Egypt is home to one of the most famous civilizations in the world. However, when people are interested in ancient Egyptian history, they usually stop at the pyramids. In fact, many other structures have survived, thanks to which you can touch the civilization of the ancient pharaohs.
1. Burial temple of Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut is one of the most interesting characters in Egyptian history. She was an Egyptian queen who declared herself pharaoh because Thutmose III, her stepson and heir to the throne, was too young. After her, the burial temple, located in Deir el-Bahri, was preserved. The temple, which is called "Jeser Jeseru", which means "holy of holies", consisted of 3 huge terraces, divided in the center by large ramps leading upward.
2. Tuna el-Gebel
The ancient Egyptian city of Hermopolis Magna was the capital of the province of Hare. It was known as the "City of the Eight" because the people there worshiped Thoth, the god of sciences. Although the city is interesting in itself, in the 1930s a huge necropolis dedicated to Thoth was discovered next to it. At the moment, about 3 km of catacomb tunnels have been excavated in "Tuna el-Gebel", in which, in addition to usual burials, there were thousands of animal mummies, including baboons, ibises, cats, larks, kestrels and even pigs.
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3. Colossi of Memnon
The Colossi of Memnon are two giant statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III that are built to guard the entrance to the Memorial Temple of Amenhotep. They were built to guard the burial temple behind them. While the colossal statues still stand today, the temple disappeared due to erosion caused by floods and the theft of stones by subsequent rulers.
4. Palace of Malkath
When Amenhotep III ruled Egypt, he built a palace that was essentially the ancient Egyptian version of a mansion in California. The luxurious palace had its own library, kitchens, an office for receptions, auditoriums, halls for celebrations. To the east of the palace there was a sacred lake connected by a network of canals to the Nile.
5. Tanis
Thanks to the discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamun, the "lost city" Tanis did not gain the popularity it deserved. The ancient Egyptians called Tanis "Janet", and in the Old Testament he is called "Zoan". During the 21st and 22nd Dynasties, Tanis was the capital of Egypt. A large temple dedicated to the god Amon was built in the wealthy city. In 1939, archaeologist Pierre Monte discovered during excavations a royal burial complex, in which there were three burial chambers, untouched by vandals and tomb robbers, but immediately after that World War II broke out and people's attention was diverted from Tanis.
6. Temple of Seti I
The Temple of Seti I, which is located in Abydos, was one of the most sacred places in ancient Egypt. Abydos was originally dedicated to the god Wepwawet, who was the guide for the dead to the afterlife. Gradually, the cult of Osiris was formed in Abydos, and soon the whole city was dedicated to him. One of the remaining temples within Abydos is the Temple of Seti I, which was dedicated to seven deities. It also honored all the deified ancestors of Seti I.
7. Babylonian fortress
The Babylonian fortress in Cairo (aka "Castle of Babylon" or "Egyptian Castle of Egypt") was not built by the Egyptians. In fact, it was built at the behest of two Roman emperors. The first of these was Trajan, who gave the order to build a canal between the Red Sea and the Nile, and also renovated an ancient Persian fortress in the southern part of the city. The second emperor, Arkady, improved the already existing fortress.
8. Deir el-Medina
The village of Deir el-Medina near the Valley of the Kings was a settlement of artisans who built the tombs of the pharaohs. Now it is one of the Theban necropolises.
9. Statue of Meritamon
Unlike other cities on this list, people still live in Ahmim. In ancient Egypt, this city was called Ipu. During excavations, archaeologists found fragments of a statue of Ramses II and a relatively intact 11-meter statue of Meritamon, daughter of Ramses II.
10. Aswan Granite Quarry
The Egyptians often used granite in the construction of pyramids, temples and monuments. Most of the granite used in these structures came from a granite quarry in Aswan, which covers an area of about 150 square kilometers. Now the quarry attracts tourists with its unfinished obelisk, which was attached to one of the rocks for 3 thousand years. If this obelisk were placed vertically, then it would weigh 1200 tons and have a height of 42 meters, which is a third higher than any other ancient Egyptian obelisk.