CategoriesBlog Sightseeing By Egyptian Adventure

The Red Pyramid of Dahshur

The Red Pyramid of Dahshur was the third one that King Snefru constructed after the Bent Pyramid and Meidum Pyramid. It is the highest pyramid in Dahshur.

King Snefru King Snefru founded the 4th dynasty, the Old Kingdom. Also, he is the father of King Khufu, who owns the Great Pyramid of Giza Plateau. His principal wife was Queen Hetepheres I, also King Khufu’s mother.

The construction of the Red Pyramid The establishment of this pyramid might have begun in the 13th year of King Sneferu’s reign and took ten years to be completed. The Red Pyramid is called red due to its construction using red stone.

The Red Pyramid is the first accurate or complete pyramid in ancient Egyptian history; after the failure in the construction of the Bent Pyramid and Meidum Pyramid to be complete pyramids, the ancient Egyptian engineers corrected their mistakes and became aware of the correct angle to reach the actual pyramid, what is 43 degrees.

It is thought that 43 degrees was the angle that the ancient Egyptian engineers used in building the top part of the Bent pyramid; also, it was approved by those engineers for building the later pyramids in the ancient Egyptian civilization.

The Red Pyramid is 341 feet tall, so it is considered the third-largest ancient Egyptian pyramid after the pyramids of Kings Khufu and Khafre at Giza Plateau.

The plan of this Red Pyramid’s entrance is on the northern side. This entrance leads to a passageway. Then there is a gallery leading into a chamber with a corbelled roof; Then there is another passage leading to a second chamber; this chamber houses another passageway leading to the third chamber, which is believed to be the burial chamber.

CategoriesBlog Museums By Egyptian Adventure

The Coptic Museum in Coptic Cairo

The Coptic Museum contains the most extensive collection of Coptic collections worldwide. It is located in the Coptic Cairo inside the Babylon Fortress and beside the hanging church, the Cave Church, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue.

The history of The Museum This museum was opened to the public in 1910 by the efforts of Marcus Simaika Pasha, who was interested in preserving Coptic heritage. He collected these collections by himself, buying the Coptic artifacts and architectural elements from older churches.

In 1939, the Service of Antiquities decided to transfer the Christian collection exhibited in the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to be displayed in the Coptic Museum. Automatically, all discovered Christian artifacts are transferred to the Coptic Museum.

This museum consists of two buildings linked by a bridge. The first building was established by Marcus Simaika Pasha in 1910, while the second was added later in 1947.

It can be noticed that the facade of the Coptic Museum is identical to the facade of Al Aqmar Mosque in Moez St.

The museum collection: The museum building contains two floors housing various Coptic collections. These collections display Coptic history in Egypt, as Christianity was begun in Egypt by Saint Mark when he visited Alexandria in the 1st Century AD. These collections also show how the Christian community lived in Egypt.

The museum objects reflect the merger between Coptic art and other civilizations, such as ancient Egyptian art (as the collection of the Kom Abou Billou site), Greco-Roman art, Byzantine art, and Ottoman art.

The museum display is divided into:

  • The stones and frescoes section houses religious scenes and stone drawings from monasteries and churches. These scenes were drawn in tempura style.
  • The development of Coptic writing and manuscripts section exhibits bibles written on deerskin in the Coptic and Arabic languages from the 11th to the 13th Century.
  • Fabrics and textiles section: it contains monks’ clothes decorated with crosses and drawings of the Virgin and the Christ.
  • Icons section: this section has a vast collection of Coptic icons from different periods with different themes and decorations. Icon is a Greek word meaning a picture that may be a drawing of saints or other religious scenes.
  • Wooden works section: this section contains several wooden works, such as doors and chairs brought from churches.
  • Metal section: It displays a large number of gold Coptic coins.
  • Pottery and glass section: it displays a lot of pottery and glass objects reflecting the Coptic community and history in Egypt.

For a quick visit to the Coptic Museum, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities launched a virtual tour of the Coptic Museum. You will be able to check it via this link. The Coptic Museum virtual tour

CategoriesBlog Museums By Egyptian Adventure

Kafr El Sheikh Museum in Kafr El Sheikh

Among the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities events for opening new museums in Egypt, the Ministry opened three museums in one day, on October 31, 2020. These museums are The Royal Carriages Museum, Kafr El Sheikh Museum, and Sharm El Sheikh Museum. It is located in Kafr El Sheikh Governorate.

The history of Kafr El Sheikh Governorate: Kafr El Sheikh Governorate played an essential role during the ancient Egyptian civilization, as Kafr El Sheikh Governorate houses Bhutto, the capital of Lower Egypt, before united ancient Egypt by King Menes or Narmer. After that, King Narmer started the 1st dynasty and created the first capital of united ancient Egypt, Memphis. This city is also known as Tell Al-Faraeen.

Kafr El Sheikh Museum The idea of establishing a museum in Kafr El Sheikh came back in 1993, and the project of constructing it began in 2002; this Museum displays the history of Kafr El Sheikh Governorate by exhibiting collections that have been discovered in Kafr El Sheikh Governorate at the Great Bhutto Cemetery and the temple area. These collections are classified into three halls.

The display in the Museum is divided into:

  • There is a conflict between the god Horus and the god Seth, as there is a unique statue for the Falcon of the god Horus. This statue matches the Edfu temple statue.
  • The history of Sakha city, where the Holy Family was hosted during their journey in Egypt.
  • The archaeological sites in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate have been preserved.
  • The history of science during different historical periods in medicine, veterinary, and pharmacy fields.
  • The Islamic and cultural heritage of Kafr Sheikh Governorate is considered the third heritage city in Egypt after Cairo and Rasheed. The Museum presents the heritage of Kafr Sheikh by displaying the Islamic heritage of Fuwah.
CategoriesBlog Sightseeing By Egyptian Adventure

Bab Zuweila – Islamic Cairo

Bab Zuweila is one of the most famous sights in Islamic Cairo and El Moez Street. This gate is associated with significant historical events.

The history of Bab Zuweila was constructed by Jawhar al Siqilli during his foundation of Cairo city in 358 AH/969 AD and renovated by the vizier Badr al‑Jamali in 480 AH/1092 AD.

It is one of the eight gates of Fatimid Cairo, located on the southern wall. It overlooks El Moez Street, leading to Bab al‑Futuh at its northern wall. Only three gates remain: Bab Zuweila, Bab al‑Futuh, and Bab al-Nasr.

This gate was associated with significant historical events, as it witnessed the end of Mamluk rule in Egypt. In 922 AH/1517 AD, Selim I, the Ottoman Sultan, hanged Tuman Bay, the last Mamluk Sultan.

The design of Bab Zuweila is a gate containing two round towers; each tower has rooms for guard soldiers. Between these towers is the entrance and the door made from tin and silver plated.

Those semicircular towers are with two twin minarets. These two minarets were added in 818 AH/1415 AD when the Mamluk Sultan al-Mu’ayyad Shaykh built his mosque next to Bab Zuweila. Sultan al-Mu’ayyad Shaykh added these minarets upon the towers to appear higher and reduce construction costs.

The construction of this mosque has a story. This place was originally a prison where Al-Mu’ayyad Shaykh was accused of falsehood in a murder case. During his imprisonment, he asked his god if he escaped this problem safely and became the ruler, he would transfer this prison to a mosque.

The name of Bab Zuweila This gate comes from a Zuwayla barbarian tribe, who came with Jawhar al‑Siqilli and stayed there; it is also known as Bawabbat al‑Mitwalli. Al‑Mitwalli is an Arabic word meaning the one in charge of, as the mitwalli al‑hesba or the official in charge of finances and tax collection was based in front of Bab Zuweila.

CategoriesBlog Museums By Egyptian Adventure

The Mummification Museum

The Mummification Museum is located in the east of Luxor city, north of Luxor Temple. It was opened in 1997, and it is one of the most important museums in Egypt.

The Mummification Museum concept: The concept of the Mummification Museum mainly explains the mummification process and how the ancient Egyptians preserved their dead bodies for many years.

In ancient Egyptian beliefs, the god Anubis was the god responsible for the mummification of the dead. Also, in ancient Egyptian beliefs, they thought that they had to save the body by mummification in order for the soul to return to it again.

In addition, the ancient Egyptians mummified human bodies; they mummified the corpses of animals and birds, especially those belonging to the sacred ones. There are the Serapeum of the calf of the god Apis at Saqqara, the Catacombs of Ibis, and the baboons of the god Thoth in Tuna El-Gebel. There are mummies for dogs, cats, and crocodiles as well.

The museum collections are the mummification tools, some of Canopic jars, coffins, and amulets.

Some masterpieces of the museum:

  • The Mummy of Masaharti: he was the General of the Army and high priest of Amun at Thebes during his father’s reign, king Piedjem I, in the 21st dynasty. His mummy was discovered in the royal cache of Deir El Bahari in 1881.
  • Many statues of the ancient Egyptian gods as the god Anubis, the goddess Isis, the god Osiris, and the goddess Nephthys.

The Mummification process:

    The mummification process inside the mummification tent took almost 70 days.

  • Firstly, the organs of the corpse were extracted through a small incision in the left side of the body, and these organs were mummified and preserved in the Canopic jars.
  • Then, the body would be submerged in natron salt brought from Wadi El Natron to be dried for about 40 days.
  • Then, the body would be wrapped in bandages of linen.
  • Finally, the priests put magical amulets beside the body for protection in the coffin to move it to its tomb for burial.
CategoriesBlog Historical Sites By Egyptian Adventure

Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula

Saint Catherine’s Monastery is located on the slopes of Mount Sinai. It is considered one of the oldest monasteries in the whole world. This monastery was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2002.

The Saint Catherine’s Monastery It is famous Saint Catherine’s Monastery, but its original name was Sacred Monastery of the God Trodden; this monastery gets its name from Saint Catherine of Alexandria, who was martyred in the early 4th century AD. They found her corpse on nearby Mount Saint Catherine, as it is said the angels transferred her body to this place.

The history of Saint Catherine’s Monastery

The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I commanded to construct this monastery in 527 AD to house the monks of the Sinai Peninsula.

    The buildings of the monastery includes many buildings as:

  • The Church of the Transfiguration of Christ the Savior. This church houses nine other smaller churches. One of these nine churches is the Burning BushChurch, where the god spoke to the prophet Moses.

The Scripture mentioned that the god ordered the prophet Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt by speaking to him from this bush. The fire was set into this bush, although it was unaffected by the fire.

Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, established a church on the site of the Burning Bush in the 4th century AD. Emperor Justinian I rebuilt this small church and included it in the Church of the Transfiguration of Christ the Savior, the larger church.

The Church of the Burning Bush - Egypt Vacation Tours
The Church of the Burning Bush
  • The monks’ rooms.
  • The refectory.
  • The olive press.
  • Ossuaries.
  • The Fatimid Mosque dates back to the 12th century AD in 500 AH / 1106 AD during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah. This mosque was the fruit of the harmonious relationship between Muslims and Christians. This mosque became a stop for pilgrims on their way to Mecca.
The Fatimid Mosque - Egypt Vacation Tours
The Fatimid Mosque
  • The library of Saint Catherine’s Monastery houses rare books and 6,000 manuscripts, so it is considered one of the most important libraries attached to the monastery. The project of restoring the library in 2017 detected many manuscripts, among them a Greek medical manuscript dating back to the fifth century.
The library - Egypt Vacation Tours
The Library