The Giza Pyramids and the sound and light shows
We always have seen some kind of sound and light shows in our life. But if we even try to compare any other sound and light shows with Giza pyramids then we are definitely making a mistake. Music, lights and striking storytelling carry the ancient Pyramids of Giza to existence in this exclusive and unforgettable evening extravaganza.
The magical sphinx takes us on a narrated ride through Egypt’s amazing history. We cannot help to be truly amazed by the astounding light show and overwhelming environment of the illuminated sphinx and pyramids.
Monuments
Great Pyramid of Giza also known as Pyramid of Khufu or Pyramid of Cheops. It is one of the oldest and largest of the three pyramids. The reason of naming Pyramid of Giza as Pyramid of Khufu is because it was built by the Pharaoh name Khufu and Cheops in Greek, who was the fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh. Now if we talk about the construction so we may know that it was built on flat land of 230 square meters and 146.5 meters high when construction was completed about 2000 years BC. According to the Egyptologists the entire construction took over an approximately 20 years. The Pyramid is unusual when compared with other pyramids and the other; the king’s burial chamber is not below the surface or at the surface of the earth. This pyramid is composed of about 2.3 million limestone blocks with an average weight of 2.5 tons each. The most widely accepted idea for the establishment of that pyramids was it was built by teams of slaves over 30 years and under the gaze of the Pharaohs vigilance.
The design of the pyramids is as such that all three pyramids look the same if we see from our naked eye. Such beautifully designed pyramids are one of its kinds. When we look to the surroundings of pyramids, we see that on the eastern face of the pyramid, the temple was built as the center location for the king’s funeral team. This temple was linked via a covered road from the Nile valley, a temple, which has served as an input to a large pyramid complex as a whole, and near the southern face of the pyramid, there is a small Satellite pyramid to the Dynasty of the king and queens. And near the southern side there is a dismantled boat, built of cedar wood and a length of about 44 meters and King, who served transitions to other life after death. In one hour, the show would narrate the history of those great kings, their secrets, legends and secrets of ancient history.
Amazing Facts:
Khafre, Son of Khufu, built his pyramid at Giza, next to the pyramid of Khufu, but at a higher level, giving a false impression that both the Pyramids of Khufu and Khafre have the same height. In fact, the pyramid of Khafre is shorter by about three meters. Design, measurements and building materials are different from those used in the pyramid of Cheops, which shows more progress in building techniques. There is a clear difference between the Khafre pyramid complex and the others, which is the presence of a large statue of a guard to the north of the valley temple. The statue of the lion and the body of the human head is popularly known as giant Sphinx. The name of the Sphinx is a term Latino (Grecian) means the picture of life in the ancient world. Khafre’s son built the last pyramid on the hill of Giza, smallest as it was, it has been built of granite; more expensive and elegant than limestone is.
Never Ending Attraction:
Pyramids are not the source of attraction for modern tourists only but they have been a source of attraction and a favorite subject to visitors to Egypt for thousands of years. The historian Herodotus visited them, and Antonio, Cleopatra’s lover climbed them. At the birth of Christ, they have been 2500 years old. The French emperor Napoleon did more than just a visit, as he actually slept inside them. Since the ancient times, pyramids enchanted and charmed their visitors.
Think Tank:
Who are the men who have built these great monuments?! How did the ancient build such perfect monuments?!. Scholars and archaeologists in modern times has found it very difficult to agree on a number of theories about the ancient world. No one can argue about their size that make every human being feel small when standing at the foot of the pyramids, which remained tallest buildings in the world until modern times. About 4600 years ago, the pyramids were a state project to build a burial for kings and then the first giant stone was placed on Giza Plateau. The pyramid is the largest building in all parts of Egypt, and the only surviving of the ancient Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
Edfu Show
History and Location:
It is the historical story of the temple, the legend of Horus (God of Edfu), and his annual journey with Hather (goddess of Dandara).Also it tells us the struggle of Horus and his mother Isis against evil.
Edfu Temple’s legend narrates the Conflict between “Horus” and “Set”, and how “Hore Bhdty” (who was represented as the winged sun disk) overcame on “Set” and his aides, and how Isis’s son helped him as in Osoris legend. The legend tells us also how a group of men who knew about the metal industry art helped him, and how Edfu’s Priests and Abusir’s Women sang about his victories in Delta. Hathor the Dandara’s goddess was worshiped with “Hore Bhdty”, then a relationship happened between them, and he took her as a wife, after that he took “Horus Samattaway” (Unified the two countries) as a son to configure the Edfu Trinity (Hore Bhdty , Hathor and Horus Samattaway).
Edfu temple is located in the city of Edfu, almost 778 km from Cairo, Egypt. It is characterized by its massive construction and magnitude. It was built for the worship of Horus of Bahdity, represented by a falcon, headed by the winged sun. The name Bahdati is derived from the ancient name of the City of Edfu, which used to be called Bahdat. It took around 100 years to finish working on it and was discovered by the great archeologist Merit in 1860 as it was dug out of dust. This monument was discovered recently and since then the lines of tourists and visitors never stop.
Overview:
A new sound-and-light show at Edfu Temple was launched as an remarkable 35 million project directed and completed in 18 months by Misr Company for Sound, Light and Cinema, headed by Chairman and Managing Director Essam Abdel-Hady.
In a fascinating combination of state-of-the-art technology and colorful history, the show utilizes four high-definition projectors, three movable video projectors and 260 illumination units to create the special light effects.
The 50-minute show is separated into three categories, opening of the show is at the north doorway located at the backside of the temple. Metaphors of Horus, characteristically showed as a falcon, and the different Graeco-Roman monarchs projected onto the limestone blocks of the building and harmonized with the describing and music carry the story of the creation of the Temple of Horus to existence. The building was established in 237 BC and completed about a century later.
Guests to the night by night show, frequently passengers from cruises on the Nile, are then led through a small door into the gigantic cemented courtyard, where they are bounded by the temple’s colonnades, columns and reliefs and faced with the impressive existence of a colossal black granite statue of Horus tiring the double crown of Egyptian kingship.
Here they listen to about every day life in the temple, the refuge of Horus, and the ancient worshipping of this god, throughout which falcons were carried by priests to the divinity that would choose a favorite and set it free.
Concentration is then soon drawn to two huge circles that first emerge as a group of bird feathers and are then distorted into a pair of enormous falcon eyes — those of Horus — which emblematically represent the sun and the moon.
The third and final part of the show portrays Horus’s mother and father, Isis and Osiris. The last divinity was killed by his brother Seth, the god of chaos, in ancient Egyptian mythology, and the show depicts the great battle of Edfu between Horus, retaliating his father’s loss, and Seth, who is symbolized in many temple wall respites as a shrinking hippopotamus.
The show ends at the front elevation of the temple, used today as the main doorway for daytime visits.
Karnak Show
History of Karnak Temple:
Karnak Temple is considered the largest temples of the ancient world. Its construction began in the reign of the central state, about 2000 BC. At that time, it was not built at that level of magnitude, however, in the modern state, to which King Tut Ankh Amun and King Ramsis are affiliated, a magnificent temple was built on the ruins of this temple that embodied the magnitude of the Egyptian vast empire. During the following dynasties, each king added more to the temple as in adulation to gods and out of desire of getting popularity among the members of the people.
Overview of Karnak Show:
Karnak sound and light show is a show which beings and enchanting and captivating experience one cannot afford to miss. This amazing show presents the olden times of the Karnak temple in commentary, light and music. It relates the records of the timeless city of Thebes, whose earliest monuments are living witness to its chronological significance. The show begins with the chronicle of the beginning of the city of Thebes and the birth of Karnak.
The sight then transfers to the efforts commissioned by the Great Pharaoh, pursueed by a lyrical description of the major structure ever known to have been erected on pillars. Factual events from the past are retold as a story to bring alive the history of the Karnak Temple.
The renowned Sound and Light shows are playing at world legendary Pyramids of Giza, Temples of Karnak, Philae and Abu Simbel. Their chronological and artistic values are simply beyond explanation. Latest lighting, laser and projection technologies are used to imagine mysteries of the Pharonic development. Every year, hundreds of thousands attend these superb stunning to revive the myth.
Philae Show Introduction
History of Philae Temple:
The name Philae comes from the ancient Egyptian word Pilak, which means “the remote place.”
A large number of temples were constructed on the island of “Philae”, perhaps the oldest of these temples is dating back to the reign of King Thutmose III (1490-1436 BC). In the fourth century BC, King “Nectanebo” (378-341 BC) built a giant temple, then “Ptolemy Veladlv”, third century BC, built his great temple, and then followed by many of the Ptolemaic kings and Roman rulers; the most famous of it is the “bed of the Pharaoh.”
Overview:
The engaging Temple of Philae is histrionicallychanged in this dreamlike sound and light show that takes you on a relatedflight to discover the legends of Osiris and Isis. Theatrical lighting, music and narration transform the Temple of Philae and bring its history to life. As we walk through the vividlyignited temple, unravel the legend of Osiris, Lord of the Dead and his dear wife Isis, who resurrected her husband using the ceremonial of life after he was killed by Set.
A trip to Philae Temple at night to join the Sound and Light Show is a fairylike experience. The illuminated buildings are silhouetted against the volcanic rocks and water close by them, making magical surroundings.
After visiting and experiencing the show we have just one thing to say and that is SUPERB! And only one question will arise is that “What would Isis say today if she learned that her temple was allowed to sit in water for many years?”
Abu Simbel Show
Construction:
It is a monumental temple, engraved in the mountain, 320 km south to Aswan. It is composed of two great temples, built in rocks by King Ramsis II in 1250 BC. Its façade consists of 4 giant statues of King Ramsis II on his throne, amidst them lies a door to the giant temple, and the second temple has 6 statues, 4 of the king and two of his beautiful wife, Nefertari.
A Brief Overview:
The Sound and Light show at Abu Simbel will convey you to the time of the pharaohs. Enchanting you with melodious music, and bringing the ancient world to life around you, the show includes projections into the temples showing how they once looked. The program is presented in a number of languages with the provision of ear pieces. It is an experience not to be missed, one that will make your visit to Abu Simbel the memory of a lifetime.
Location of the Temple:
Abu Simbel is located 280 km from Aswan on the West bank of the Nile in what was once called Nubia. The site was commissioned by Ramses the Second, also known as Ramses the Great, during the 5th year of his long reign, and it was not completed until his 35th year as pharaoh. It is the largest and most beautiful of the many monuments Ramses the Great erected throughout Egypt to proclaim his power. The massive façade, cut into the mountainside, features four statues of Ramses himself, each 20 meters high. Smaller statues of the royal family stand between the four largest statues. These include Ramses’ mother, his wife Nefertari, and their sons and daughters.
Also outside near the statues is a ‘Marriage Stela,’ commemorating the marriage between Ramses’ daughter and the King of the Hittites. An inscription over the entrance of the facade reads, ‘Ramesses II, he has made a temple, excavated in the mountain, of eternal workmanship, for the chief queen Nefertari, beloved of Mu, in Nubia, forever and ever, Nefertari for whose sake the very sun does shine.’
Temple Description:
Within the temple there are eight large statues depicting Ramses as the god Osiris, supporting the hefty ceiling. After passing through halls containing rooms for various rituals, visitors arrive at the most famous part of Abu Simbel’s inner temple: A sanctuary room with a small altar and four statues of Ramses as different gods. The temple was designed so precisely that two days each year, in October and February, the morning sun beams its glorious rays directly into the temple and into the small sanctuary room, illuminating the four statues. To the south of the main temple is a smaller temple dedicated to Ramses’ wife Nefertari and the goddess Hathor.
With the announcement of the plan to build the High Dam at Aswan, Abu Simbel was threatened to become an underwater sanctuary. Images of the gigantic statues appeared on the front pages of newspapers around the globe. Nobody wanted to see the statues sink beneath the rising Nile waters. The salvage of Abu Simbel began in 1963 in a project between Egypt and UNESCO. At a cost of nearly $36 million, the statues and temples were moved to a higher plateau where they could welcome the rising sun each morning.
It is a monumental temple, engraved in the mountain, 320 km south to Aswan. It is composed of two great temples, built in rocks by King Ramsis II in 1250 BC. Its façade consists of 4 giant statues of King Ramsis II on his throne, amidst them lies a door to the giant temple, and the second temple has 6 statues, 4 of the king and two of his beautiful wife, Nefertari.
Like other sites in Egypt, Abu Simbel survived in great condition until modern times. When Greeks visited the site in the 6th century BC, mounds of sand had grown so high that the knees of Ramses’ statues were covered.
Words of Amelia Edward:
When Victorian traveler Amelia Edward visited Abu Simbel in 1873, the site was so captivating that it left her breathless: ‘It was wonderful to wake every morning close under the steep bank, and, without lifting one’s head from the pillow, o see that row of giant faces so close against the sky,’ she said. ‘They showed unearthly enough by moonlight; but no half so unearthly as in the grey of dawn. At that hour, the most solemn of the twenty-four, they wore a fixed and fatal look that was little less than appalling. As the sky warmed, this awful look was succeeded by a flush that mounted and deepened like the rising flush of life. For a moment they seemed to glow – to smile – to be transfigured. Then came a flash, as of thought itself. It was the first instantaneous flash of the risen sun. It lasted less than a second. It was gone almost before one could say that it was there. The next moment, mountain, river, and sky, were distinct in the steady light of day; and the colossi – mere colossi now – sat serene and stony in the open sunshine. Every morning I waked in time to witness that daily miracle.’
