culture and History Travel Tour to Egypt part

Egypt Magic and attraction need more than a blog or web site to explain or show every little thing
that's because Egypt History and Egypt places , attraction , ages and Culture is very very big and full of events
so here we go again to the land of pharaoh era , Greek era , Roman era , Coptic Era and Islamic era all of them have make a great effect in the whole History and culture of Egypt and left us a million of Archaeological places and very exciting tourism adventure to a country that have more than Quarter of the archaeological and touristic places in the world

Egypt overview

Herodotus,the ancient Greek historian, described Egypt as' the gift of the Nile ', reflecting the admiration felt that in ancient times by the image of the pyramids, the Sphinx, Thebes, and the river itself. Pharaohs, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Turks and British ruled the African country and as a result, Egypt today is an amalgam of these legacies, along with the influence of Islam and the advances of the twentieth century.
Built villages stand beside Pharaonic ruins surrounded by buildings of steel, stone and glass. The Bedouins live in tents made of goat skin, while the farmers tilling the land with the primary tools that their ancestors had used. In the city are mixed with long tunics imported brands from the West; traffic competes with cars drawn by donkeys and goats that move freely. Nowhere are these contrasts and colorful as in Cairo, a magnificent city, crowded, where the relentless sound of car horn, the noise in the neighborhoods and the muezzin calling to prayer. However, not everything is chaos and noise in Cairo. Egypt is also the place with which dreams any diver, is also the image of a quiet caravan of camels across the desert or a peaceful stroll down Nile.

Egypt General Information

Best time to Travel Egypt


The winter months are undoubtedly the best time to approach the northernmost and Luxor, where summer heat can be endured difficulties as well as being the period of greatest influx of tourists to the Mediterranean coast. In Cairo, however, the winters can be quite cold, so the most suitable dates for the city are enjoying the spring and autumn. It is preferable to travel in the period between March and May to coincide with mild temperatures and therefore escape the heat of the midday masificaciones the beaches.

Egypt Mean festivals and Holidays

because the long History in Egypt there is many festivals and holidays and its classified to different categories :
Islamic :
The Islamic calendar (or AH) has eleven days less than the Gregorian.
Ras as-Sana is the celebration of the new year
Mouled al-Nabi, which is the birth of the prophet Mohammad. There are parades in the streets lit, with drums, special sweets and consequent events.
Ramadan, very important in the Islamic year its The fasting month, and the most beautiful nights in Egypt is in this month
(Id al-Fitr) marks the end of fasting, which is celebrated with great joy and fun.
Id al-Adha is a time of pilgrimage to Mecca.

National :

Fulfillment of the Nile :( Flooding of the Nile )
16-30 August of each year and is a huge event held to call for the protection of Nile water pollution and which Nile deserves honor because it is the source of agriculture and irrigation in Egypt
Christmas
7th of January (Old Calendarists)
new year
1st of January

EGYPT Most Attraction Places to Travel

Cairo

Cairo has been the heart of the country of the Nile for over a thousand years and will show the contrasts of all Egypt. In this city, was founded on medieval and contemporary western world in a mixture of mud houses and modern high-rise offices, cars and ostentatious cars drawn by oxen. No one knows exactly how many people have the city, but it is estimated that the figure is around 16 million, only the illegal settlements and slums are home to approximately five million people. The housing shortage is a serious problem, and traffic is chaotic, the government has sought to overcome these drawbacks with the opening of a metro network and build satellite neighborhoods.

Islamic Cairo is the name that is known to the old medieval quarter, walking through its streets is like back six or seven centuries. This is one of the parts of Egypt, and probably throughout the Middle East, with more densely populated. Neighborhoods such as Darb al-Ahmar is characterized by its small alleys, its adobe houses, the street vendors of food and their goats, camels and donkeys. There are mosques and temples everywhere, and in the air you breathe a strong smell of turmeric, cumin, and to animals. Among the architectural jewels of this area of the city, highlighting the Iben Tulun, one of the world's largest mosques, built in the ninth century, the mausoleum of Imam al-Shafi'i, the larger the country, where buried one of the most important religious leaders of Islam, and the Citadel, an impressive medieval fortress, the seat of Egyptian power for seven years, which houses within it three major mosques and several museums.

Coptic Cairo has its origins in a Roman fortress city founded hundreds of years before Islamic Cairo. Home to one of the first Christian communities in the world, but both Jews and Muslims and Coptic Christians living in this city, considered a sacred place. The only thing that kept the fort of Babylon was a tower built in the year 98 AD who originally ruled an important port on the Nile, before it changes its course. The Coptic Museum is located at the foot of the tower, his presentation covers Egyptian Christian era between the years 300 and 1000 AD This stunning collection includes religious and secular art, and works in stone, wood and metal, manuscripts, paintings and ceramics.

The city of Giza, located on the west bank of the Nile, covering a length of 18 km, including the pyramids , one of the seven wonders of the world. Despite the high number of visitors they receive each year, are still awesome to be placed before them. These buildings, which stand on the plains of the desert, next to the Sphinx and other smaller pyramids and temples have survived the ascent to power and subsequent fall of the great dynasties and conquerors.

There are several establishments that offer tourists food and accommodations, but the prices are cheaper in the center of Cairo, especially in Midan Orabi and Midan Talaat Harb.

Alexandria

Alexander the Great came to Egypt after having repeatedly defeated the armies of the Persian empire and elected a small fishing village on the Mediterranean coast to found the new capital, Alexandria. The city revolves around Midan Saad Zaghlul , a large parade down to the dock. It had a library with over five thousand volumes, and at the height of its splendor, became the center of science, philosophy and intellectual thought of his time.

The Greco-Roman Museum houses relics dating from the third century BC Here you can admire a magnificent black granite sculpture of Apis, the sacred bull worshiped by the Egyptians, as well as mummies, sarcophagi, pottery, jewelry and antique tapestries. The Roman amphitheater was discovered in 1964. It consists of thirteen tiers of white marble, preserved in perfect condition, around the stage. The current excavations are continuing, mainly in the north.

The pillar of Pompey is a massive pillar of pink granite, 25 m in height and 9 meters in circumference. Christian crusaders, on their arrival in Egypt, was attributed to Pompey, but it was actually erected in the center of the large Serapeum by Diocletian in the year 297 AD When the Crusaders arrived, a thousand years later, destroyed the library and Serapeum Cleopatra, leaving only standing pillar. The catacombs of Kom El-Shokafa is the burial place of Roman wider than is known in Egypt and are comprised of three levels: tombs, chambers and hallways. Its construction began in the second century AD, and were extended to accommodate more than three bodies. They had a banquet room where the afflicted to pay their respects with a funeral meal. The experts hope to discover the Palace of Cleopatra in Alexandria under the sea. The columns were found in 1998 and recently some archaeologists have recovered a beautiful statue of the deep. The Crusaders destroyed the library of Cleopatra.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina one of greatest and bigger library in the world Bibliotheca Alexandrina is the New Library of Alexandria to the restoration of the spirit of openness and research that have characterized the old library; It is not just a library also its cultural complex . and a very nice place to spend a good time and also taking some photo
Citadel of Qaitbay or the Fort of Qaitbay that you can see from any where in Alexandria beach built in in 1477 AD

Port Said

Located at the north entrance of the Suez Canal, Port Said is a very young city, according to Egyptian standards. It was founded by the ruler Said Pasha in 1859, the year that began the excavation of the canal. In 1956, Port Said was bombed during the Suez crisis and again in 1967 , during the wars , despite the work of reconstruction that have been out. This city was built on land gained from manzala lake and sits on an isthmus joined to the mainland by bridges. Ferries cross the lake in the direction of Al-Matariyya and go to Port Fuad, the image of the huge boats that line ready to enter the canal is really incredible. Port Said, unlike many other Mediterranean cities of Egypt , is not overrun by tourists seeking sun and sand. Nor is it a usual destination for travelers from other countries, although it has colonial architecture and the end of the century with several excellent museums and gardens.

Aswan

It is the southernmost city of Egypt and has long been the gateway to Black Africa, as well as being a market town situated at the crossroads of ancient caravan routes. Situated on the banks of the Nile, not far above the Tropic of Cancer. Formerly, he was a city known as Sunt strong, very important during the early years of Coptic Christianity. In the middle of the Nile, Elephantine Island was known as Yebu, there was located the main part of the city and its temples Sunt. Although the ruins and shrines in this area are not so great or have been preserved as well as the rest of the country, there are good reasons to visit. The Nile, in its passage through the Great Dam and Lake Nasser, is expanding in this area dramatically and the spectacle of the Falucho that glide along the river at sunset is a unique experience.

Abu simple

aswan is full of museums and temples from the great ancient pharaoh like the historical site of Abu simple one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site there the great temple of Ramesses II and other small temple , The temple of Hathor
and Nefertari's temple

Luxor
This city was built on the ancient city of Thebes, his magnificent monumental architecture and its excellent preservation make it the most visited destination in Egypt . For centuries, tourists have walked by the temples of Luxor and Karnak, and the impressive funerary monuments dedicated to Ramses II and Hatshepsut. In the Nile, is frequently Falucho and old barges between luxury cruises, sailing between Cairo and Aswan.
The temple of Luxor was built by Pharaoh Amenhotep III on the other ancient Theban temple, and then was rebuilt by Tutankhamun, Ramses II, Alexander the Great and Nectanebo. Since 1885, excavations are taking place. The temple of Karnak is a set of monuments that were the main place of worship in Theban times, what are the grounds of the temple of Amon, the larger, the space occupied by the temple of Mut, in the south and the area devoted to the temple of Montu. The land of Montu and Amun were connected with the Nile by canals to facilitate the passage of vessels during sacred ceremonies. There is a daily service of buses and trains between the cities of Luxor and Cairo.

EL-Ain EL-Sukhna: the Arabic for “ hot spring” was named after the nearby sulphur springs .It is also an ideal site for fishing and water sports.

Ain El Sukhna is about 140 km east of Cairo, just an hour away by car. It offers Cairenes recreational time, handy respite from the city's fast paced life .

The area is 40 km south of the port of Suez and is administratively part of the Suez Governorate. Its territory extends along the Red Sea shoreline for about 60 km from the southern borders of Ras El Adebbya in the north to Ras El Zaafarana in the south.

Close enough to Cairo for a day-trip, this popular weekend resort has fine beaches and coves, coral reefs, fishing and water sports

This is not just a destination for people wanting a suntan and a week at the beach. It is also a place where you can indulge in history. There is ample evidence that the area had its place in history. It includes a famous group of the world's oldest monasteries west of Zafarana on the road to Kuraymat.

The most celebrated ones are those of St. Anthony (c. 251 -356), the founding father of monasticism, and St. Paul, which were built more than 16 centuries ago.

A group of historians also believe the northern part of the Mount of Galala El Bahareya was the point from which Moses and the Israelites crossed in their exodus from Egypt's mainland into the Sinai Peninsula. They cite in their claims the fact that the bottom of the Gulf of Suez at this point is elevated.

Egypt Activities

The excellent and numerous beaches of the Mediterranean coast and the Egyptian Red Sea are the perfect place for swimmers. Scuba diving and snorkelling are by far the most popular in Egypt. The Red Sea is one of the best places in the world to dive with Bell. Egypt waters teeming with underwater life, may find corals, crustaceans and fish of all shapes and colors imaginable. They are also very popular jeep safaris and camel rides. The government is also promoting Egypt as a destination to play golf.

Egypt History

The Egyptian history is intrinsically linked to the Nile, the heart of the economic, social, political and religious since the first settlement in the area. Under the rule of Menes, about five thousand years ago, united independent states located in the river, leading to the first stable monarchical dynasty.

The pharaohs were considered divine and a stratified society ruled. Around 2600 years BC, the first pyramid was built, and over the next five years, construction techniques were gaining magnificence. Throughout the IV dynasty Pharaonic power reached its height when Cheops, Kefrén and sent Micerinos build the pyramids of Giza. Later, during the dynasties VI and VII, was diluting his power and caused a social revolution. There were small principalities, which led to the emergence of two centers of power from which ruled simultaneously Heracleópolis (near present Beni Suef), in Middle Egypt, and Thebes (today's Luxor) in Upper Egypt.

It was not until the arrival of the pharaoh when Metuhotep II reunited the two lands of Upper and Middle Egypt. During the period between the years 1550 and 1069 BC, the New Empire prospered under the rule of pharaohs Tutmosis I like (the sovereign first buried in the Valley of the Kings), his daughter Hatshepsut, one of the few women who ruled, and Tutmosis III, who expanded the empire into western Asia.

Amenhotep IV rejected the religious tradition and took the name Akenaton in honor of Aton, the disc of the rising sun. He and his wife Nefertiti created a new capital called Tell el-subsides, dedicated exclusively to the new god. The son of Akenaton, Tutankhamun, ruled Egypt for nine years and died while still a teenager. Since then, a succession of generals, Ramses I, II and III, Seti I, came to power and was immortalized in monuments and temples giant. The empire began a new period when the Greek conqueror Alexander the Great established a new capital and dynasty after their arrival in the year 332 BC

Under the dominion of Ptolemy I, Alexandria became a great city. During the three years of Greek domination, many experienced rivalries between the noble class, which led many exiles and murders. Meanwhile, an expansion in Rome began to take an interest in Egypt, and it was setting the stage for one of the oldest and serial stories on the world. The tragic end of his players, Mark Anthony and Cleopatra, favored the annexation of Egypt to the Roman Empire.

When the fall of the Empire, during the third and fourth centuries, the country was invaded by Nile Nubians, North Africans and Persians. Despite these incursions, the Byzantine Empire inherited the power of Rome and remained entrenched until the arrival of Arabs in the year 640 AD They introduced Islam and founded in Fustat (present site of the city of Cairo), the seat of an unstable government. Invade Egypt in the past were the Fatimids, who built the city of Al-Qahira (Cairo), their dominance was an era of prosperity of the country and its capital.

Christians in Western Europe seized Fatimid rule to much of its territory during the crusades of the eleventh century. However, in the year 1187, the Syrian Seljuks sent an army, fortified Cairo under the orders of the Chamber ad-Din and expelled the Crusaders from Jerusalem. Salah ad-Din enlisted in their ranks mamluks (Turkish mercenaries), which eventually overthrowing his dynasty and ruled Egypt for two and a half centuries. In 1517, the country fell to the Turks and because most of these mamluks shared origins, the Ottoman sultans in Constantinople left, in large part, the Egyptian government in their hands and simply raise taxes. This situation continued until Napoleon occupied the country in the year 1798. The French emperor was expelled by the British in 1801, which in turn were founded by Mohamed Ali, a lieutenant in the Albanian contingent of the Ottoman army. In 1869, Said Pasha, Ali's grandson, opened the Suez Canal.

The paralysis of the national debt enabled British and French settled in Egypt in 1897, thus ending the first exercising sovereignty over the country Turkey. During WWI, Egypt fought with the Allies, and shortly afterwards the British allowed the formation of a national political party, the Wafd. King Fuad I was elected representative of the constitutional monarchy, and for thirty years, British monarchists and members of the Wafd competed to seize power. After World War II, seven Arab countries, founded the Arab League. But in Egypt the war had left the country in ruin, while its defeat in the 1948 war against Israel led to even greater chaos outside. In 1952, a dissident group of officers led by Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser, carried out a bloodless coup Neither the British nor the French took over the possibility of losing control of the country, so invaded. United States and the Soviet Union joined the UN peacekeepers who were deployed in the area and insisted that the invasion was complete. Nasser gained independence and became a national hero, acclaimed throughout the Arab world.

At the end of the 1950s, Nasser made an attempt at unification between Egypt, Syria, Yemen and later Iraq, with emphasis on Arab unity and excluding Israel. After months of growing tensions between Egypt and Israel, the Jewish state ended up launching an attack against the country of Egypt June 5, 1967, and began the Six-Day War in which Israel destroyed the Egyptian air force, conquered the Sinai Peninsula and closed the Suez Canal.

Anwar el-Sadat, Nasser, vice president of government, succeeded him in office to his death in 1970, and initiated improvements in relations with the West. On October 6, 1973 Sadat launched a surprise attack on the zone of the Sinai Peninsula, occupied by the Israelis,the Egyptian army made a great job in field also the first air strike was remarkable and destroy its all objects in Sinai the crossing of the Suez Canal is the largest crossing in war history and after six hour the Egyptian success destroying the Bar-Lev line which is the strongest defenses line at this time in 14 October the Egyptian air force also made a heroic battle with them mig gets against israela phantom with American Help and support "Operation Nickel Grass".. when they was trying to make a counter strike at the back lines of Egyptian army and destroy the support line and strike a mean HQ and airports inside Egypt like 67 war but the Egyptian air force success to stop it and prevent them from going inside , usa start the largest air support to isreal and technology help by American satellite and this is makes the war turns while the soviet support foucsing in syria line away from Egypt , that make Egypt accept the cease fire case in the end of war and start negotiation . that leads to the Camp David agreements. Israel agreed to withdraw the rest point they still kept in Sinai, and Egypt officially recognized its existence. Many members of the Arab world felt betrayed by Sadat, who ended up being assassinated on October 6, 1981.

Hosni Mubarak, Sadat's vice president, was sworn in and has since been the leader of the country. Mubarak has surprised many with his skillful political strategies in the problem region, and has improved relations with Israel and other Arab countries. The resurgence of religious fundamentalism in the Arab world, has brought many challenges to Mubarak, who has suffered numerous attacks against his life. During the Gulf War, sent 35,000 troops to fight Iraq, although the war was considered an example of Western imperialism in the Arabic world, the commitment of Egypt resulted in the improvement of its relations with the West.

In 1992, Islamic fundamentalists began a campaign of violence and intimidation against tourists and Egyptian security forces. The middle years of the 1990s were marked by tensions with Sudan because of the area Halaib. In 1994, there were severe floods which, when added to the persistent conflict "with the fundamentalists, culminating in the assassination attempt of President Mubarak in 1995. In 1997, the massacre of more than seventy people, most tourists at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists, shocked the Egyptian public opinion and caused thousands of people around the world to rethink their holiday destination. For now, Egypt has remained relatively stable, with low unemployment, rising literacy rates and increased privatization in the economy.
In 1999 President Hosni Mubarak won the elections for the fourth time. Continues with its pro-Western policy, despite pressure from some fundamentalist groups. In late 2000, signed a one trillion dollars to build a gas pipeline and supply gas to Syria and Lebanon

Egypt Culture & People

For most Egyptians, their shape and lifestyle has changed little in centuries. Although, of course, the twentieth century has left its mark for most fellahin (peasants), the situation remains virtually unchanged. Among the majority of Egyptians, the prevailing attitude that it will have to be an almost fatalistic view, the result of thousands of years to suffer pests, water shortages, floods and invasions. For them, life is marked by the same circumstances that shaped the previous generations.

The painting has been part of Egyptian life from the first drawings of some of the pyramid at Saqqara, about 2300 years BC But it was the pharaohs of the New Empire the most interested in adorning the interior of their tombs with vivid imagery and beyond resurrection. Egyptian painting was the influence of contemporary Western art until the mid-twentieth century, when the Egyptian painters began to seek their own path. Some of the best known contemporary artists are Gazbia Serri, Inji Eflatun, Abdel Wahab Morsi, Adel el-Nasser Wahib and SIWI.

Egyptian pop music has been represented, until recently, the ubiquitous voice of Om Kolthum, the so-called "mother of Egypt, who died in 1975 but whose music legend and still survive. Their songs, the best known example of Egyptian music in the West, were based on poems and operettas. Also noteworthy musicians Abdel Halim al-Hafez and Mohamed Abd el-Wahab. In recent times, have been increasingly incorporating elements of Western pop music in contemporary Egypt, and its greatest exponents Amr Diab, Mohamed Fuad and Hakim.

While Egypt is famous for belly dance, this dance is considered vulgar and a sign of promiscuity. In fact, many of the dancers from the belly dancer working in hotels and resorts are European or American, because, according to their cultural parameters, so provocative behavior is unbecoming of an Arab woman. In fact, the Egyptian dancers like Fifi Abdu, need bodyguards to protect themselves against Islamic fanaticism. However, large family gatherings, weddings or private parties, dance can be part of these celebrations.

The writer Naguib Mahfuz, with more than forty novels and thirty scripts to his credit, he received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1988. His most outstanding works are The Cairo Trilogy (1957) and also children of our neighborhood, written in 1956, which remains banned in Egypt and many consider it blasphemous (this may be why, in 1994, the author, at that time had 83 years of age, suffered an attack). Other prominent writers are Tawfiq al-Hakim, Yahya Haqqi and Yusuf Idris. After Mahfouz