Top 5 Strange and Interesting Facts about Egypt

Egypt is a fascinating country which is well known for its ancient history and is a popular tourist destination today. It has so many attractions to explore and activities to take part in to learn more about the country, or just to enjoy the sun.

Here are a few strange and interesting facts about Egypt:

Home to the first and last Wonder of the World
The attraction that Egypt is probably most famous for is The Great Pyramid of Giza. Constructed around 2580-2560 BC, it is the oldest of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World and the only one that still remains. Those Egyptians must have been exceptional builders for it to last over 4,000 years! Today it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

They worshipped cats
It may seem today by the amount of cat videos viewed on the internet that cats are worshipped, and it definitely seems like they consider themselves to be God-like creatures, but in Ancient Egypt, cats were actually worshipped as Gods. They were considered to be sacred by the Egyptians and were often mummified once they died, to be preserved in the same way as humans. The Great Sphinx of Giza represents a man’s head on a lion’s body, which reflects their love of felines.

Ancient Egyptians all wore make up
Both men and women in Ancient Egypt wore make up. The eye make up known as kohl was made from materials including copper and lead, and mixed with oil. It was used as a form of protection from the sun and they also believed it had magical healing properties which could protect and heal a person’s eyes. So men, you’d be all made up if you lived in Ancient Egyptian times, but don’t worry, it’s no longer a custom there today.

90% of Egyptians today are Muslim
The majority of Egyptians follow the religion of Islam. When visiting Egypt there are plenty of religious sights and attractions to see including magnificent mosques. For example, you can visit the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo’s oldest and biggest mosque, built more than 1,000 years ago in 879 A.D. As religion is so important in Egypt, you cannot visit the mosque during prayer times, but can visit any day for free outside of these hours.

It only gets an inch of rain per year
If you’re looking for a hot and sunny destination for your next holiday, Egypt is definitely the place to go. On average it only gets an inch of rainfall each year. So it would be advisable to stock up on sun cream and leave the umbrella at home.

Hopefully these fun facts have prepared you for your holiday in Egypt, or convinced you to book one if you haven’t already.