Egypt

People are overwhelmed with awe and astonishment at the foot of this wonder of the world. They rise majestically... above the sea of houses of Cairo. Graves in the perfect form of the equilateral pyramids were built for the god-like rulers. The Cheops Pyramid, 480 ft (146,4 m) tall, consisting of a mass of 83 million ft³ (2.34 million m³), outshines all others. The reconstructed cedar boat, on which Cheops will go on his journey through the underworld, awaits you in the Sunboat Museum. The mighty lion body of the Sphinx unfurls at the eastern edge of the pyramid plateau: This mysterious god of the eternal place is a king and a god at the same time. In the afternoons, when the sun sets, Cheops', Chephren's and Mykerinos' graves look nicest when you look at them from the panorama spot in the west. more

The big sanctuary at the Nile is dedicated to the mighty God of the Empire Amun and his family. The rulers... of Thebes had started building the temple around 2000 BC, and almost every succeding pharao extended the chapel. Two major axes cross each other in the middle of the sanctuary. They consist of yards, pillar halls and pylons. The big pillar hall, with 134 up to 24 meter high papyrus bundle pillars, is very impressive. Not only Amun, but also his wife Mut and the Moon God Chons were worshipped in Karnak. Once, thousands of statues were put up here, and obelisks sored towards the sky from the pylons. Business spaces, accomodation for priests and stalls for the holy gooses of Amun were situated beyond the holy lake. Today centuries of building are being continued by archeologists: The ancient sanctuary rises from the debris, turning into a new completeness. more

The facade of the three-story terrace temple is integrated in the precipice of Luxor's western mountains.... Pharaoh Hatshepsut had it built in commemoration of herself and her father. Holy chapels were also dedicated to the gods Amun, Hathor and Anubis. Miss Pharaoh had to fight for her claim to the throne. She did this by displaying proof of her descent from the great God Amun with the reliefs in the birth hall. The seemingly modern architecture makes this temple one of the most impressive in the country. Her successor Thutmosis the Third destroyed most of it, still some 100 years later the Ptolemaics used some of the chapels. more