Great Sphinx of Giza, colossal limestone statue of a recumbent sphinx located in Giza, Egypt, that likely dates from the reign of King Khafre (c. 2575–c. 2465 bce) and depicts his face. It is one of Egypt’s most famous landmarks and is arguably the best-known example of sphinx art.

Ancient Egyptian Inventions That Are Still Used Today

• Bowling. Who said Pharaohs didn’t have fun every once and a while?
• Sail boats. With the Nile runing through all of Egypt, ancient Egyptians decided to use it in every way possible.
• The 365-day calendar.
• Toothpaste and breath mints.
• Black ink.
• Make-up and paint.
• Surgical instruments.
• High heels.

1842

Researchers in Egypt discovered a 4,500-year-old ramp system used to haul alabaster stones out of a quarry, and reports have suggested that it could provide clues as to how Egyptians built the pyramids. The ramp system dates at least as far back as the reign of Pharaoh Khufu, who built the Great Pyramid at Giza.

It started off as a mastaba tomb — a flat-roofed structure with sloping sides — and, through a series of expansions, evolved into a 197-foot-high (60 meters) pyramid, with six layers, one built on top of the other. The pyramid was constructed using 11.6 million cubic feet (330,400 cubic meters) of stone and clay.

The Bent Pyramid

Egypt

There are no plans to build a full-scale Great Pyramid, but a campaign for a scaled-down model is underway. The Earth Pyramid Project, based in the United Kingdom, is raising funds to erect a pyramidal structure in an as-yet-undecided location, built of stones quarried all around the world.

How tall is one block of the pyramid?

Pharaoh Khufu began the first Giza pyramid project, circa 2550 B.C. His Great Pyramid is the largest in Giza and towers some 481 feet (147 meters) above the plateau. Its estimated 2.3 million stone blocks each weigh an average of 2.5 to 15 tons.

Climbing the pyramids is also banned because it’s exceedingly dangerous, and typically anyone caught scaling the pyramids face up to three years in an Egyptian jail.

Pyramid. When the pyramid was almost finished, a special block covered in shining metal (either gold or electrum) was placed on the top of the pyramid. Then, blocks of white limestone from quarries across the Nile were used to cover the pyramid. The blocks were trimmed to make the outside of the pyramid smooth.

The great pyramids and Cairo Museum are a popular combination for a day trip and will cost about $40 per person. A full day tour through Cairo including the Citadel and Khan el Khalili market is approximately $60 per person.

January

How much money will you need for your trip to Egypt? You should plan to spend around E£390 ($25) per day on your vacation in Egypt, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, E£98 ($6.24) on meals for one day and E£60 ($3.80) on local transportation.

Tourist Application Requirements for a Egypt Visa

• Passport. You must provide your actual signed passport, including two copies of the personal information page of your passport.
• Photographs.
• VisaCentral Order Form.
• Visa Application Form.
• Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate.
• Visa Upon Arrival.