Egypt Holidays | The Sphinx | Pyramid of Giza | Holiday Villas

The Sphinx and Great Pyramid of Giza

Egypt is a name that brings to mind an exotic land of powerful god-like pharaohs who built their tombs in the shape of enormous pyramids and mysterious statues such as the Great Sphinx, leaving them to the world as a testimony of their immense wealth and power. The Sphinx stands near one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid of Giza - an absolute 'must see' on your Egypt holidays.

Journey from your Egypt holiday villas just a few kilometres south of the exotic city of Cairo to the Giza Plateau. Giza is home to the legendary and much admired pyramids of Giza and its Great Sphinx, majestically erected like a perpetual guardian to Pyramid of Khafre (or Chephren). Even though there are many amazing sights to see on Egypt holidays, the monumental size of the Sphinx and the perfection of its face, in spite of the nose being broken, still just blows your mind.

The Sphinx

The Sphinx is internationally known as the symbol of Egypt and seeing it at close quarters is simply overwhelming. It is an experience that should be shared and not kept to oneself. Scholars say that the Sphinx is like a solar symbol representing the power in the shape of a mighty lion’s body and the wisdom and intelligence in the shape of a man's head.

The Great Sphinx of Giza is perhaps the largest stone statue ever built. It measures 73 metres long and 20 metres high and was carved on a limestone bedrock.

It is said that the Great Sphinx is part of a funerary complex with some adjacent temples and smaller structures, built for Pharaoh Chefren (or Khafre), around the year 2,558 B.C. It is believed that the model of the Sphinx face was that of Chefren's own.

The Sphinx has undergone various periods of restoration as it has suffered greatly from erosion and has been buried in sand more than once. The part of the nose that is missing was due to foreign soldiers shamelessly using it as a shooting target. Visitors might not notice all these unfortunate details, as they will surely be taken aback by the grandeur of the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza. Comfortable shoes, sunhats, cameras and bottles of water must not be forgotten.

Let VillasPeople.com help you book your Egypt holidays, whether you plan to stay awhile at Egypt holiday villas or go beyond the boundaries of the Sphinx and Giza to far away lands.