Top 5: Historic Cities of Egypt

With a history spanning millennia, Egypt has a countless number of historic sites to visit. Here are five of our favorite historic cities.

Bust of Queen Nefertiti © Wrangel | Dreamstime

Amarna

Built during the 18^th century, Amarna was established as the capital of Egypt during the reign of Pharoah Akhenaten, who also created an ancient scandal with the creation of his own religion, worshipping the god Aten. The city is also known for its distinct style of art, which broke from Egyptian formality for more intimate, realistic portrayals of royalty.

Ramases II © Nutsiam | Dreamstime

Memphis

For nearly eight centuries Memphis was the capital of Egypt, and quite possibly the biggest city in the world at its peak. Founded by Pharoah Menes during the old kingdom, Memphis was an economic powerhouse, and had significant religious importance with many temples headquartered there before the city began to decline.

Abydos Temple © Vyacheslav Argenberg | Flickr

Abydos

As one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, it is considered very important for its archaeological value, containing Umm el-Qa’ab, the royal necropolis for Egypt’s first pharaohs. Believed to be the birthplace of Osiris, Abydos is also one of the most holy places in Egypt. In ancient times it was called Abdju, or “the hill of the reliquary,” referring to the resting place of Osiris’ preserved head.

Temple of Luxor © Kasto80 | Dreamstime

Thebes

Originally called Waset for its reputation as the “city of the was,” a scepter of the pharaohs. It rivaled Memphis in terms of religious and political importance, taking over from Thebes as on-and-off capital for 1,000 years. It has many historical sites that are still visited today: the Temple of Luxor, the Temple of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings.

Citadel of Qaitbay © Andriukas76 | Dreamstime

Alexandria

The jewel of classical Egypt, Alexander the Great established the capital of the Ptolemy Dynasty in 331 BC. It is best known as a lost wonder of the ancient world, home to the Lighthouse of Alexandria (now the Citadel of Qaitbay) and the city’s Great Library, which was once the largest collection of books in the world.