Architecture of the land of the pharaohs. Ancient Egypt

The main distinguishing feature of Egyptian architecture is its monumentality. We can judge this primarily by those known throughout the world.

However, in the building art of Ancient Egypt there were not only majestic pyramids, but also many other types of structures, which were very original. The development of the culture of this unique civilization can be traced over several time periods.

Periods of development of Egyptian architecture

The long and narrow valley of the Nile River was surrounded on all sides by a sultry desert. And yet, on this small area of ​​​​fertile land, the inhabitants of Egypt were able to create their own civilization, unlike all the others that existed before and after it. We can safely say that Egyptian art, religion and today are the most significant achievements ancient world.

The small territory of Egypt was conditionally divided between the tribes of Upper and Lower Egypt. However, these tribes independently create unique architectural traditions. The development of Egyptian architecture can be divided into several time periods:

• Prehistoric period- (lasted until 3200 BC) - at this time, separate villages were built on the territory of Ancient Egypt, fortified for defense. They consisted of residential buildings, which were made from simple and short-lived materials. Also during this period, small tombstone structures were built.
• Ancient kingdom- (from 2700 to 2200 BC) - this period is characterized by the construction of large temple buildings.
• Middle Kingdom- (from 2200 to 1500 BC) - during these times, temples carved into rocks or located in deep caves became extremely popular.
• New kingdom- (from 1500 to 1100 BC) - famous architectural complexes were built in Luxor and Karnak.

Subsequently, Egyptian architecture begins to be enriched with elements of other cultures, and its originality and uniqueness are no longer so expressive.

The main rule for Egyptian architects was the law of symmetry. It was involved in the composition of all buildings, in the scale of buildings and in the placement of parts of the structure relative to its central axis.

Construction Materials

The main building material in Ancient Egypt was natural stone. The Egyptians learned how to mine it, and the ancient craftsmen knew how to skillfully process it. The quarries belonged to the state, so the methods of extraction and processing of stone were the same throughout the country and did not change for 3,500 years.

Tall, slender ones were carved from solid blocks of stone; massive columns and pillars tens of meters high were made from stone, which to this day amaze specialists with the sophistication and perfection of their forms.

Even the giant pyramids were made from huge stone blocks, so skillfully processed that their installation did not require the addition of mortar. Moreover, the masonry turned out to be of such high quality that it was impossible to insert the blade of the thinnest knife between two adjacent stones.

Heavy floor beams rested on walls, columns and pylons. Egyptian craftsmen did not use vaults in the construction of buildings, although they were familiar with the technology of their construction.

Instead of vaults they used different kinds supporting elements:

• Stone pillars- they were monolithic and had a simple square cross-section. Such supports were made massive from monolithic stone blocks. The stone pillars looked strict, ascetic, but at the same time incredibly impressive.
• Columns— they consisted of a base element, a trunk and a capital. The trunks of simple columns were also square in shape, while more complex ones were made in the form of polyhedrons, which were decorated with the stems of a plant used to make papyrus. Sometimes on the trunks of columns you can see vertical grooves - flutes.

The architecture of Ancient Egypt was characterized by capitals in the shape of palm leaves, lotus flowers or papyrus. You can also find images of the head of the goddess Hathor, the patroness of farmers.

Ancient temples of Egypt

Along with the large temple complexes that were built on Egyptian soil, cave temples with rich interior decoration were cut down in rocky deposits.

The facade walls of the temples were inclined, which contributed to their greater stability. It is possible that the inclined form was borrowed from the earliest adobe buildings.

Immediately behind the facade pylon there was a square courtyard - a peristal, surrounded on all sides by a frequent row of massive columns. They were located very close to each other. Anyone could enter the courtyard.

Next came the columned hall - the hypostyle, which was illuminated through gaps in the ceilings. The lighting was arranged so skillfully that at certain times the interior of the hall presented a uniquely beautiful spectacle.

Everything in the composition temple complex the law of symmetry, inviolable for the Egyptians, was clearly visible. Therefore, all rooms were located strictly symmetrically to the central axis of the temple.

Temple complex of Queen Hatshepsut

The ancient architects of Egypt were not only talented craftsmen and brilliant designers. They thought through the influence of the exterior of buildings and the location of the premises in them on the worldview of the average citizen. Thus, the sequential alternation of spaces of various sizes, huge columns, a gradual decrease in lighting and thickening darkness were supposed to emphasize the power of divine beings and have an incredibly strong emotional impact on those entering.

The largest and most significant temple complexes of this period are the great temple of Amun in the city of Thebes (today Luxor and Karnak), as well as the temple of Horus in Edfu and on the island of Philae.

Among the famous cave temples are the structures in Abu Simbel, which were carved out of the rock. On the outer side of the rock there is a façade with giant sculptures, and into the depths go entire suites of rooms, lavishly decorated with relief images, sculptural compositions and skillful paintings in a rich range of colors.

Temple of Ramesses in Abu Simbel

Types of tombs

In the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, the human soul Ka lived as long as the body (Ba) was preserved in its proper form. That is why the art of mummification of the remains of the dead was invented and successfully developed. And to house mummies, special buildings were used - tombs, which had different sizes and design types:

• Small tombs- were intended for the repose and preservation of the remains of ordinary citizens. They contained a minimum list of mandatory items necessary for the deceased to live in the afterlife.
• Mastabas- had the shape of a small truncated pyramid, and were used to preserve the mummies of officials and noble nobles. Most often they were built near the pyramids. They were placed in regular rows, oriented to the cardinal points. In this way, entire “cities of the dead” were formed.
• Cave tombs- sometimes the tombs were cut into the thickness of the rocks, making several deepening rooms. At the same time, the entrance to the tomb was decorated with reliefs or statues.
• Pyramids- these world-famous tombs of the pharaohs were built during their lifetime. The giant pyramids were designed to perpetuate the name of the ruler, as well as preserve his body for subsequent eternal life. The chamber for storing the mummified remains of the pharaoh was very small, and was located deep underground in the network of an intricate labyrinth. This was done in order to avoid the destruction of the mummy even if the main premises of the pyramid were opened and looted.

Scientists believe that the very pyramidal shape of the huge tombs of the pharaohs arose as a result of the superstructure and increase in the mastaba. The base was expanded and additional steps were added.

An example of such a structure is the unique pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara, built around 2800 BC. It reaches a height of 60 meters, and in plan the pyramid is a rectangle with sides of 116 and 107 meters. Later, pyramids began to be built on a square base.

Today, several dozen pyramids of different sizes have survived, which are located between the Fayum and Cairo. They were built in the 3rd millennium BC in Giza.

The most grandiose building is considered to be the Pyramid of Cheops, whose area is about 53 thousand square meters. It was built from many huge stone blocks, each of which weighs almost 2.5 tons. Scientists have calculated that the construction of the Cheops pyramid required about 2.5 million cubic meters of natural stone.

The outer side of the pyramids was lined with skillfully processed stone slabs. But the cladding has practically not survived to this day. Its remains can only be seen at the top of the pyramid of Pharaoh Khafre.

The smallest pyramid in Giza was considered the tomb of Mikerin, which was built in a later period. For its exterior decoration, slabs of durable and beautiful polished granite were used.

City architecture

The first settlements arose in Egypt in the 4th millennium BC. These were cities inhabited mainly by merchants and artisans. The ruins of the cities of Akhetaten and Kahuna have been preserved. During their construction, Egyptian architects used a single plan, so houses of the same type were formed into a rectangular street system.

The simplest buildings were intended for housing workers - pyramid builders, while for higher-level specialists (architects, engineers, doctors) and security, houses with varied, but still standard layouts were built.

The city of Kahun had special fortifications and was also equipped with a sewer system. For the construction of residential buildings, brick was most often used - raw brick, made from Nile silt mixed with straw. Burnt brick was a more durable material, but even buildings made from it could not survive to this day.

Layout of buildings in the city of Kahun

It is for this reason that the history of architecture of the ancient world is studied primarily through the surviving buildings of palaces and temples, bridges, dams and fortresses, which were built from strong and durable natural stone.

In the 2nd millennium BC, the layout of residential buildings was carried out in the form of a regular rectangle. In such a house there were several small rooms and halls, the ceiling of which was supported by internal columns.

During the New Kingdom, housing layouts improved. In Thebes and Akhenaten, square or rectangular residential buildings are built. Next to low one-story buildings, houses of several floors are being built, equipped with internal staircases. The orientation of the rooms was to the north, towards the refreshing air currents.

Egyptian craftsmen also built huge and complex technical structures. Among them are an extensive network of canals and reservoirs, from which the city was supplied with water. In particular, Egyptian builders built the world's first canal, which connected the Nile with the Red Sea.

Architecture of the land of the pharaohs.

The stone architecture of Egypt, as evidenced by the surviving monuments of ancient Egyptian civilization, served primarily the needs of religion. Residential buildings, including palace buildings, were built from light and short-lived materials, only the temples of the gods and tomb complexes were built from stone, they were made very durable, and were built to last for centuries. Naturally, it was these stone structures that stood the test of time and have survived to this day, sometimes almost in their original form. It was these monuments of Ancient Egypt that preserved the features of ancient Egyptian architecture.

Definition of space

volume and mass,

formation of the facade.

Egyptian architecture was multifaceted; its characteristic feature in defining space and volume was the gallery (corridor). Even the courtyards were rather an extension and continuation of the galleries than the compositional central places of the building's layout, areas for further distribution or collection. These courtyards were surrounded on all sides by covered columned galleries quite rarely. The doors of rooms and premises also sometimes opened onto the courtyard. The large columned courtyards and halls were of a gallery type, as evidenced by the direction of laying the beams and the direction of the wall paintings on the supports.

The arrangement and contiguity of individual rooms correspond to this gallery layout, which was usually linear. Internal rooms and premises followed one after another in one direction and along one axis. In the architecture of temple buildings, starting from the sanctuary, rooms and halls became more and more spacious, the height of the ceilings increased, and the volume of the premises increased. The building opened up like the flower of a plant. When building the pyramids, the Egyptians used the opposite concept: the end of the funeral path - the pyramid - towered above all other elements architectural ensemble. A rare exception is the central layout of the structure. It is found only in the tombs of the Old Kingdom (archaic period) and in sanctuaries and temples of Roman times.

The external forms of the buildings were very simple: straight-sided and inclined prisms and pyramids. There were buildings that had only internal volumes (they were very small), such as rock temples and tombs. These structures did not have their own separate mass. There were buildings that did not have their own internal volumes (or they were very small), among them: pyramids, facade towers and pylons at the entrance to the temple, as well as steles that stood separately and served as a vertical accent of the architectural complex or composition.

The surfaces of buildings inside and out, as a result of the simplicity of architectural forms, were flat and even. This geometric isolation and monotony inherent in Egyptian architecture was softened by numerous wall texts, paintings and bas-reliefs. However, this wall painting as a whole did not affect the impression that the architecture of Ancient Egypt evokes in an outside observer. For the buildings of the ancient Egyptians, windows were not a characteristic element; they were extremely rare only on the facade of the building. The problem of internal lighting was solved with the help of small terraces and platforms that were located at the very top of the building.

Sometimes the façade had columns; often this was the look of the veranda facing the courtyard. The gaps between the columns were filled with brickwork, sometimes up to half, sometimes to the full height. This was especially typical for buildings during the reign of the Ptolemies. In the latter case, the so-called pseudoperipter was obtained (Peripter (Greek - “feathered”) is a type of temple in which the sanctuary, enclosed in blank walls, is surrounded by a colonnade on all sides. Pseudo-peripter differs in that the role of columns is played by half-columns protruding from the wall, and only in front of the entrances at the ends of the building are columned porticoes installed ). This architectural design of the facade is also found in the monuments of the Old Kingdom, for example, in the complex of the pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser, but it was subsequently forgotten. The sectional linear solution of the facades of the building from the time of the Old Kingdom was also forgotten in later times.

Construction Materials.

The main building material of the ancient Egyptians was stone. Various types of stone were mined in the quarries located in the cities on the borders of the Nile Valley. The most famous was Aswan granite. In Aswan today you can see an ancient quarry, at the bottom of which lies a stone obelisk, half carved into the rock. Equally famous was the Tours limestone mined near Memphis. The facing slabs of most pyramids are made from it. Sandstone was also used by ancient builders. From hard rocks they used porphyry and diorite. To create certain color schemes and combinations, stones of various colors and shades were specially selected. The Egyptians also used brickwork, but its share in relation to stone was insignificant. The tombs of the Archaic period, the pyramids of the Middle Kingdom and some large residential buildings were built from brick. Due to the lack of combustible material and wood, the bricks were dried in the sun. There was not enough wood for construction work. Only furniture and rich decoration of the apartments of the pharaoh and the highest nobility were made from wood brought from other countries. But despite this, the technique of working with wood had a great influence on the formation of the style of stone architecture of Ancient Egypt.

In archaic times, the homes of ordinary people and small sanctuaries were built from reed mats, the doorways were also hung with mats, but of finer workmanship, and they were woven from grass and straw. Some forms of this reed construction were used later in stone architecture, for example in Saqqara, in the Djoser pyramid complex, you can find semi-columns resembling the shape of bundles of reeds, and you can also find rolled mats carved from stone. Later, the dwellings of common people began to be built from clay, a tradition that has been preserved in the Delta to this day.

Construction of buildings.

The Egyptians used both types of load-bearing (support) structures: a wall and a post (column or pillar).

In the archaic period, the walls of buildings were erected from bricks; the bricklaying technique indicates a great influence from Mesopotamia, and perhaps originates from there. The great architect of the Ancient Kingdom, Imhotep, is considered the founder of stone construction and its inventor. (The nature of the buildings erected by Imhotep in Saqqara serves as additional confirmation that the ancient Egyptians borrowed construction techniques from Mesopotamia (from there the idea of ​​a step pyramid - a ziggurat, but without a temple on the upper platform), however, the use of stone required intensive invention from the Egyptian architect). Stone walls were erected in two ways: thinner ones were assembled from well-processed stone blocks, the base of thicker and more massive walls was made of rough-hewn stone blocks of poorer quality, and the outside was lined with smooth and well-polished stone slabs. This is how the pyramids of the Old Kingdom were built. The pyramids of the Middle Kingdom had an inner core made of bricks.

Egyptian stone columns emerged as an architectural expression of forms flora. An example of this is the half-columns at Saqqara; they, like the stone wall, belong to the Djoser pyramid complex. Stone columns of ancient Egyptian architecture are divided into several types. They repeat the shape of those plants whose character the builders wanted to give them. These are palm-shaped, lotus-shaped and papyrus-shaped columns, which is especially evident from their bases and caps. Such columns and columned galleries were often likened to an alley or grove of trees. In addition to columns of plant forms, the Egyptians often used pillars of a quadrangular or polyhedral cross-section. Since the Middle Kingdom, two special types of columns have been found. These are columns with the image of the head of the goddess Hathor on the capitals and the so-called columns of Osiris in temple buildings. Such a column usually stood in front of the colonnade framing the entrance to the temple; sometimes it was a statue of the god Osiris, forming one whole with the column.

The builders laid out the support panels between the pillars from stone beams, and laid stone slabs on top of them to form a flat ceiling. There was no roof above it, because rain in Egypt is the greatest rarity. At first the cornice served only as the crown of the walls, but then it was raised above the floor beams, and it turned into one of the elements of wall decoration. Such a cornice was often decorated with figures of animals and plants (for example, images of the sacred uraeus cobra).

Despite the fact that Egyptian architecture primarily used flat shapes and straight lines, the builders knew how to create vaulted roofs. The ceiling of the burial chambers had the shape of a gable roof and was constructed from stone slabs carefully fitted to each other. These slabs were sometimes concave from below, the lower part of the horizontal stone beams was given a concave shape, and a covering similar to a cylindrical vault was obtained. (The Egyptians knew how to build genuine vaults, but they preferred either a false vault (the floor slabs gradually move towards the center or axis of the room with each subsequent row, held in place by the weight of an artificial mountain on top), or a kind of image of the vault - by giving the giant monolithic slabs a curved outline surfaces from the inside), how in rock temples and tombs. The Egyptians also knew how to build real vaults, but they did this exclusively during the construction of brick tombs, when constructing warehouses and laying canals. Stairs began to be used much later; before that, in most cases, an inclined plane - a ramp - was used to connect different levels and floors of a building.

Architectural planning,

Labour Organization

and execution of work.

Egyptian craftsmen, from time immemorial, worked according to precise, carefully developed plans. The architect wrote down his thoughts on a sheet of papyrus, a clay tablet or a limestone slab, often working using square markings, which helped him in designing and later in executing the work. The shards and pieces of such construction projects found by archaeologists indicate that the ancient architect depicted the object under construction, both in general terms and in various projections. The projections sometimes depicted parts of the structure being built that were not visible from the outside. Thus, on these ancient construction projects, cuts and sections were made individual elements building under construction. In most cases, the facade was depicted at the very edge of the plane of the main drawing.

The oldest examples of architectural projects known to us date back to the period of the 3rd dynasty. A piece of limestone tablet found near the Pyramid of Djoser shows perpendicular lines. They form a coordinate grid. The curve with length records corresponds to the line of the arched roof of one of the buildings belonging to the Tomb of Djoser complex. This tablet is kept in a museum in Cairo and is part of the architectural design of Imhotep, the oldest architect and builder known to us.

We know very little about the work on designing the pyramids. It can be assumed that the builders worked on the basis of designs, drawings and plans. Probably, and most likely this is exactly the case, they also made models of future pyramids. For example, a model of a pyramid from the 13th dynasty with corridors and chambers was found in Dashur (The greatest difficulty in designing the pyramids was represented by two tasks. The first was the need to perfectly level the base, which is very difficult with a side length of 100, 200 m or more. The second was the need to perfectly calculate the angle of inclination of the edges of the corner stones of the base, so that these edges would meet to one point at a great height. Both were carried out with high accuracy, which confirms the excellent mastery of applied mathematics, subsequently borrowed and developed by ancient Greek scientists).

And in later times, great importance was attached to the design of structures under construction. For example, the following data was indicated on the construction drawings and plans of the royal tombs in Thebes: general dimensions tombs, dimensions of chambers and corridors, purpose of individual rooms, their names, themes and form of execution of wall paintings and bas-reliefs, their compositional structure. Among others, the design of the tomb of Pharaoh Ramesses IV has reached us; it depicts the contours of the tomb under construction, its most important elements in various projections. The drawings were approximate, without scale, only proportions were observed, and exact digital data were attached in the explanations to the drawings. Along with design work, the responsibilities of the pharaoh's chief architect included providing transport services for construction and construction work. Naturally, numerous administrators and officials helped him in this. The organization of labor was very high, thousands of people worked on construction, but individual “teams” did not interfere with each other’s work.

Based on his Egyptian impressions, Herodotus talks about the construction of the Cheops pyramid. He wrote that Cheops forced the entire Egyptian people to work for himself, dividing them into two parts. He was the first to order the delivery of blocks from quarries in the Arabian mountains to the banks of the Nile. Others were engaged in their further transportation to the foot of the Libyan mountains. One hundred thousand people worked constantly, they replaced each other every three months. Over ten years of hard work, a road was built along which the blocks were delivered to the river. According to Herodotus, the construction of this road was no less difficult than the construction of the pyramid itself. It took ten years to build the road; it was paved with polished stone slabs decorated with carvings. Construction work around the pyramid was completed, the construction of underground structures, which were intended for the tomb and burial chamber of Pharaoh Cheops, was completed. The construction of the pyramid itself lasted twenty years. The base of the pyramid was a regular quadrangle, consisting of carefully polished stone blocks that were precisely fitted to one another. The pyramid was erected in several stages. After the construction of the first stage, the stone blocks were lifted using special lifts made from short wooden beams. First, the finishing of the upper part of the pyramid was completed, after which the adjacent lower parts were finished. The finishing of the base and the very bottom part was completed last.

Modern researchers agree with Herodotus that, in all likelihood, one hundred thousand people worked on the construction of the Cheops pyramid, but only for three months a year, during the Nile flood. Only about four thousand people worked constantly on construction (apparently these were high-class specialists and architects). A residential town was built for them.

Workers were united in special units, which consisted of smaller groups. The division was based on the capacity of the Egyptian felucca river transport. The smallest group - a “link” - could consist of ten people. The detachments, “teams” of builders had their own names. These names necessarily included the name of the pharaoh. For example, the detachment “How loved is the white crown of Snofru”, or “Cheops ennobled two kingdoms”, etc.

In stone quarries, blocks were marked with a “number” and date of manufacture, and on this basis labor productivity and production rates were determined. The average daily output of a stonemason was approximately 2 cubic meters of stone. To build the Cheops pyramid, 2,300,000 stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons each were needed. If we take Herodotus’ data as a basis, i.e., the construction time of the pyramid is 20 years, we get a very realistic period, it turns out that on average 315 such blocks had to be laid every day.

In subsequent centuries, special teams of craftsmen worked on the construction of the pyramids. For example, we are well aware of the lifestyle and organization of work of the master builders of the tombs of the Valley of the Kings. Thanks to archaeologists, we have the opportunity to read Egyptian hieroglyphs, we even know the names of some ancient masters. The design, construction and decoration of royal tombs and tombs was the work of a special “office”, in which artists, stone carvers and other highly qualified specialists worked. The main “curator” of the work of this “firm” was the highest dignitary of the pharaoh, his vizier. The number of workers in one “office” reached or exceeded 120 people. Along with highly qualified specialists, low-skilled labor and assistants (for example, transport workers) were also used. The workers were divided into two groups - the right and the left, again following the example of the river workers. These teams were headed by bosses, next to them were constantly scribes who had to take daily notes on the progress of work, the life and working conditions of workers, draw up lists of various materials needed for work, tools, and calculate wages. Most of These records have survived to this day, thanks to them we were able to get acquainted with the life and work of ancient artisans.

Through the study of ancient drawings and texts, we have learned a lot about how the ancient Egyptians built and designed buildings. Archaeologists have found ancient construction tools made of copper and bronze: cutters, drills, chisels, adzes, as well as tools made of stone and wood (sizing and grinding stones, wooden hammer, etc.). The ancient Egyptian civil engineer was helped in his work to check the accuracy of measurements by plumb lines, levels, triangles and measuring rulers.

Most Egyptologists believe, in contrast to the statements of Herodotus, that the Egyptians did not use any devices or mechanisms during the construction of the pyramids. As they built the pyramid, they built from clay bricks special inclined platforms on which, with the help of wooden sleds and human physical strength, stone blocks were raised to the required height. There is no evidence that the pyramid builders used a wheel or a lift system. The remains of such ramp platforms were discovered by archaeologists.

For the construction of small objects scaffolding and scaffolding were used, for large construction works, such as the construction of pyramids, and in later times for the construction of temples, etc., they were used for delivery necessary materials special inclined platforms. These platforms were expanded as the structure grew. After completion of construction work, these platforms were destroyed. Simultaneously with the construction of the building, its interior was filled with sand. The final finishing work was done from top to bottom. As they were completed, the sand was removed.

In quarries, blocks were cut out somewhat larger than needed. These stone blocks were roughly processed. In this form they were delivered to the construction site. Fine processing of stone, final preparation of blocks to the required standards and giving them shape were carried out already at the construction site, sometimes during the work process (The careful finishing of the giant stone blocks is evidenced by their precise markings before installation in place (the block numbers were found painted on their surface) and the fact that to this day the thickness of the seam between the stones does not, as a rule, exceed 0.15 mm.).

In addition to inspecting and taking into account the features of the site chosen for construction, the architect religiously observed traditions, especially regarding the orientation of the future building by the stars. In addition to solving purely technical issues, it was necessary to ensure the exact observance of many construction-related rituals. These rituals began from the moment the place of work was determined and continued throughout the preparatory period. Based on the texts found at the excavations in Abusir, we have a fairly complete understanding of the rites and ceremonies that accompanied the work of clearing the area, leveling it, etc. The most solemn ceremonies were held on the occasion of the start of construction work. The pharaoh personally drove in the first pegs, dug the first hole, fired the first brick and laid it himself into the foundation of the future pyramid. Sacrifices (sacrificial animals or sacred figurines) were performed near the site of the foundation work. To impart magical power to the new structure, stones from more ancient tombs and temples were laid into the foundation of the pyramid under construction. It was believed that some architectural patterns and shapes also had magical powers. They were made at the same time as construction work.

Column capitals: palm-shaped, papyrus-shaped with a closed flower bud, papyrus-shaped with a blossoming flower, in the form of the head of the goddess Hathor

Construction of the pyramid

Saqqara. A restored chapel on the territory of the complex of Pharaoh Djoser.

Abusir. Temple of the Sun of Pharaoh Nausserre. Reconstruction

Literature: Catalina Cellar “Architecture of the Land of the Pharaohs. Dwelling of the living, the dead and the gods” / translation from Hungarian - A. D. Ragimbekova, edited by V. L. Glazychev. - M.: Stroyizdat, 1990.

Architecture of the land of the pharaohs

Egyptian art begins its countdown from the 4th millennium BC. (predynastic period) and goes through the following stages of development: Ancient Kingdom (XXXII-XXI centuries BC); Middle Kingdom (XXI-XVI centuries BC); New Kingdom (XVI-XI centuries BC); Late Kingdom (XI-332 BC) Stages in the development of Egyptian art

The Ancient Kingdom is called the greatest period in the history of Egyptian civilization. It was at this time that the construction of the famous pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin began in Giza. In the 1st century BC e. The pyramids were named one of the seven wonders of the world. The saying “Everyone is afraid of time, but time is afraid of the pyramids” has not yet lost its meaning. Pyramids - “homes of eternity” of the pharaohs

Pyramid of Cheops The Egyptian pyramid of Cheops in Giza is the oldest and at the same time the only wonder of the world that has survived to this day. It received its name from the name of its creator - Pharaoh Cheops (about 2551 - 2528 BC). Because of its enormous size it is sometimes called Great Pyramid and is placed first on the list of wonders of the world. Apart from the Great Chinese wall, then the Cheops pyramid is the most large building ever erected by man. Its height was 146.6 m, which approximately corresponds to a fifty-story skyscraper. The base area is 230x230 m. Five of the largest cathedrals in the world could easily fit in such a space at the same time

Scientists have calculated that the Cheops pyramid was composed of 2,300,000 huge blocks of limestone, smoothly polished, and each of these blocks weighed more than two tons. Carefully hewn and polished limestone blocks were so skillfully fitted to one another that it was impossible to insert a knife blade into the gap between two stones. The name of the architect of the pyramid is known - Hemiun. The Pyramid of Cheops

Pyramid of Cheops The sides of the pyramid face the four cardinal directions, the entrance to the tomb is located on the north side, at a height of 16 m above the ground. Somewhere in the middle of one of the sides there was a stone, moving which one could get through a long corridor into the sarcophagus - the “dwelling of eternity” of the pharaoh .

Pyramid of Djoser The first of the Egyptian kings to erect a pyramid over his tomb was Pharaoh Djoser. This one ancient pyramid Egypt consists of six huge steps. The architect of the pyramid, Imhotep, was one of the highest dignitaries of the pharaoh, a scientist, doctor, astronomer and magician.

Pyramid of Khafre It is 8 m lower than the pyramid of Cheops, but since it stands on more high place, its top is at the same level. It is less destroyed. The top of the pyramid retains part of the polished cladding.

Pyramid of Khafre Near the pyramid of Khafre, a hill rises from the desert sand. Its height is about 20 m, length is about 60 m. Approaching the hill, travelers see a huge statue carved almost entirely from rock. This is the famous great sphinx - a figure of a reclining lion with the human head of Khafre in a traditional royal scarf.

It barely reaches a height of 66 m. It is surrounded by even smaller satellite pyramids, serving as the burial place of the pharaoh’s wife, his children and immediate relatives. Pyramid of Mikerin

The construction was also thoroughly thought out. mortuary temples in honor of the gods. Most notable is the complex architectural complex at Karnak and Luxor, which took several centuries to build. Rock tombs and temples of the Middle and New Kingdoms

The Temple of Amun at Karnak has been well preserved to this day. The largest pillared temple in the world. The Hypostyle of Karnak, which is the greatest columned hall in the world, is 102 m wide and 53 m long. 34 columns 23 meters high in the upper part have a circumference of about 15 m. It consists of more than a hundred rooms, courtyards, alleys, passages, huge statues of gods and pharaohs, sphinxes, obelisks. The ceilings were painted dark blue with yellow stars and flying kites. Two pylons made up the façade of the building.

Temple of Amun-Ra in Luxor The main decoration - the colonnade is 260 meters long. In front of the facade there were two obelisks and 6 huge statues of the pharaoh. One obelisk now adorns the Place de la Concorde in Paris. The temples at Karnak and Luxor are connected by a road guarded by sphinxes.

Valley of the Kings On the left bank of the Nile is the Valley, where there are 40 tombs of the kings and their descendants. Some burials are hundreds of meters deep into the rock. At the beginning of the 11th century. BC e. here the temple of Queen Hatshepsut was carved into the rock.

Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. The temple consisted of three wide terraces, rising one above the other and connected by gentle ramps. The tomb goes to a depth of 97 m and has a length of 213 m. Architect Senmut.

Abu Simbel - the pearl of Egyptian architecture The last great pharaoh of Egypt, Ramses II, brought glory to the construction of the temple complex in Abu Simbel - 2 temples carved into the rocks, a small and a large one. The big one is dedicated to the god Amon-Ra, the god Ptah, the god Horus and Ramesses himself. Twice a year, on March 21 and September 21, at 5 hours 58 minutes, a ray of sun crosses a line located 65 m from the entrance to the temple and illuminates the left shoulder of Amon-Ra and Ramesses II. After a few minutes, the beam moves and illuminates Harmakis, and after 20 minutes the light disappears. A noteworthy fact is that light never falls on Ptah, the god of darkness.

The Ancient Kingdom is called the greatest period in the history of Egyptian civilization. It was at this time that the construction of the famous pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Mikerin began. The pyramids have been named one of the seven wonders of the world. And today they amaze with their greatness. Being close to them, one cannot help but feel surprise and awe. Walking around the pyramid, a person travels a distance of one kilometer; its height is approximately equal to the height of a 50-story building. Before construction Eiffel Tower the largest of the pyramids - Cheops - was the tallest structure on earth!

It is believed that the pyramids served people as clocks and calendars, as they were built in accordance with mathematical and astronomical laws. The sides, located at an angle of 52 degrees to the base, allowed the pyramid to reflect the sun's rays far into the sea, so they could also serve as lighthouses. The three pyramids are part of a complex that also consists of several temples, small pyramids, and tombs of priests and officials. They make up the most famous complex of buildings in the world.

Pyramid of Cheops The Pyramid of Cheops was initially 146 m high, now it reaches only 137 m, and in place of its top a platform 10 m wide was formed. Each side of the square base of the pyramid is 233 meters, its area is more than square meters. The edges of the pyramid face the four cardinal directions, the entrance to the tomb is located on the north side, at an altitude of 16 meters above the ground. Somewhere in the middle of one of the sides there was a stone, moving which one could get through a long winding corridor into the sarcophagus - the “dwelling of eternity” of the pharaoh.

Pyramid of Khafre The Pyramid of Khafre is the only one that has preserved its polished cladding. It is located at a distance of approximately 160 meters from the Cheops pyramid, with a height of 136.6 meters, and the length of the sides is 210.5 meters; part of the original cladding is still visible at the top. Since Khafre stands on a higher place, her top is at the same level.

The Pyramid of Mikerin The Pyramid of Mikerin barely reaches 66 meters in height, and the length of the sides is 108 meters. It is located 200 meters from the Pyramid of Khafre. It is surrounded by even smaller satellite pyramids that serve as the burial place of the pharaoh’s wife, his children and immediate relatives.

The vast territory of Egypt stretches between the easternmost part Mediterranean Sea, as well as the Red Sea and the desert region of northeast Africa. Known as one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the Middle East, Egypt is also magnificent country wonders of history, nature and culture. All Largest cities decorate picturesque shores The Nile River, including the capital Cairo, where you will find a unique blend of natural beauty, charm, culture and numerous modern amenities. However, what is truly unique about Egypt is its impressive historical heritage. We are fortunate enough to have the unique opportunity to possess a wide variety of well-preserved prehistoric architectural sites, monuments, ruins and other historical landmarks that are incredible symbols of past eras. We present to your attention a list of 10 historical monuments that will tell you more about the architecture of ancient Egypt than any encyclopedia.

1. Step pyramid of Djoser.

The architecture of Ancient Egypt is associated primarily with pyramids. Let's start with the Pyramid of Djoser. It is one of the most distinctive historical monuments in the world, as is one of the oldest Egyptian pyramids. Created around 2650 BC, this impressive piece of architectural art is also the oldest structure in the world that is built from stone. The step pyramid extends 62 meters above the ground, and is dedicated to Pharaoh Djoser. The pyramid consists of 6 huge bases with decreasing size in height. These six stone steps with a flat roof actually support themselves, as an amazing symbol of eternal construction. Be sure to visit this place and the surrounding complex during your trip to Egypt.

2. Temple of Hatshepsut.

Within the central part of eastern Egypt, you can encounter ancient Luxor, which is surrounded by the beautiful and picturesque Nile River valley. In addition to the high mountains and desert, a few kilometers west of Luxor there is another important historical monument, relating to the architecture of Ancient Egypt. This is the Temple of Hatshepsut, with one of the most breathtaking views in Egypt. The imposing architectural style of ancient civilizations is dominated by dramatic vertical cliffs.

3. Great Pyramids of Giza.

The Great Egyptian Pyramids of Giza are the most recognizable, imposing and famous historical monuments in Egypt and throughout the world. They are located just outside the capital Cairo, within the northern part of Egypt, where you can admire three huge pyramids built thousands of years ago. Among them, the largest Egyptian Pyramid is the Pyramid of Khufu. With its 140 meters in height, the Pyramid of Khufu is definitely one of the most remarkable historical monuments in the world. Visit LifeGlobe for an in-depth article with a separate story about each of the Pyramids of Giza.

4. Karnak Temples of Egypt.

In Luxor you may encounter another historical landmark, evidence ancient architecture Egypt. These are the Karnak Temples, which are located on the eastern bank of the Nile River and consist of many temples, statues and amazing carvings. The Karnak complex includes four separate sites. Nearby you can see numerous sphinxes, which create the illusion of being surrounded by eternal animals. Everything here is rich in ancient interpretations, history and symbolism.

5. Bent pyramid.

The Bent Pyramid is located in Dahshur, a village approximately 40 kilometers south of Cairo. This pyramid impresses with its unique shapes. The lower part of the pyramid (the base) rises at approximately 54 degrees, while the upper section continues at an angle of 43 degrees. This smooth transition creates a breathtaking view, while the full height of the pyramid is more than 100 meters above the ground. Especially considering that the pyramid is only limited by the pale yellow desert below and the clear blue sky above. The architecture of Ancient Egypt is simply incredible.

6. Abu Simbel.

In the southernmost region of Egypt and on the western shore of Lake Nasser is another famous historical monument that you cannot miss - the temples of Abu Simbel. These two temples were carved from stone around 1260 BC and are dedicated to Pharaoh Ramses II and Queen Nefertari. The appearance of the temples is a real masterpiece. The temple of Pharaoh Ramses II is larger, guarded by four colossal statues. Its interior is even more impressive, while the façade of Queen Nefertari's temple includes 6 huge statues. When you step inside, it is like stepping into another world that is filled with stone carvings, mythical statues, shades, pillars and an extraterrestrial atmosphere.

7. Temples of Luxor.

In close proximity to the Karnak Temples in Luxor is another interesting monument to visit - the Luxor Temple. This huge complex consists of many temples, buildings, statues and other historical landmarks, while the central corridor is a place of inspiration and enchantment. The road to the temple is bordered by numerous sphinxes, which provide a unique atmosphere that allows you to immerse yourself completely in the past era. The night lighting of the temple is like a futuristic accent, only enhancing the ancient surroundings.

8. Pink pyramid.

The Pink Pyramid is adjacent to Broken Pyramid to the north. With a height of 104 meters above the ground, it is the third largest egyptian pyramid, but what is more impressive is its reddish hue. The architecture of Ancient Egypt has preserved one of its most outstanding designs and examples thanks to this magnificent monument.

9. Valley of the Kings.

The Valley of the Kings is a huge area on the western bank of the Nile River, close to the villages of Luxor, where you can encounter a breathtaking picture of the numerous tombs of Egyptian pharaohs of the period between the 16th - 11th century BC. You can enjoy the famous tomb of Tutankhamun, as well as the great seated colossi of Memnon and a number of other impressive sights. Numerous passages - the best place to take stunning photos. Here a lot can tell you about ancient rituals and traditions.