The Pyramids Plateau Master Plan

Frederik Magle

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Have any of you heard about this project; »The Pyramids Plateau Master Plan«? Basically it's a plan to restore the whole area around the famous pyramids at the "Giza Plateau" in Egypt to its former glory. To restore the mystique and sacredness of the place so to speak. It's a huge project in many phases, but so far two has been completed. Here's a link to the current plans.

I'm sad to say I have never visited the great pyramids myself, but maybe that's a blessing in disguise, as it seems the whole experience will be improved so much in the future. They will be removing most of the modern buildings (shops, ect.) that has popped up in the vicinity of the pyramids - in fact I heard there's a Pizza Hut right next to the Sphinx! All traffic will be directed around the pyramids, and access will only be available to tourists by an electric train.

All in all, this sounds like a great plan. I find it very important to protect our world heritage of which the great pyramids and the Sphinx of course is an invaluable part.

photo001_logo.jpg

(Dr. Zahi Hawass)

This project seems to be the brainchild of Dr. Zahi Hawass (Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities), and I must commend him, as well as the Egyptian government and the project's architect Tarek Naga (an Egyptian arhcitect working in Los Angeles) to undertake this project. Personally I can't wait to see how it turns out, and one day hopefully visit the Giza pyramids like it must have been to visit them in the past.
 
Hi there Frederik,

It's a fascinating subject, the pyramids of Egypt. Particularly the Great Pyramid, of course. It's interesting too that the earliest historians who refer to Egypt in any detail speak of it being a land virtually underwater at the time of the first dynasty. (e.g. such sources as Diodorus Siculus and others). And although the 'Great Pyramid' is today attributed to the pharoah Cheops (a minor king of the 4th Dynasty) the only support for this view is the fact that his name appears in connection with its internal maintenance, and not its construction. It certainly dwarfs all other pyramids and is of course an amazing structure in many ways. (The boat recently found buried beneath it is fascinating in itself).

It is said the exact location of the Great Pyramid is, itself, amazing. For, if we were to draw a line through one corner of the Great Pyramid to the other and were to extend that same line around the Earth until we returned to our start point we would cross more sea, more water, than any similar line that could be drawn from any other point of the Earth. And, even more amazingly, if we were to draw another line through the other two corners of the same Great pyramid, and were to extend it also around the Earth until we returned to our starting point, we would cross more land (and less sea) on our revolution of the Earth than is possible from any other location on the entire planet.

I've never visited the Pyramids myself but the whole history of that nation is fascinating, for sure.

Best wishes

Robert
 
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marval

New member
Thank you for that Frederik,

That project is very interesting, it is good to know that they will restore them to how they should be, instead of leaving them as a commercial tourist attraction.

I have not seen them, but I would love to some day.


Margaret
 

greatcyber

New member
Frederik,

Thank you for this link. This is a wonderful project for Egypt and the world. It's too bad that you have not experienced the plateau first-hand as it is an awe-inspiring event. No matter the condition of the pyramids, one cannot fathom what it is like until you are actually standing there with the great pyramid in front of you and the sphynx right behind you. Personally, I will never forget having visited and will look forward to going again once the project is completed.

I can only imagine what it was like when the pyramids were gleaming white towers when they were completed.

To anyone contemplating a visit to the area I can only heartily endorse such a visit as you will probably never be quite the same afterward.
 

methodistgirl

New member
They aren't the only ones being restored. I have pictures of some in
Guatemala, Belize, and southern Mexico being restored. Some of them
need it so that future generations can enjoy these wonders.
judy tooley
 

Dorsetmike

Member
I visited the pyramids in 1955, my main memory was the tour inside one of them, the smell was foul.

I must admit though that apart from that the visit was awesome, for me the sphinx moreso than the pyramids..
 

dll927

New member
That picture of the guys riding camels reminds me of the old saw about why a camel is such a stange-looking animal -- it was put together by a committee.
 
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