One of the oldest civilizations on our planet has left a memory of itself in the magnificent masterpieces of architecture, which today rightfully entered the treasury of world culture. The pyramid of the pharaoh Cheops in Egyptian Giza is the only miracle of the world that has survived to this day.
The architecture of Ancient Egypt is represented by various monuments, which for more than a millennium have continued to amaze new generations of the inhabitants of the planet Earth with their monumentality and grandeur. Architectural monuments of Ancient Egypt, like all the architecture of the ancient world, has its own distinctive features and construction secrets, which we will try to tell about in our historical and cultural review.
Early Kingdom Architecture
There are practically no architectural monuments of this period, due to the fact that the main building material during the formation of the state of Egypt was raw brick. In addition, reed, clay, wood were used. But it was precisely in the period of the Early Kingdom that the foundations of building techniques and techniques were laid during the construction of palace complexes and memorial sanctuaries. Recall that this period falls on 3120 to 2649 BC. uh ..
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Tomb of Pharaoh Den
The pharaoh of the first dynasty is known to us from the Abydos list, where his name in Greek transcription is transferred as Usefay.
One of the first pharaohs, for whom, unlike his predecessors, a monumental tomb was erected. A stone staircase leading to the East leads to the tomb at sunrise. The tomb itself was trimmed with specially brought red granite stone slabs.
Red granite is covered with the floor of the tomb, and this was the first use of this material in construction. In addition, the Tomb of Den in Abydos, today is the first tombstone in the history of Ancient Egypt. During the burial ceremony of the powerful ruler 136 people were sacrificed.
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Tomb of Queen Herr Nate
The tomb of Queen I of the Dynasty was investigated in 1956, and gave historical science a lot of interesting information about the architecture and funeral rites of Ancient Egypt.
The tomb of Her Nate itself consisted of two parts. One was built above the surface of the earth, in the underground part, where the sarcophagus was actually located, a wooden staircase led. The two-story building was blocked by stone slabs on which sculptures of lions were installed.
The interior of the tomb was painted with magnificent painting, and the tomb of the Queen was very large.
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Mastaba Hemaki
Mastaba literally translates from Arabic as "bench", but in ancient Egyptian culture this means "per-jet" - a house for eternity. Or an eternal home.
Erected in Sakar under the rule of the pharaohs of the 1st Depe dynasty, the tomb of the nobleman surpassed even the royal tombs in its size and grandeur. Inside, in addition to the burial chamber itself, grateful descendants equipped underground and ground pantries. It had strict forms, and on the outside was surrounded by massive walls.
In the photo: Sarcophagi in the form of a residential building. Early kingdom
The sarcophagi in which the rulers and nobles of the Early Kingdom were buried were made in the form of a residential building, made of wood or stone.
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Memorial stele of Pharaoh Jet
The Third Pharaoh of the Early Kingdom was buried in Abydos. The tomb was decorated with wood, and a stone stele towered over it, on which the name of the pharaoh and the outline of the ancient temple were inscribed.
The hieroglyph is in the form of a snake and is a written inscription of the name "Uadji" or "Jet", which literally means "Snake". Experts note that the stele is made of expressive artistic techniques, which indicates the high development of fine art.
Now a unique artifact is stored in the Louvre, and the decoding of the inscription itself allowed to shed light not only on the name of the pharaoh, but also was evidence of the development of architecture.
Architectural and construction innovations of the Early Kingdom period:
- On the facades of buildings began to use friezes with ornaments, using sculpture or painting.
- Concave cornices appeared, and the doorways began to form a deep ledge.
- The beginning of the dominance of the funeral cult in the culture of Ancient Egypt, which was revealed in the construction of monumental funeral complexes concentrated at Memphis and Abydos.
- Not far from the capital of the kingdom - the city of Memphis, an ancient necropolis was equipped, named Saqqara, by the name of the god of the dead Socar. Large burials have been preserved in the region of Abydos.
Ancient Kingdom Architecture
In the history of the development of Egypt, this period covers the years of the reign of the pharaohs of the III-VI dynasties, and in the time interval from 2649 to 2400 BC
At that time, the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt into a single state took place, slavery was further developed, which led to the growth of a huge and complex state apparatus, and most importantly, the god-pharaoh was the patron of a large country, and the cult of the deceased ruler became an important component of the Egyptian religion. All these processes are directly reflected in architecture and stone construction. The temples and pyramids of Ancient Egypt, like the Egyptian sculptures of that period, reflected not only political changes, but also changes in the social structure of ancient Egyptian society.
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Djoser Pyramid
An amazing step pyramid is a bright monument of architecture of the era of the Old Kingdom. Based on archaeological and historical research, we can confidently say that it was built around 2650. BC. during the reign of Pharaoh III of the Djoser dynasty.
The central part, on which the whole structure rests, is made of limestone blocks. The well-preserved pyramid, whose height is slightly more than 61 m., Became the first pyramid erected in the Egyptian Saqqara.
The first step pyramid was built back in those days when the entire family of the pharaoh was buried in its burial chambers, in contrast to the later structures, where one ruler calmed down. Nearby were found the burial places of multiple servants who were sacrificed during the funeral procession.
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Pyramid in Medum
A tomb of unusual shape was erected for the last pharaoh of the III Huni dynasty, but his son Snofru expanded and built a little pyramid.
This eight-step pyramid is called “el-haram el-kaddab”, which translates as “irregular pyramid”. The first studies of a unique pyramid form date back to the time of the Egyptian expedition of Napoleon.
Studies of the XVIII-XIX centuries showed that it was rebuilt and reoriented to other parts of the world. That is, already at that time, builders could carry out large-scale work on the movement of large structures.
And about the most beautiful pyramids, most-beauty.ru has an excellent article with many photos.
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Broken pyramid
The shape of this unique pyramid, built in Dakhshur around 2 596 BC, indicates that the architects and builders of Ancient Egypt were still looking for the optimal shape for the home of the eternity of their rulers.
The complex itself, in which Pharaoh Snofru rested, was built in 3 stages and consists of the main "broken" pyramid and a small pyramid, built next to it. It is distinguished from traditional tombs not only by its shape, but also by the fact that it has two entrances, from the north and west sides.
The name of the pharaoh, written in red paint, archaeologists found in two places of an amazing structure, but the sarcophagus of the god-ruler was never found.
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Mastaba Shepseskaf
Tombs in the form of a truncated pyramid with a burial chamber appeared during the Early Kingdom, and were built of wood and mud brick. Inside, in addition to the vertical burial chamber, there were several rooms, the walls of which, like the vaults of the chamber, were covered with reliefs and colorful paintings.
A unique mastaba of the last pharaoh of the fourth dynasty of Shepseskafa in Saqqara has been preserved to this day. The entire family of the pharaoh was buried in such funerary structures, which was confirmed by archaeological research.
The last pharaoh of the IV dynasty himself wished to build himself a mastaba, and went for this to the tomb of his great-grandfather - Pharaoh Snofr.
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Funeral Ensemble in Abusir
The first monument that appeared in Abusir was a solar temple, erected at the direction of the founder of the V dynasty of the pharaoh Userkaf.
Only the ruins of the temple complex, the tomb of the pharaoh and the well-preserved Egyptian statues of Userkaf have survived.
After him, every pharaoh of the V dynasty considered it his duty to build such solar temples in Abusir. Here the pharaohs also chose a place for the construction of their pyramids. Here, the ruins of the solar temple of Nyuserra were explored.
In the photo: The ruins of the solar temple
The pyramid of Sahur, called the "Ascent of the Soul", as well as the burial complex of the last representative of the dynasty - the pharaoh Unis - have been preserved.
In the photo: Part of the column from the temple of Sahur
Well preserved statues of rulers, and during the excavation of temples found unique columns with inscriptions.
In the photo: Sahur Pyramid
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The Pyramid of Cheops
The sights of ancient Egypt cannot be imagined without the majestic pyramid of the pharaoh of the fourth dynasty of Cheops, built around 2600. BC, on the Giza plateau. And on most-beauty.ru you can find articles more than once that mention this magnificent building.
The largest surviving pyramid was included in the worldwide list of “Seven Wonders of the World,” and historians consider its official and nephew Cheops, a man named Hemiun, to be its architect. During the study, archaeologists were surprised by the reasonableness of the internal arrangement of the structure, which has funerary chambers, chambers of the pharaoh and ventilation shafts.
The most magnificent pyramid is part of a complex consisting of three pyramids, the other two belong to the pharaohs Chefren and Mykerin. This complex was named the Great Pyramids of Giza.
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Great Sphinx
This magnificent figure of the Sphinx, carved from a huge monolithic limestone rock, the oldest monumental sculpture that has survived to this day.
The huge figure of a lion with a human face was carved between 2575 and 2465. BC e. According to researchers, the face of the sphinx has a portrait resemblance to the appearance of the pharaoh Chephren, whose pyramid is located near the statue.
The figure itself is facing east, at sunrise, and in front of its paws, most likely, there was a small sanctuary. It is interesting that sometimes the sand completely covered the 20-meter sculpture, which is why many ancient travelers did not mention it in their descriptions of monuments in Ancient Egypt.
The disproportionate head of the Sphinx of many researchers suggests that the figure was originally carved with another head, such as a lion or a cat. But while there is no unequivocal opinion on this matter, and this is still the subject of discussion.
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Statues of Rakhotep and Nefert
During the period of the 4th dynasty, the development of such a kind of fine art as sculpture continued. In the temple complexes and tombs found many voluminous sculptures of pharaohs and officials.
The most colorful are the sculptural images of the pharaoh Rakhotep and his wife Nefert, discovered in the mastaba of the queen. Portrait statues are made in a traditional pose. Both sit on cubic throne chairs with their left hand pressed to their chests. The right hand rests on my knees.
The statues stored in the Cairo Museum are recognized as one of the best examples of portrait sculpture of the Ancient Kingdom.
Architectural and construction features of the period of the Old Kingdom:
- Architects of the Old Kingdom found the optimal and majestic form for the tomb of the god-pharaoh. It was at this time that the construction of the pyramids begins.
- Columns of various shapes began to be used in the halls of the pyramids and in the design of facades. Particularly impressive are the papyrus-shaped half-columns on the facade of the tomb of Hetep-Her-Nebti.
In the photo: Papyrus-shaped half-columns on the facade of the tomb of Hetep-Her-Nebti
- A new kind of buildings appears, the so-called solar temple, which was surrounded by a majestic wall, and a high obelisk was installed in the center of the temple complex.
- In the suburbs of Cairo, on the Giza plateau, a large-scale necropolis appears on which the magnificent pyramids of the pharaohs who ruled in the XXVI-XXIII centuries BC were erected.
- From this period of the history of Ancient Egypt, the names of the first architects reached us, namely the name of the architect Imhotep, who built the unique funerary complex of Djoser.
In the photo: Saqqara. The Djoser Pyramid Complex. entrance hall gallery
- It was during this period that the famous constructions of Ancient Egypt were erected, as well as sculptures of Ancient Egypt, drawings on stelae, storing messages about events of history and public life.
Middle Kingdom Architecture
Large-scale construction work in the XI - XII centuries BC temporarily cease, due to the fact that the rulers of the previous period depleted the material resources of the state. In addition, the period of the Middle Kingdom was preceded by a long period of civil wars, which also did not contribute to the development of architecture. But this segment of the history of Egypt has its own special, unique monuments of architectural architecture.
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Temple of Mentuhotep I
Mentuhotep managed to unite Egypt again under his rule, and he became the founder of the new Theban dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs. Naturally, he tried to perpetuate his name, and a memorial temple was erected on the west bank of the Nile near the city of Thebes in the gorge Deir al-Bahri.
To the tomb of the pharaoh, which was cut down in the rock, there was a wide road, fenced on both sides by massive walls. On both sides of the road trees were planted and the statues of the pharaoh stood.
The memorial temple itself is built in the form of a portico. A columned hall was built on the second terrace, in the center of which a pyramid was laid out from large stone blocks. It is noteworthy that its base was a natural rock.
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Rock tombs
Panorama of the Valley of the Kings. You can see the image in high resolution here.
A distinctive feature from the previous period was the arrangement of rock tombs in the Valley of the Kings near Thebes. The tomb was cut down directly in the rock, in front of which a small chapel was built.
The majestic structures of rock architecture are well preserved to this day, and serve as a vivid example of the development of architectural construction of Ancient Egypt. At such tombs, archaeologists have studied the settlements of masons who directly worked the stone, and took part in the construction of such funerary complexes.
The construction of such tombs continued during the period of the Middle and New Kingdom, and over time, the traditions neighboring Egypt began to use this tradition.
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Pyramids of Amenemhat III
In the photo: Pyramid of Amenemkhet III in Hawar
This pharaoh, who ruled around 1853-1806 BC, built two pyramids for himself.
One, the so-called "Dark Pyramid" was built in Dakhshur, and unbaked brick served as the material for the construction. The second tomb was erected in Hawara, and became the beginning for the functioning of the new necropolis.
In the photo: The Black Pyramid in Dakhshur
Two sarcophagi were discovered in the Havar pyramid, in one of which the pharaoh himself was buried, and in the second his daughter, Princess Ptakhnefru.However, not far from the main pyramid, a small cenotaph was built for her, that is, an empty grave on the wall of which the name of the daughter of the famous pharaoh was carved.
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Kahun City
The city was built as soon as possible, and Pharaoh Senusert II moved his residence here. Recent studies have shown that the urban settlement, like many cities of Ancient Egypt, was built according to a previously adopted plan, had a clear layout of the streets, and buildings built on them.
Occupying more than 10 hectares of area, the city was surrounded by a high brick wall in which two gates were made. At the end of Kahuna's main street was the royal palace, from which only ruins remained.
Amazing artifacts were discovered within the city, including magnificent statues, household items, religious shrines and written documents.
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Tomb of Khnumhotep I
In the necropolis of Beni Hassan, dating back to the period of the Middle Kingdom, the magnificent tomb of the pharaoh Khnumhotep I was also discovered. The tomb was cut down in a rock on the east bank of the Nile, and consisted of only one hall.
But the outer portico of the rock tomb, where massive columns support the tomb floor slabs, attracts attention. The interior was divided by columns into two rooms, and on the walls themselves were drawn pictures from the mythology of ancient Egypt and the life of the pharaoh.
Unfortunately, the funerary mines were looted in antiquity, and only a magnificent architectural building has survived to us.
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Atum Temple Onu
In the photo: Obelisk of Senusert
In addition to the memorial complexes, other architectural structures were also erected. For example, a temple in honor of Atum, which was built during the reign of Senusert I.
The high obelisk that stood in the central part of the temple complex has survived to this day. It was on such obelisks that the detailed construction of the temple was described, what material was used, who directly supervised the work.
In addition, the obelisks depicted magic spells in honor of the gods, and praise to Pharaoh. In the Middle Ages, and even now, such obelisks are often called the "needles of the pharaoh."
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Temple of Osiris in Abydos
Temple of Osiris
Archaeologists still will not come to a consensus when the temple complex dedicated to God Osiris was erected. It is known for certain that the ennobling of the temple began during the reign of the pharaohs of the VI dynasty, and the temple was rebuilt already in the period of the XI-XII and XIX dynasties.
Temple of Set I
The entire territory of the temple was traditionally surrounded by a wall of unbaked brick, and in the center were the main cult buildings and an obelisk.
In the photo: the megalithic monument Osirion
Today, the temple of Osiris is part of a large historical and archaeological complex, which also includes the temple of Seti I and the megalithic monument Osirion.
Features of the architecture of the Middle Kingdom:
- Individualism was greatly developed when everyone cared for their own immortality, erecting majestic tombs.
- The cult of the dead was greatly simplified, which naturally affected the construction of tombs.
- They continued to build magnificent pyramids, but many pharaohs, to perpetuate their name, were limited to erecting a stele with magic spell texts.
- New funerary complexes appear, combining traditional pyramids and a new type of necropolis - rock tombs.
New Kingdom Architecture
Thebes began to play a special role in the history of Ancient Egypt during this period, which was also reflected in architectural features. It is noteworthy that the architecture of the country of the pharaohs is experiencing a new heyday in this period. The monumental construction of both the tombs of the pharaohs and magnificent temples is taking place. The pharaohs of the New Kingdom were trying to perpetuate themselves, and most importantly also to magnify the capital of their state.
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Luxor Temple
Within the modern Egyptian city of Luxor, the majestic walls of the temple, the construction of which began under the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, have been preserved.
The unique temple complex was dedicated to three deities - Amon, Mut and Hons, as evidenced by discovered dedication inscriptions and sculptures. With Thebes, the temple was connected by a road, on both sides of which stood the figures of the Sphinxes. Over time, the temple began to be used only to worship the God of the Sun Amon.
Well preserved are the northern temple gates, which have obelisks, as well as four colossus-monoliths. One of the obelisks was taken to Paris, and installed on Place de la Concorde.
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Karnak Sanctuary of Amun-Ra
Each pharaoh considered it his duty to bring something new and magnificent to Thebes architecture. All the rulers of the XVI-XI centuries BC. e., sought to perpetuate their name by the construction of monumental structures.
The beginning of the construction of a large temple complex began in the reign of Senusert I, but finished the construction of the sanctuary of Thutmose III. It Thutmose built in the eastern part of the temple a large hypostyle hall with huge columns.
The external walls of the temple are painted with unique inscriptions and images telling about military campaigns, pharaohs, and about concluded agreements.
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Abu simbel
The famous rock on the west bank of the Nile, in which, under Pharaoh Ramses II, two magnificent temples in architecture and interior decoration were carved.
The Pharaoh dedicated the great temple personally to himself, as well as to the deities especially revered in Egypt, Amon, Ptah and Ra-Khorakhti. The second, slightly smaller temple was built in honor of the first wife of Ramses - the beautiful Nefertari.
In front of the entrance were installed monumental statues of the pharaoh and the gods. In 1962, during the construction of the dam, a unique operation was carried out to transfer the architectural monument, and the statues were preserved from flooding. It was a unique operation requiring serious engineering solutions. The statues were sawn into smaller blocks and partly moved 200 meters inland from the riverbank.
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Hatshepsut Memorial Temple in Deir al-Bahri
One of the most magnificent temple complexes of Ancient Egypt was erected during the reign of Queen Hapshesut. The uniqueness of the structure is that it is located on three rocky terraces, and the construction took 9 years, and ended after the death of the influential ruler.
At that time ponds were located on the terraces, trees were planted, and around there were alleys with sculptures of sphinxes with the head of Hapshesut, who appeared before the subordinates in the image of the god Osiris.
In the photo: Mentuhotep I Temple (top left), Hatshepsut Temple (foreground).
The lowest terrace was walled, and the temple architecture of Ancient Egypt received a magnificent masterpiece of art.
Features of architecture and monumental construction of the New Kingdom:
- The main construction took place in Thebes, and in the "Valley of the Kings" began to erect the memorial complexes of the pharaohs and senior officials and religious nobility of Ancient Egypt.
- Temple complexes were built in three main directions, namely, ground-based temples, half-temples, and those that were completely cut down in the rock.
- After the religious reform of Akhenaten, most religious buildings were dedicated to the single god of all Egyptians, Amon.
Late Kingdom Architecture
The ancient Egyptian architecture of the Late Kingdom is represented by numerous architectural masterpieces, both civil and religious. A powerful influence on the development of architecture is exerted by powerful neighboring countries that captured part of Egypt, and the dynasties of their kings ruled the state until the arrival of Alexander the Great.
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Pyramids in Meroe
The latest pyramids, which remained in memory of the pharaohs of the last Egyptian dynasties, were erected during the period when the pharaohs, immigrants from Nubia ruled in Egypt.
According to researchers, temple complexes and pyramids in Meroe appeared 800 years after the Egyptians stopped building their own pyramids.
Thus, the pharaohs of the last dynasties remembered the ancient tradition, and also tried to perpetuate their names by erecting magnificent pyramids.
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Tomb of Psusennes
In the photo: Psusenes mask
In the temple complex, which was erected during the founder of the dynasty of pharaohs of the Late Kingdom, Sheshonok I, the tomb of Psusennes I was discovered.
The temple almost did not survive, but archaeologists reconstructed the tomb of the pharaoh, which consisted of a spacious hall and a corridor that led to the tomb.
To this day, the mask of the pharaoh, made of pure gold, has been well preserved. In its manufacture used ancient traditions and techniques characteristic of sculpture and painting of Ancient Egypt.
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The monumental colonnade of Taharka
In the palace of Sheshonka, the pharaoh of the XXV Tahark dynasty, who successfully fought with the Nubians and Libyans, erected a monumental row of columns. Part of the colonnade has survived to this day.
The smooth trunks of the columns were crowned with capitals open in the form of a papyrus flower. In the photo you can see one of such wonderful columns. All this is a successful pharaoh dedicated to the god Amon, as well as to perpetuate his name.
In addition, the pharaoh surrounded the main hall of the palace with columns, connecting it with low walls. On the walls were painted drawings telling about the ceremony of the coronation of the pharaoh.
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Hellenistic temples
Temple of Horus at Edfu
The most famous and magnificent temple, erected in Egypt after the capture of its territory by Alexander the Great, was the temple in Edfu, dedicated to the god Horus.
The majestic building was a place of worship of Egyptian deities back in the period of the Egyptian pharaohs, and later was actively used by the Ptolemies. A huge statue of Horus was erected in front of the sanctuary.
It is noteworthy that the construction, begun about 237 BC, lasted 200 years. The temple has a massive pylon, whose height is 35 m.
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Alexandrian lighthouse
A striking architectural monument of this period is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, erected on the island of Faros in the III century BC.
Towering high above the island, not far from the city of Alexandria, the lighthouse pointed the way for the ships that were heading from the Mediterranean Sea to the Egyptian port.
A fortress built on the site of a lighthouse
The destruction of the lighthouse began with the earthquake of 796, and then one of the seven wonders of the world was destroyed by people. Sultan Kite Bay at the very end of the 15th century erected a fortress on the site of the lighthouse.
Features of the architecture of the Late Kingdom:
- The Theban priesthood has a huge impact on the construction and development of architectural styles, but gradually the championship passes to the rulers of the city of Sais.
- During the period of Persian rule, the tradition of building temple complexes dedicated to the gods is preserved. But temples are becoming much smaller in size than in previous periods.
- After the capture of Egypt by the Greeks, the process of harmoniously merging local national traditions with the introduced Hellenistic architectural trends begins.
Conclusion
So our journey through Ancient Egypt came to an end, in which we became acquainted with the architectural masterpieces of ancient civilization. Of course, many photographs of architectural masterpieces can be found in the history book of Ancient Egypt for the 5th grade and on tourist sites, but it is better to get in touch with history live.
We hope that our historical narrative has interested our reader, and he will gladly share his impressions in the comments to this article. Read about other interesting places and sights on the site most-beauty.ru under the heading "Places".
Article author: Valery Skiba