Pathways Egypt

Of the many important cities in Egypt, one of the most interesting must certainly be the coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh. Until 1967 the city was fairly unprepossessing, serving mainly as a fishing port and naval base. Since then it has become a major tourist attraction – attracting visitors keen to witness its stunning natural beauty, as well as being a strategically important venue for a number of international peace conferences. This latter has seen Sharm el-Sheikh being dubbed “the City of Peace” by many.

Sharm el-Sheikh is a city with history of a different kind, in comparison with other Egyptian cities such as Cairo and Luxor. While those latter two are known more for their connection with the Ancient, classical history of Egypt, Sharm el-Sheikh’s place in the spotlight has more to do with the 20th century during which it was captured twice by Israel, in 1956 and 1967. From 1957 to 1967 it hosted a UN peacekeeping force, and remained under Israeli control until 1982, when it reverted to Egyptian control per the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Since then there has been a good deal of regeneration to turn the area into one capable of dealing with a major tourist influx.

In Sharm el-Sheikh Egypt has a tourist destination that conforms to the standard expected by people who come on holiday to relax and soak in the location – whether they want to go sight seeing or not. The immense natural beauty of the area is jealously guarded. By law it is not permissible to build over a certain height in Sharm el-Sheikh for fear of obscuring the scenery, which truly has to be seen to be believed.

Sharm el-Sheikh is now an area of dual importance, with the tourist industry certainly important but its role in peace conferences also quite vital to the world leaders who make frequent visits. Due to Egypt’s reputation as being moderately sympathetic to the Israeli state in comparison with other Islamic countries, it is the ideal location for conferences. For those who simply want a relaxing holiday, however, in Sharm el-Sheikh Egypt has one of the finest locations you could wish for.

A commonly known fact is that the Great Pyramid of Giza is the only monument of the original Seven Wonders of the World still standing in the present day. While the superior construction and design of the Pyramid has helped it stand the test of time, one cannot help but poetically wonder if part of its survival can be attributed to its guardian.

The guardian of the great pyramid, and the other pyramids in the Giza complex, is known to all. The Great Sphinx of Giza is, and has always been, a huge tourist drawing point for those wishing to walk on the sands of ancient Egypt. The sphinx is one of the largest surviving monuments of the ancient world, though few are aware of its role within the Giza complex.

Sphinxes in general originate in ancient Egypt, though they appear throughout the classical world. The Egyptian sphinx usually shows the body of a lion a topped with the head of a female, though the Great Sphinx of Giza is somewhat unusual in that it shows the head of a male. The identity of the man the head of the Sphinx is modeled on is subject to much debate, though current Egyptologists now believe it to be the head of the pharaoh Khafra (reigned circa 2558 BC).

The Great Sphinx sits to the east of the Giza Pyramid Complex, facing outward with its back to the second-largest pyramid. As with most sphinxes, its role is that of guardianship over the dead. The pyramids are the tombs of pharaohs, and the Sphinx acts as their protector in the afterlife.

The builder of the Sphinx is unknown, though dating would place its construction around the pharaohs of the Fourth Dynasty. Various pharaohs within this dynasty have been attributed with ordering the construction of the Sphinx, but no contemporary documents have been found to verify this. It is likely that this guardian of the fallen pharaohs was ordered and constructed by more than one of the Fourth Dynasty, with the original conception of the idea generally attributed to Djedefra, Khafra’s successor.

There is one thing modern Egyptologists can be sure of, however: whoever constructed the Great Sphinx, it remains one of the most visited attraction in Egypt today.

The Valley of the Kings in Egypt is an ancient burial site of old Egyptian leaders (Pharaohs). Located near Luxor, is a site of ancient wonders that just keeps giving. While the valley has been a tourist destination for nigh on 60 years, it has yet to reveal all of its secrets. New tombs, entrances and chambers are regularly discovered, with the most recent revelation occurring in 2008 with the discovery of two new tomb entrances.

Although many assume that Pharaohs created pyramids as their tombs, a more usual Egyptian custom was to cut tombs into rock. The tombs within The Valley of the Kings are created as such, though they still create an image of majesty just like the Pyramid Complex at Giza.

The Valley is also newer than the major pyramids in Egypt, having come into use around 1539 BC. While primarily a resting site for the Pharaohs, the Valley was also used to bury nobles and their families, so the name is something of a misnomer. There are, however, several notable Pharaohs who were entombed in the Valley.

The most notable of these is probably Ramesses I and his successor, Ramesses II. These two Pharaohs presided over a turbulent but nevertheless successful period in Egyptian history, and were also heavily involved in the creation of many recognizable sites of ancient Egypt. Furthermore, Ramesses II is attributed to being the Pharaoh ruling Egypt during the Bible-based Exodus.

There are 63 known tombs in the Valley and these were in use for nearly 500 years. The modern day landscape is much the same as it was during its usage. Its main role now is as a visitor attraction, something it performing well, as around 9,000 people can visit the Valley of the Kings in one day during peak season.

The Valley is, however, being preserved all the more. While in yesteryears, visitors would have been able to visit inside many of the tombs, in the present era of tourism only three or four tombs are open at one time. Regardless, visitors continue to flock to the area, with visitor numbers expected to reach 15,000 per day by 2015.