History
of Egypt: - Egypt was one of the first centers of civilization in
the world. Its recorded history stretches back at lest 6000 years , beyond
the time of the pharaohs. Around 5000 years ago the independent riverfront
states were unified under the rule of Menes, giving rise to the first
dynasty of pharaohs.
The first pyramid was built in the 27th
century BC; over the next 500 years the monuments grew increasingly grander.
Monarchical power was at its greatest during the 4th dynasty when Khufu,
Khafre and Mycerinus built the Great Pyramids of Giza. Through the 6th and
7th dynasties power was diffused and small principalities began to appear. A
second capital at Heracleopolis (near present-day Beni Suef) was established
and Egypt plunged into civil war.An independent kingdom was established at
Thebes (present-day Luxor) and, under Montuhotep II, Egypt again came under
control of a single pharaoh. From 1550 to 1069 BC, the New Kingdom bloomed
under rulers such as Tuthmosis I, the first pharaoh to be entombed in the
Valley of the Kings; his daughter Hatshepsut, one of Egypt's few female
pharaohs; and Tuthmosis III, Egypt's greatest conqueror, who expanded the
empire into western Asia.Egypt was ruled by generals: Ramses I, II and III,
and Seti I. They built massive monuments and temples, but the empire began
to crumble and it was in disarray when the Greek conqueror Alexander the
Great arrived in 332 BC and established a new capital.Between 51 and 48 BC,
Egypt was ruled by Ptolemy XIII and his sister Cleopatra VIII.
During
WWI Egypt aligned itself with the Allies, and shortly afterwards the British
allowed the formation of a national political party - the Wafd. King Fuad I
was elected head of the constitutional monarchy and for the next 30 years
the British, the monarchists and the Wafdists jockeyed for power. In 1992
Islamic fundamentalists began a campaign of violence and intimidation
against tourists and Egyptian security forces. The mid-1990s were
characterised by tensions with Sudan over the contested Halaib territory,
severe flooding in 1994 and a series of conflicts with fundamentalists
culminating in an assassination attempt on President Mubarak in 1995. In
1997, the massacre of more than 70 people, most of them tourists, by Islamic
militants shocked Egyptians and caused thousands worldwide to rethink their
holiday plans.
Modern
Egypt is an amalgam of these legacies and more, juxtaposed with the often
incongruous influences of the 20th and 21st centuries. Nowhere are these
contrasts played out so colourfully as in Cairo, a massive city thronged
with people and ringing to the sound of car horns, ghetto-blasters and
muezzins summoning the faithful to prayer. Egypt isn't all chaos and
clatter, however. It's also a diver's dream dip, a trek across the sands on
a camel or a long lazy punt down the Nile.
Full
Country Name - Arab Republic of Egypt
Area - 1,001,449 sq km
(622,272 sq mi)
Population - 69.5 million
Capital City -
Cairo
People - Berbers, Bedouins and Nubians
Languages -
Arabic
Religion - 94% Islam, 6% Christian
Government -
Republic
Visas - :- All visitors to Egypt are required to have a
visa and a passport valid for six months. Visas can be arranged through
Egyptian embassies worldwide. Visitors from the US, Canada, EU and GCC
countries may be able to purchase a visa stamp upon arrival at many large
airports. One-month visitor's visas can be extended. Visa is not required
for the Nationals of Malta , South Africa , Zimbabwe and Arab countries.
Time: GMT/UTC
plus two hours
Climate
- Most of the year, except for the winter months from December to
February, Egypt is hot and dry. Summer temperature range from 31to 50 degree
C on the Mediterranean coast. At night in winter the temperature sometimes
drops as low as 8 degree C.
Currency
-Egyptian Pound.
Cities
- Cairo The heart of Egypt for more than 1000 years,
Islamic
Cairo The streets are lined with mosques and temples, and the air is
filled with the pungent smells of turmeric and cumin, animals and squalor.
Some of Islamic Cairo's highlights include the
Mosque of Ibn Tulun,
dating from the 9th century and the city's oldest intact and fully
functioning Islamic monument; the 15th-century
Mosque of Qaitbey,
considered the jewel of Mamluk architecture;
Al-Azhar Mosque, the
keystone of Islam in Egypt; and the
Citadel, an awesome medieval
fortress that was the seat of Egyptian power for 700 years.
Coptic Cairo
was originally built as a Roman fortress town. Pre-dating the founding of
Islamic The sole remaining section of the
Fortress of Babylon
includes two towers which were built in AD 98 and originally overlooked an
important port on the Nile before the river changed course. The
Coptic
Museum at the foot of the towers explores Egypt's Christian era from the
years 300 to 1000.
Giza is on the west bank of the Nile and
takes in an 18km (11mi) swathe that includes the
Great Pyramids. The
pyramids were one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and despite the
crowds that visit every year, they are still a truly overwhelming sight.
They have survived the rise and fall of great dynasties and conquerors, and
share the flat desert surrounds with the Sphinx and a number of smaller
pyramids and temples.
Luxor Temple was built by Pharaoh
Amenhotep III (1390-1352 BC) on the site of an older temple built by
Hatshepsut and added to by Tutankhamun, Ramses II, Nectanebo, Alexander the
Great and various Romans. Excavation work has been under way since 1885. The
Temples of Karnak are a spectacular series of monuments that were
the main place of worship in Theban times. They can be divided into the Amun
Temple Enclosure, which is the largest; the Mut Temple Enclosure on the
south side; and the Montu Temple Enclosure.
Alexandria The
Graeco-Roman
Museum contains relics that date back to the 3rd century BC. There's a
magnificent black granite sculpture of Apis, the sacred bull worshipped by
Egyptians, as well as an assortment of mummies, sarcophagi, pottery,
jewellery and ancient tapestries. The
Roman Amphitheatre in Egypt
was rediscovered in 1964. Its 13 white marble terraces are in excellent
condition and excavation work is still under way, although the dig has
shifted a little to the north of the theatre.
Pompey's Pillar is a
massive 25m (82ft) pink granite monument measuring 9m (30ft) around its
girth. The
Catacombs of Kom ash-Shuqqafa are the largest known Roman
burial site in Egypt, and consist of three tiers of burial tombs, chambers
and hallways. Experts are hoping to discover
Cleopatra's Palace
under the sea bed off Alexandria; columns were found in 1998, and recently
archaeologists raised a beautiful statue of Isis from the depths.
Cleopatra's Library was destroyed by the Crusaders.
Port Said The
original settlement was established on land reclaimed from
Lake Manzela,
and the city sits on an isthmus connected by causeways to the mainland.
Ferries cross
Lake Manzela to Al-Matariyya and across the canal to
Port Fouad. Unlike many of Egypt's other Mediterranean towns, Port Said does
not get overrun with local tourists seeking sun and sea. It's an unusual
destination by Egyptian standards, with 1900s colonial architecture and
several good museums and gardens.
Aswan, Egypt's southernmost city, has
long been the country's gateway to Africa. In ancient times it was a
garrison town known as
Swenet (meaning 'Trade'), and it was also
important to the early Coptic Christians. The main town and temple area of
Swenet were located on
Elephantine Island in the middle of Nile (the
island was known then as Yebu, and later renamed by the Greeks). The temples
and ruins here are not nearly as well preserved and impressive as those
elsewhere in the country, but there are other good reasons to visit. If
you're not 'tombed out', a visit to the
Tombs of the Nobles is
worthwhile, and a highlight is the
Nubian Museum, showcasing
history, art and Nubian culture from the prehistoric to the present. The
Nile is glorious here as it makes its way down from massive
High Dam and
Lake Nasser - watching the feluccas glide by as the sun sets over the
Nile is an experience you're unlikely to forget.
Restrictions
- Proof of yellow fever vaccination is rarely checked at the airport,
but is checked at the most borders.
