Bridgeman Images Blog

Egypt's History: 10 Historical Landmarks in Ancient Egypt

Written by Scarlett Thompson | Sep 10, 2021 10:14:19 AM

Ancient Egypt was a civilization of ancient Northern Africa, located on the lower reaches of the River Nile. Fascinating historical landmarks remain in the region and remind the modern viewer of a life in prehistoric Egypt. 

The Great Pyramid of Giza 

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex bordering present day Giza in Greater Cairo, Egypt. The pyramid is also the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 

The Great Sphinx of Giza 

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a huge limestone statue of a reclining sphinx. A sphinx is a mythological creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion with the wings of a falcon. 

The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities 

The Egyptian Museum of Cairo is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. Over 120,000 items are stored in the museum, a large number of these are on display! The museum was built by Italian construction company, Garozzo - Zaffarani and designed by French architect Marcel Dourgnon. 

White Desert 

The white desert is located in Farafra, Egypt. Rock type in this region is of a snow-white to cream colour. Massive chalk formations can be found in the desert. 

St Catherine’s Monastery 

St Catherine’s Monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery located on the Sinai Peninsula at the mouth of a gorge at the foot of Mount Sinai. The monastery is named after Christian saint and virgin, Catherine of Alexandria. 

The Valley of the Kings 

The Valley of the Kings is an extraordinary valley in Egypt where many rock tombs were excavated for the pharaohs and powerful nobles of the New Kingdom. The valley stands on the west bank of the River Nile. 

Read more about the Valley of the Kings in this blog post!

Alexandria 

Alexandria is the third largest city in Egypt after Cairo and Giza. Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. The city is located on the northern coast of Egypt along the Mediterranean sea. 

Abydos Temple 

Abydos is one of the oldest cities of Ancient Egypt. The city is a site to many ancient temples. Abydos is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Egypt. 

Saqqara Necropolis 

The Saqqara Necropolis is located 30 kilometers north of Cairo. The area has a vast number of pyramids and underground tombs for one to discover! The Step Pyramid of Djoser is one of the most popular pyramids found in the area 

Bibliotheca Alexandrina 

The Bibliotheca Alexandria is one of the largest and most important libraries in the world. The library is located alongside Alexandria’s ancient harbour. 

 

Read more about Ancient Egypt and the Valley of Kings

 

Sources: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt

https://www.alltherooms.com/blog/egypt-landmarks/