World Heritage in Egypt - Wikivoyage, the free collaborative travel and tourism guide - Patrimoine mondial en Égypte — Wikivoyage, le guide de voyage et de tourisme collaboratif gratuit

This article lists the sites registered with World Heritage in Egypt.

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Listing

SiteTypeCriterionDescriptionDrawing
Abu MenaCultural(iv)Paleochristian holy city, Abu Mena, built on the tomb of the martyr Menas of Alexandria, who died in 296, has preserved its church, its baptistery, its basilicas, its public establishments, its streets, its monasteries, its houses and its workshops. 
Historic CairoCultural(i) (v) (vi)Tucked into the modern metropolitan area of ​​Cairo is one of the oldest Islamic cities in the world, with its prestigious mosques, medersa, hammams and fountains. Founded in the 10th century, Islamic Cairo became the new center of the Islamic world and reached its golden age in the 14th century. 
Memphis and its necropolis - the areas of the pyramids from Giza to DahshurCultural(i) (iii) (vi)Around the capital of the Old Egyptian Empire, extraordinary funeral complexes remain with their rock tombs, their finely decorated mastabas, their temples and their pyramids. The site was considered in ancient times as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 
Nubian monuments from Abu Simbel to PhilaeCultural(i) (iii) (vi)This archaeological area is dotted with admirable monuments, such as the temples of Ramses II in Abu Simbel and the sanctuary of Isis in Philae, which were saved during the construction of the Aswan High Dam thanks to an international campaign launched by the UNESCO in 1960 which continued until 1980. 
Ancient Thebes and its necropolisCultural(i) (iii) (vi)The capital of Egypt in the Middle and New Kingdoms, Thebes was the city of the god Amun. With the temples and palaces of Karnak and Luxor, with the necropolises of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, it gives us striking testimonies of Egyptian civilization at its peak. 
Sainte-Catherine areaCultural(i) (iii) (iv) (vi)The Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine is located at the foot of Mount Horeb where, in the Old Testament, Moses is said to have received the Tablets of the Law. The mountain is also known and revered by Muslims who call it Jebel Musa. The entire area is sacred to three major religions spread throughout the world: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The monastery, founded in the 6th century, is the oldest Christian monastery to have retained its original function. Its walls and buildings are very important for the study of Byzantine architecture. The monastery houses extraordinary collections of ancient Christian manuscripts and icons. The mountainous and wild landscape which surrounds it includes many archaeological and religious sites and monuments, and forms a perfect backdrop around the monastery. 
Wadi Al-Hitan (The Valley of the Whales)Natural(viii)Wadi al-Hitan, the Valley of the Whales, in the Western Desert of Egypt, contains invaluable fossil remains of the oldest, and now extinct, whale order archaeoceti. These fossils represent one of the most important stages in evolution: the beginnings of the whale as a marine mammal after being a land mammal. It is the largest site in the world to testify to this era of evolution. It very clearly shows the appearance and life of these whales during their transition. The number, concentration and quality of these fossils are unique, as is their accessibility and presence in an attractive and protected landscape. Al-Hitan fossils show young archaeocetes, in the final stages of loss of their hind limbs. Other fossils present at the site allow the reconstruction of the environment and ecological conditions of that time. 
Criteria legend
(i)Represent a masterpiece of human creative genius.
(ii)To testify to a considerable exchange of influences during a given period or in a specific cultural area, on the development of architecture or technology, monumental arts, city planning or the creation of landscapes.
(iii)To bring a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or a living or disappeared civilization.
(iv)To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates one or more significant periods in human history.
(v)To be a prominent example of traditional human settlement, traditional use of land or sea.
(vi)To be directly or materially associated with events or living traditions, ideas, beliefs or artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.
(vii)Represent natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.
(viii)To be eminently representative examples of the great stages in the history of the Earth.
(ix)To be eminently representative examples of ecological and biological processes underway in the evolution and development of ecosystems.
(x)Contain the most representative natural habitats and the most important for conservation in situ of biological diversity.
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