Memphis
Memphis is a short distance from Cairo. It was the one time capital of Egypt, but no ancient buildings remain. All that there is to see now is an area with a collection of statues, mostly of Ramesses II such as that on the right.
The Alabaster Sphinx
There is one small museum at the Memphis site and it houses just one object – the fallen Colossus of Ramesses II. Carved in limestone, it fell down and was covered in sand for thousands of years, before being unearthed, hence its good state of preservation. Mohammad Ali donated the statue to the British Museum in the early 19th century, but the task of moving the piece prevented the British from taking it to England. What a missed opportunity!
Return here to the Pyramids