Ancient Egyptian Architecture

Egyptian Architecture is one of the spotlight features of Egypt. It demonstrates a story through its pictures and its form. The pyramids and the Sphinx are Ancient Egypt’s most recognizable symbol.The pyramids were built as the burial places of the Egyptian kings.There are still over eighty pyramids in Egypt today. They are all more than 3000 years old. The architects of these pyramids were very skilled in mathematics, in technical drawing, and in knowledge of the position of the sun and stars.

 

The earliest example of a burial pyramid in Ancient Egypt was the step pyramid, which was stacked in such a way that the sides formed steps. The first known of these was the Pyramid of Djoser, designed by Djoser’s vizier Imhotep

 

The Step Pyramid at Saqqara is the earliest pyramid that is still there today. It was built in 2630 B.C and it was also the burial place of KIng Djoser.  It was surrounded by a burial complex that contained other structures.The architect of the Step Pyramid was Imhotep. Imhotep was the High Priest of Ra, the sun-god. He became famous for his great wisdom and knowledge. The Egyptians later worshipped Imhotep as a god.

 

The Pyramid rose in six giant steps. These steps were meant as a huge stairway for King Djoser to climb up to join Ra, the sun-god. Because the pyramids were the burial places of kings, they were full of treasure. All the king’s riches and belongings were buried with him to keep him happy in the afterlife. Robbers tried to break into the pyramids to steal the treasure. So the architects tried to fool the robbers. Each pyramid had only one true entrance, but several other false entrances were made. The inside of the pyramid had lots of false doors and false passages which led to rooms filled with rubble or blank walls. The doors were built of granite and were almost impossible to move. Even if the robbers managed to open a door, they might find a blank wall behind it. However, almost all the royal tombs were eventually broken into and all the treasure removed.

 

Characteristics of Ancient Egyptian Architecture:

Most buildings in Ancient Egypt were made from Nile mud baked in the sun. However, the impressive structures that people link with Ancient Egypt, were made from stone, which is why they lasted longer. The casings of the pyramids were white limestone or red granite. Other important structures, such as temples and palaces, did sometimes also include mud brick in their construction. The thick, sloping walls and columns were used to hold up flat roofs of solid stone. Columns were also used in grand entrances and courtyards.

 

Although a few monuments in Egypt are no longer there, such as the Library of Alexandria, there are still many that remain in its complete form. Made with the Nile mud and baked in the sun, these monuments have a unique feature that other monuments in other places might not have. These monuments continue to be one of the most extraordinary ancient architectural pieces ever created.

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