Amazing places in Africa

Amazing places in Africa

 Abu Simbel

On the Nubian land of Egypt, there is a unique monument of the past - the ancient Egyptian temples of Abu Simbel carved into the rock. They are located south of the city of Aswan, at a distance of 280 km.

Temples, large and small, were cut down in a sandy cliff, outstanding for the Nile, on the orders of Ramses II (1298 - 1213 BC). A large temple was erected in honor of his victory over the Hittites, and a small one - in honor of Queen Nefertari, the first wife of Ramses II.

The Great Temple

Two pairs of gigantic figures of Ramses II foreshadow the entrance to the Great Temple. The 20-meter-tall statues of the king are depicted sitting on the throne with their backs to the rock and dressed in ceremonial robes, on the head - the double crown of the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt. Above the facade are 22 seated baboons, 2.5 meters high. Between the central colossuses of the king in the cave is cut down the statue of the sun god Ra with the head of a falcon. At the feet of the giant figures of the king you can see relatively small statues of his family members: the mother of the pharaoh, his wife, sons and daughters.

The entrance to the temple leads to a large gloomy hall 18 meters long and about 17 meters wide. The central part of the hall is occupied by stone columns with the image of the pharaoh in the image of the god Osiris. The ceiling is decorated with drawings of the vultures of the goddess Nehbet (patroness of Upper Egypt), on the sides - stars. The walls of the hall are covered with paintings, depicting the military campaigns of Ramses II, and also the poem of the court poet Pentaur is written.

Then there are three more rectangular halls, in which not everyone was allowed to enter. If the first large hall could attend all, then the second, decorated with images of the meeting of the pharaoh with the gods, - only people of noble blood, the third hall - sanctuary - only for the priests. In the furthest fourth hall, where the statues of the gods - Ptah, Amon-Ra, Harmakhs, and the statue of Ramses II - were located, only the ruler and his entourage could enter.

In addition to the main halls in the temple, rooms were provided for the storage of gifts that Nubians brought on public holidays.

Small temple

On the left side of the Great Temple is the temple of Queen Nefertari, dedicated to the goddess Hathor. The entrance to the temple is decorated with six 10-meter figures - statues of the pharaoh and his beloved wife Nefertari-Merenmut. On one of the columns is inscribed the inscription: "Ramesses, strong true, Amon's favorite, created this divine dwelling for his beloved wife Nefertari."

A small temple, impregnated with the tender love of Pharaoh to his wife, has a column hall and sanctuary. Six columns of the hall through the murals tell of the life of the pharaoh with Nefertari. In the central niche of the sanctuary of the Small temple there is a statue of a sacred cow - the embodiment of the goddess Hathor. Before her is depicted Ramses II, as if protected by a goddess. The small temple is also decorated with colored bas-reliefs.

Interesting Facts

• Temples built on the southern border of the Egyptian kingdom were called upon to consolidate control over the Nubians defeated in the battle. Their majesty temples warned people about the power of the king of Egypt. The impression was reinforced by the fact that at dawn the giant figures of the king take a dark red color, contrasting prominently in the blue sky. Such a color effect was created due to the use of iron oxide in the construction to bond sandstone layers.

• In the Great Temple twice a year, on the days of the solstice, the rays of the sun at dawn illuminate in the fourth room the statues of the gods and Ramses II, except for the figure of Ptah - the lord of the underworld, who must be in darkness. Another interesting fact is that for the first time the sunlight illuminates the chest of the figure of the pharaoh on the day of his birth, and the second time - the crown on his head - on the day of the coronation of Ramses. In these days, the turn from tourists to the temple grows significantly.

• Statues of temples could sing! Their singing was like a quiet sobbing. According to legend, these goddesses mourned their sons. The scientists gave their answer to this riddle, explaining that moaning sounds are associated with the expansion of cracks in the stones with the rise in temperature in the temple after sunrise. At the completion of the restoration work, when all the cracks were closed, the sounds stopped.

Salvation of the temples of Abu Simbel

During the construction of the Aswan Dam, a unique monument to a bygone civilization was threatened with flooding. In order to preserve the temples, it was decided to dismantle them in blocks and move them to an elevated position. The grandiose campaign to save the temple complex of Abu Simbel began in April 1964, under the auspices of UNESCO, and lasted for 4 years.

Currently, the Abu Simbel temple complex, which has more than 3 thousand years, attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world who want to get acquainted with the culture of the ancient Egyptians, admire the scale of the structure and the skill of the masters who managed to convey the portrait resemblance in the created images.

Aswan Dam

The Aswan Dam is Egypt's grand hydro engineering structure, built on the Nile River in the southern part of the country, 13 kilometers from the city of Aswan, located on the first threshold of the Nile.

The Aswan HPP went down in history as one of the 10 large-scale and outstanding structures of the 20th century. The dam rises above the reservoir (Lake Nasser) at 111 m, its length is 3.6 km and the width at the base reaches 980 m, at the upper edge - 40 m.

The Aswan hydroelectric complex is of great strategic importance for Egypt; therefore it is carefully protected by the state. Visiting the dam is possible as part of tourist groups and on permission of the police.

A four-lane highway is laid along the upper canal of the dam; it is possible to move by car. The entrance to the dam is foretold by a triumphal arch. At the western base of the dam is a monument of five large monoliths, reminiscent of a lotus flower. This memorial was erected in honor of the Soviet-Egyptian cooperation. On the eastern side of the dam there is a museum, where a 15-meter model of the dam is stored, plans for its construction and photos devoted to the rescue mission of historical monuments, which were threatened by flooding.

On the dam there is an observation deck, from the height of which opens a picturesque panorama of Lake Nasser. This is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world with an area of ​​5244 sq. km. and a length of more than 500 km. The lake was named after the President of Egypt - Gamal Abdel Nasser, who led the country between 1956 and 1970.

Construction of a dam

The dam consists of two dams - the new "Aswan Upper Dam" and the old "Aswan Dam". The first dam was built by British specialists in 1902. But as it turned out, the height of the dam was insufficient to contain the waters of the Nile in rainy years. And then it was decided to erect another dam, which was opened in 1971. This time the construction of a huge dam took place with the assistance of the Soviet Union.

Ecological problems

Thanks to the constructed dam, the problem with catastrophic floods during the Nile flood was solved and the country was provided with cheap electricity. In addition, it became possible to use the lake's waters year-round for irrigation of farmland. However, the shortsightedness of the Aswan dam designers led to serious adverse environmental consequences. For example, the establishment of the dam resulted in a decrease in the concentration of organic residues in sedimentary silt, which the Nile transferred to the Mediterranean. This led to a reduction in the population of some marine animals and a decrease in the catch of seafood in the territorial waters of Egypt. Significant harm was done to the soils around the Nile delta - soil content increased, resulting in decreased fertility of the land. Climate changes took place; precipitation began to fall more often, humidity of air increased. The construction of the dam also affected the health of the population - cases of schistosomiasis (bilharziasis) increased due to the multiplication of water snails in irrigation systems, which are carriers of parasitic worms that cause disease. A new hydrotechnical structure endangered the extinction of many archaeological sites. The main monuments with the support of UNESCO were dismantled and moved to safe places (the Temple of Isis, the rocky temples in Abu Simbel, the colossi of Ramses II, etc.), and many are lost irrevocably.

Bizerte

Naval vessels, peacefully rocking on the azure water and harmoniously approaching the landscapes, are nowhere else than in the Tunisian city of Bizerte. Located not far from Cape Blanco, it is the northernmost city not only of Tunisia, but of the whole of Africa.

The history of Bizerte dates back to the 1st century BC, thanks to the Phoenicians. Many events have occurred since that time in these territories. In the XVI century, she managed to visit the pirates of the Mediterranean, and in 1920 the Russian Squadron was located here. By the way, the settled Russian Imperial fleet in these parts, which included about 35 ships and 6 thousand sailors with their families, left "imprints" in Bizerte.

The so-called "Russian attractions of Bizerta" include:

• House-Museum of Anastasia Shirinskaya-Manstein.

She came here one of the first. She became the head of the Russian diaspora in these parts. Her house has been preserved in its original form to this day. In the rooms the atmosphere of pre-revolutionary Russia was recreated, many photographs of the life of seamen, documents on the Imperial Navy, clothing and various other household items are kept.

• Temple of Alexander Nevsky.

Not far from the house-museum is the unusually beautiful temple of Alexander Nevsky. Inside the building there are icons from the ships of the XX century, the banner of Russia and the St. Andrew's banner. Here services are held on public holidays.

From the traditional attractions for Tunisia in Bizerte can be identified:

• The old town of Bizerte.

Narrow streets are woven into a whimsical pattern - it's a pleasure to walk on them. Usually during the promenade a large number of cats are accompanied by tourists, begging for fish. Most often, cats live near fishermen's houses or in the port itself.

• Fortress-kasba.

The fortress was laid in the 6th century; it was reconstructed in the XVII century. There is a sight in the northern part of the old town. Here you can visit the Oceanological Museum. On the roof there is a cozy cafe. Also within the fortress is the Kasbah Mosque, which can be distinguished thanks to 20 domes and 30 stone columns.

To plunge into the atmosphere of the city, it is best to stay here for 2-3 days. Several comfortable hotels are happy to welcome tourists to Bizerte at any time.

Great Sphinx

The Great Sphinx, without which the pyramids of Giza are difficult to imagine, is in the north-east of the Khafre Valley Temple. It is a mix of a lion and a man of gigantic proportions. The length of the Sphinx is 72.55 meters (it is much longer than its followers), and the height is 20.22 meters.

The name of the hybrid of human and animal was first given by the Greeks, calling it a mythical lioness with a female head and bird wings behind her. The Egyptians preferred the female head to the head of the pharaoh, true, the story knew and the sphinxes with a ram's head (to give the god Amon).

The "exterminator" (this is what the word "sphinx" means) built a quarry of limestone on site, geologists call this breed a "makkata formation" formed by sedimentary marine deposits... Historians are still not sure whose head the pharaoh crowns the body of a lion - Khafre or The same Cheops; But that they are attached more than 4,5 thousand years ago, they are in agreement.

The Sphinx looks toward the east, because it symbolized the Sun, and directly the head of the pharaoh on the body of the lion is power, strength and world order.

The Great Sphinx is deservedly called one of the most grandiose sculptures created by man. By the way, do not take the statue as an independent element! It includes the nearby ruins: the ancient temple, the sanctuary of the New Kingdom and their ilk. Also the Sphinx is inseparable from the Valley Temple of Khafre, once it was made up of 3 huge man-lions, each reaching 8 meters in height!

The face of the Sphinx is a vivid example of the average appearance of the 4th dynasty of the Ancient Kingdom of Egypt: its shape is wide, its cheeks are round, and the eyes and lip are located exactly as it was in those days. "Nemes" on the head includes "urei" in the form of a cobra, located on the forehead of the ruler, which is also peculiar to that period. Moreover - the stone portraits of the pharaohs Djedefre, Khafre and Menkaure are endowed with similar features.

Someone suggested that the Great Sphinx was decorated with a woven beard, as massive fragments could be found near it, which could be it - these parts can be seen in the British Museum (London), as well as in the Museum of Cairo. True, most assume that the "pigtail" is dated already by the New Kingdom and was attached to the figure of the Sphinx later. There are grounds for this - the sacred beard of a round form is peculiar to the New Kingdom.

In the upper part of the head of the Sphinx there is a hole, apparently, before it there was still some decoration of the pharaoh. If you look at the drawings of the Sphinx of those times - the head was decorated with a crown or a feather, but they could appear later.

Under the Sphinx, it is assumed there are 3 passes, but so far only one has been discovered. The one that is known to contemporaries was done in the 19th century behind the head of the statue; it is represented by a tight shaft resting against the wall. No transitions or burial chambers were found inside or near the Sphinx.

Long centuries of its existence the Sphinx rested in the sands. Thothmas Fourth among the paws of the mythical creature was a memorial stele, on which the king described the incident from his life. Then Thutmose was only a prince and, having gone hunting, decided to rest in the shadow of a huge animal, then in a dream he saw the Sphinx, who told the future ruler to clear a figure from the sand, for which we present Thothmose the throne of Egypt.

And it happened, but time again brought the sculpture with sands. For example, when Napoleonic troops came to the country, the Sphinx was visible only around the neck, and its nose had already broken away four centuries ago. Later, several attempts were made to clear the statue, but everything was in vain - there were not enough resources.

The idea was completed only in 1925-1936 and then the Sphinx appeared to the whole world. Curiously, it was sand that saved the monument from erosion and other troubles. As for example today, when the Egyptian climate does not leave the Sphinx chances and it slowly but surely destroys it. In general, huge funds are now spent on maintaining the Sphinx in satisfactory condition, and not on subsequent archaeological research.

The government plans to create a glass tomb around the Sphinx, capable of preserving the masterpiece of ancient architecture from imminent extinction.

Victoria waterfall

The name of Victoria obviously should set up the carrier to achieve success in everything. So, the waterfall «Victoria» - the first among all the sights of South Africa, the main natural objects of the world! UNESCO, by the way, it was noticed and immediately put on its World Heritage List, and they can and should be trusted!

Originally called the object "Thundering smoke", but then picked up a more euphonious name. "Later" - this is in 1855, when a researcher from Scotland (D. Livingston) gave the sights the name of the queen. Livingston, by the way, is considered the first person from Europe who visited these territories.

Victoria's location: the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, and no matter how funny it sounded (the third name is also from the letter "Z") - on the Zambezi River. The width of the landmark was 1,800 meters, and its height was 120.

The first tourists appeared here in the early 20th century, when a railway was built across the river (to Bulawayo). Residents of Zimbabwe did not lose their heads, immediately began to "collect" infrastructure for visitors attractions. But in the middle of the century the number of travelers decreased dramatically - guerrilla warfare, detention of foreigners and the like.

In 1980, independence entered the country, and with it a new growth of tourism. In just ten years the flow of tourists exceeded the figure of 300 thousand per year!

Its journey to the Victoria Falls can be combined with sports - immediately after the waterfall thresholds begin which are so great for rafting and kayaking. Active beginners will be able to do even beginners - experienced instructors to help!

Mount Sinai (Mount Moses)

On the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, you can visit the local shrine - Mount Sinai, where according to the Bible Moses received the Ten Commandments. The mountain is located near the resorts: Sharm El Sheikh (130 km), Dahab, Taba.

Pilgrims, travelers set off on the way to the top of Mount Sinai, it is also called Mount Moses, to touch the holy places. It is possible to climb to the top along a broad, slightly inclined road for 2.5-3 hours. The most difficult will be at the end of the road, when you have to climb a steep staircase, cut through by monks in the rock. The steps are only 800, they are uneven and of different heights.

There is also a short road, but it is narrow and steep, more dangerous, passes through 3100 steps in the rock. This is a pilgrimage route, for the ascent of tourist groups is not used.

Usually the ascent from the foot of the mountain to the summit is organized at night to meet the sunrise. The height of Mount Moses is 2285 m above sea level. It will take about 7 kilometers. The road is generally uncomplicated, but if you can not move to the summit yourself, you can sit on a one-horned camel (dromedary), which the local Bedouin offer to rent. But to overcome the last stage on the stairs will still all alone.

Along the path there are tents, where you can rest, buy hot drinks, sweets, and those who are cold - blankets. It should be borne in mind that at the top the temperature is much cooler than at the foot, so it's worth taking care of warm things in advance, especially in the winter months when there is a subzero temperature. On legs it is desirable to put on shoes with a thick and at the same time bending sole to protect the foot from the stones on the way. There is a belief, if you independently overcome the path and meet the dawn on Mount Sinai, then sins are released.

At the top of the mountain are a viewing platform and an Orthodox chapel of the Holy Trinity, built in 1934 from the ruins of the first church. At the northern wall of the chapel you can see a cave cut in a rock, where, according to the legend, the Prophet Moses was covered for 40 days. And around the lifeless mountains - solid stones and sand and no vegetation.

On the northern slope of the mountain, at an altitude of 2,137 m above sea level, in front of a small lake is the Orthodox cave temple of the Prophet Elijah and a well with drinking water.

At the foot of Mount Moses, at an altitude of 1570 meters, is the monastery of St. Catherine, built in the IV century. Two centuries later, it was named after the martyr Catherine, who was subjected to the treasury for refusing to renounce Christianity. The monastery is surrounded by high fortress walls (up to 25 m) with guard towers and window-loopholes built in the corners. So the monks were forced to protect themselves from the raids of Bedouin nomads.

The main attractions of the monastery are the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the legendary bush of the Burning Bush (a burning but not burning thorn bush from which God turned to Moses). In the monastery there are also numerous other chapels, a refectory, a sacred well, a library. And since the monastery has never been conquered and devastated from the day of its foundation, many icons, bells, church utensils and old books have been preserved here. In the church shop, those who wish can purchase icons, souvenirs for memory, medallions and rings with the symbols of the monastery.

Mount Sinai or Mount Moses is a great religious place. The ascent to its summit should be treated not as a regular excursion, but as a pilgrimage, overcoming obstacles on the way, despite physical fatigue. And then your recovery must be remembered for many years.

Tutankhamun's Tomb

The tomb of Tutankhamun is one of the most famous finds of explorers of Ancient Egypt. It is located in the Valley of Kings, near the modern city of Luxor.

The tomb of Tutankhamun was opened in 1922 by the British Egyptologist Howard Carter and his sponsor Lord Carnervon. Research activities in the Valley of the Kings - the burial place of the Egyptian pharaohs and their closest associates (XVI-XI centuries BC), were conducted by many Egyptologists-archaeologists. Modern science knows several dozen tombs located in the Valley of the Kings.

Features of burial

According to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians in the afterlife for a prosperous existence, treasure will be needed, so thousands of precious objects were placed in the tombs of the pharaohs. During the New Kingdom period, in order to protect the tombs from predatory attacks, the rulers of Egypt began to build tombs in rock formations, in the western part of the ancient city of Thebes (modern Luxor). The burial place was kept in strict secrecy. The tomb itself had many pseudo-vaults, and the doors were tightly packed with heavy heavy stones. To leave the builders from the tomb after the funeral, a special well was left, which was covered with earth, and the entrance was filled with rocks and masked.

But, despite the secrets and cunning of burial, many royal tombs were looted in ancient times, except for the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Thanks to the perseverance and painstaking work of Howard Carter in November 1922, workers under one of the residential buildings discovered a step ladder. A dug-out ladder of 12 steps led them into a large corridor with a sealed door and massive stones behind it. Thus, an unauthorized royal tomb of Tutankhamun was found.

Ancient Egyptian ruler Tutankhamun entered the throne when he was young at the age of 10. The term of his reign was short-lived. Until the age of 20, Tutankhamun died prematurely. Scientists give several versions of his early death. It is believed that the cause of his death could be an infectious disease, a murder (an opening in the skull of a mummy was found) or, possibly, complications of injuries sustained after falling from the chariot. Tutankhamun reigned around 1332-1323 years. BC.

The size of the tomb was small, about 80 square meters and for registration - relatively modest. Scientists suggest that the tomb was prepared in a limited time, tk. The walls were carelessly trimmed, there were no numerous transitions. Inside the crypt there were several rooms: the front room with household items, a pantry, a treasure chest and a funerary chamber. In the central part of the burial chamber stood a wooden box, covered with gold plates and covered with ritual images. Inside the box was placed a wooden sarcophagus with coffins embedded in each other. In the third coffin of pure gold, weighing more than 100 kg, was the mummy of the young king of Tutankhamun.

The mummified body covered many jewels, and the face was covered with a golden mask, repeating the portrait features of the ruler. In the tomb, scientists also discovered the king's throne with embossed ornaments, figurines, vases, ritual objects, cult attributes, works of art of that era.

Found treasures are currently stored in Egypt, the Cairo Museum.

During the short years of Tutankhamun's reign he did not manage to become famous. However, at present, after the opening of the tomb, has gained worldwide fame and became one of the most famous pharaohs of Ancient Egypt.