Visitors will be able to see the inside of the Pyramid of Menkaure, smallest of the three Giza Pyramids, from June, while the Khufu Pyramid is closed.
The Board of Directors of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), chaired by Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa, announced the closure of Khufu for planned maintenance work and restoration.
During the meeting, the board also announced that admission ticket prices will be increased for some archaeological sites and museums from December 1, 2023. The new prices will be announced prior on the Ministry’s website: https://mota.gov.eg/ar/
Issa said his ministry intends to raise the efficiency of public spending programmes related to the development of museums and archaeological sites with support for the SCA budget for fiscal year 2023-2024 due to high costs of maintenance, restoration, excavation work and other work undertaken by the SCA.
SCA Secretary General Mostafa Waziry praised the Central Administration of Ports and Archaeological Units for foiling bids to smuggle the 128 artefacts out of the country in March.
The Graeco-Roman Museum in Alexandria will be open soon and display for the first time artefacts from sunken antiquities, Waziry said.
Restoration and maintenance work have been completed at the Babylon Fortress and the Ben Azra Synagogue in Old Cairo and they will be opening soon, Waziry added.
He announced completing restoration work of 41 out of 134 columns in the Hypostyle Hall in the Karnak Temples. The Temple of Medinet Habu in Luxor, which was built by King Ramsess III in the 20th dynasty, will be open soon, after removing the dirt on its walls, the colours have re-appeared by 100 per cent.
Waziry also announced the starting restoration of the Mausoleum and Mosque of Shahin Al-Khalwati, which was built in 1538 on the Mokattam Hills. Al-Khalwati was a Mamluk warrior who moved from Persia to Egypt, and preferred spirituality over war.
This is in addition to completing the restoration of the first and second halls in the Temple of Seti in Qurna, across the River Nile from the modern city of Luxor.
He also briefed the meeting on latest developments carried out during March, including the opening of Al-Hakim Mosque, in addition to announcing a number of discoveries such as the corridor on the northern face of the Great Pyramid, more remains of the Sun Temple in Mataria. In addition, many discoveries were declared in the governorates of Qena, Beheira, Luxor, Aswan, Esna, Qalyubia, Saqqara in Giza, Dakahlia, Fayoum, Bahariya Oasis, North Sinai and South Sinai.
