Giza, Egypt

Giza
Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Sphinx at dusk, Giza, Egypt. Photo Creative Commons License Sally Payne.

Located on the west bank of the Nile river, about 12 miles southwest of central Cairo, Giza (el-Gizah in Arabic) is the third largest city in Egypt with a population of nearly 3 million. It is most famous, of course, for the Giza Plateau, an ancient desert necropolis that is home to the most famous monuments in Egypt. The Great Pyramids of Giza were constructed in the 2500s BC as the burial places of pharaohs; together they are the only Ancient Wonder of the World that still exists today. Many visitors to Giza make a day trip from Cairo, but there are also dozens of hotels in Giza, allowing for even more thorough explorations of this remarkable ancient sacred site.


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Great Sphinx of Giza
Shrouded in mystery and having alleged connections to Atlantis, this great sculpture continues to fascinate visitors. It is thought to be an ancient guardian of Khafre's pyramid.