Ancient Egypt monuments

Egypt architecture

The marvelous culture of Egypt was manifested in their architecture. Most of the Egyptian monuments were built with religion purposes, they were of two types: Tombs and Temples. The material used was stone, worked in sun-baked mud brick. Pillars and columns were used as supporting elements. They used floral design (lotus and papyrus plant) for decoration. 

Most of the Pyramids are situated on the west bank of the Nile. The construction of pyramids began in the Third Dynasty (2650 B.C) with Djoser and the oldest one was built by the architect Imhotep in Saqqara and nowadays still stand. The most famous examples are the pyramids of Giza and in particular the Great Pyramid. Pyramids contain sarcophagi of the Pharaohs during the Middle Kingdom.

Egyptian beliefs

The Egyptians believed that death was the start of a new life in another world and humans beside their body has a soul or ba and a life force or ka. The ka left the body at the point of death and the ba still attached to the earth after the death and came every night to its body. Both the ka and the ba should recognize its body after the death for that reason they mummified so it would be intact. As this life would last forever the most powerful people need a big and sumptuous tomb in order to protect their body and their belongings.

The most famous monuments of Egypt

• The Giza Pyramid Complex is a monument located on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. This Ancient Egyptian necropolis consists of the Pyramid of Khufu also known as the Great Pyramid or Pyramid of Cheops, the smaller is the Pyramid of Khafre or Chefren, and the relatively modest-sized the Pyramid of Menkaure or Mykerinus, along with a number of smaller satellite edifices, known as “queens” pyramids, and the Great Sphinx, a statue of a mythical creature with a lion’s body and a human head that stands on the Giza Plateau, built on the reign of Pharaoh Khafra.
• Karnak is a temple complex located on the banks of the River Nile 2.5 kilometers north of Luxor. It comprises four main areas, the Precinct of Amon-Re, the Precinct of Montu, the Precinct of Mut and the Temple of Amenhotep IV, as well as a few smaller temples and sanctuaries. 
• The Luxor Temple is a huge temple complex located on the east bank of the River Nile in the Luxor city. It was made by two pharaohs Amenhotep III and Ramesses II.
• The Temple of Abu Simbel, this is a cult temple for the gods Amon, Ra, Ptah made by Ramesses II.