The Tourism and Antiquities Ministry announced the participation of 20 ministers and 35 ambassadors in the legendary celebration of the opening of Sphinx Avenue (Road of the Rams), the oldest historical passage in the world.
The event was attended by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, First Lady Intessar El Sisi, Prime Minister Dr Mostafa Madbouli and Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Dr Khaled El-Anani.
As many as 200 representatives of local and international news agencies, papers and TV channels covered the huge event.
This is the second global event to take place in Egypt following the inauguration of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization with the spectacular Pharaohs’ Golden Parade that saw the transferring of 22 mummies from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to their new home.
The event reflects President Sisi’s keenness on highlighting the richness and glory of Egypt’s ancient civilization in tandem with his keenness on carrying out mega national projects across the country.
The King’s Festivities Road of the Rams dates back to 5,000 years ago.
The road was built for the purpose of witnessing the annual celebrations of the Opet Festival, feasts and special occasions, as well as the coronation of kings, with processions that extended from Karnak Temples to Luxor Temple.
The King’s Festivities Road hosts statues of the Great Sphinx or rams along its length of 2,700 meters from the Luxor Temple to Karnak Temples. In the Pharaonic eras, the number of rams in the two rows was 1,300 rams, but currently there are only about 300 of the original rams. The rest of the rams were destroyed in the eras that followed the Pharaonic one.
The construction of this road began in the rule of King Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty, who started the construction of the Luxor Temple.
However, the largest share of the road’s implementation was completed during the reign of King Nectanebo I, founder of the 30th Dynasty.
Rams in the road symbolize the god Amun that represents fertility of the ancient Egyptians, and the Ancient Egyptians called it “Wat-nTr”, meaning the Path of God. These statues were carved from a single block of sandstone with a cornice inscribed with the king’s name and titles.
Source: State Information Service Egypt