Great Sphinx of Giza

About Great Sphinx of Giza

Ancient Egyptian monumental sculpture

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a colossal limestone statue of a resting sphinx, a mythical creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion, standing on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile and facing east. Carved from the bedrock of the plateau itself, it is the oldest known monumental sculpture in Egypt and one of the most famous statues in the world, forming part of the Memphite Necropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It measures 73 metres from paw to tail, 20 metres high and 19 metres wide at its haunches. Archaeological evidence indicates that it was created in the Old Kingdom during the reign of Khufu or his son Khafre (c. 2558–2532 BC); most scholars believe the face represents Khafre, although the question remains debated. It was understood as a guardian spirit of the necropolis and was known by names including "Horus of the Horizon"; the Arabic name Abu al-Hol has been in use since medieval times. The monument has been restored many times, most recently by replacing the courses of limestone blocks around its base. The missing nose was deliberately broken off with rods or chisels at an unknown date; the historian al-Maqrizi recorded its absence in the 15th century, contrary to the popular myth that Napoleon's artillery destroyed it in 1798. Part of the royal beard is kept in the British Museum.

Where:

Cairo, Egypt