The Citadel of Saladin | Cairo From Its rocky raised platform on the edge of the city, the Citadel dominates Cairo’s eastern skyline. It was begun in 1176 by the famed Muslim general Saladin, who had its muscular walls and towers constructed with stones stripped from the Pyramids at Giza. The fortress served as Egypt’s...Read More
The Egyptian Museum of Tahrir square is located in the city center of Tahrir square where the revaluation of 2011 took place. THOUGH MANY WESTERN MUSEUMS CONTAIN IMPRESSIVE collections of ancient Egyptian antiquities, none begins to rival the riches on display at Cairo’s Egyptian Museum. Devoted entirely to the legacy of the pharaohs, the museum...Read More
Nubia and the Nubian culture Nubian lands may have gone, drowned 200 feet (60 m) below the surface of Lake Nasser, but the culture of the Nubians remains very much alive and vibrant. When they were forced to abandon their villages in the 1960s and ‘70s and move, the Nubians recreated their traditional dwellings anew...Read More
TO MOST VISITORS ASWAN IS A ONE-NIGHT STOPOVER EN route to Abu Simbel. However, with a vibrant street market, a fascinating museum, idyllic midstream islands, and a couple of intriguing pharaonic sites in the vicinity, it is definitely worth a longer visit. If you can, take two or three days to enjoy what is one...Read More
THE MODERN TOWN EXISTS AS LITTLE MORE THAN A LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEM for the millions of visitors who descend each year, drawn by the fabulous array of antiquities. Tourism accounts for around 85 percent of the local economy, so present day inhabitants of Luxor are just as much in thrall to the temples and tombs as...Read More
NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED, CAIRO’S FRIDAY CAMEL market is dusty, smelly, and unbelievably loud. It is held 22 miles (35 km) to the northwest of the city at Birqash. Proceedings start at first light and most of the business is done by nine, so it is advisable to get an early start. Public transportation is...Read More
OUT IN THE DESERT EAST OF FAYOUM, WADI EL RAYAN IS a large depression among the dunes into which excess water from the oasis has been channeled to create three freshwater lakes and a shallow waterfall. Stocked with fish, the lakes are a major nesting ground for birds and a big draw for picnicking visitors....Read More
Mummification in ancient Egypt Ancient Egyptians wanted to live again after death, so they needed their bodies preserved and recognizable. To stop decay, the brain was removed immediately, but not preserved. The liver, intestines. stomach, and lungs were also removed and were mummified separately and placed in four Canopic jars. The heart was left in...Read More
