingdom.

Karnak Temple in Luxor Egypt

2- Dendara

The Temple’s magnificent astronomical ceiling has been restored to its original bright colours, unseen for centuries.

Dendera Temple complex - Upper Egypt

3- Deir el-Bahri

Overhung by sheer cliffs, Queen Hatshepsut’s temple is almost Modernist in its linear simplicity.

Hatshepsut temple , Luxor Egypt

4- Abydos

Seti I’s mortuary temple contains some of the finest bas-reliefs from the New Kingdom, retaining much of their original colours.

Abydos temple - Upper Egyp

5- Abu Simbel

This rock-hewn sun-temple is a monument to unabashed egoism, dominated by four colossi of Ramses II.

Abu Simbel in Nubia, southern Egypt.

 

Posted by : Memphis Tours Egypt
Memphis Tours Egypt since 1955

Egypt at the Manchester Museum

Dr. Joyce Tyldesley is Senior Lecturer on Manchester University’s Certificate Course in Egyptology, and Honorary Research Associate here at The Manchester Museum. Joyce is the well-known author of many accessible books on Egyptological topics, and her latest – Tutankhamen’s Curse: The Developing History of an Egyptian King – is published on the 9th of February. The book tells the story not just of the Boy King, but – arguably of more interest – addresses the reasons why we are fascinated by him.

I recently met with Joyce, who came to the Museum to examine one of our objects for her next book. Her interest lay not a genuine artefact, however, but in a replica: our reproduction of the famous bust of Queen Nefertiti. This iconic image was discovered in 1912, and thus joins our Egypt galleries in celebrating a centenary this year. It was found by a German mission working…

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