Culture of Egypt. Plunge into the world of mystery, riddles and stories

Of course, above all, this country is known to tourists as a place where mysterious and mysterious pyramids and tombs of ancient Egyptian kings and queens are located. Here is the Nile, the only river in the world that crosses the entire desert of the Sahara. This is an ancient kingdom of sand, quaint mountains and intricate antique symbols.

The culture of Egypt is quite interesting and informative. It is only necessary to start studying it, as you will understand: this process can capture so much that you completely forget about the events taking place around.

Well, let's start in order.

Section 1. Culture of Egypt: the largest cities in the country

Of course, it is impossible to talk about this state without mentioning such famous cultural and ancient centers as Alexandria, Aswan, Cairo, Luxor, Port Said, El-Giza. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Alexandria , first of all, is the main seaport of Egypt. Here come those who want to visit numerous architectural monuments, swim in the gentle and warm Mediterranean Sea, and also admire the huge ships and luxury yachts.

Aswan ... Probably, since the times of the school you remember the existence of such a powerful hydraulic engineering structure as the Aswan Dam. In addition, after visiting Aswan, it is worth to visit the local botanical garden, the tombs of the medieval nobility, the dacha and the current mausoleum of Aga Khan. In your spare time, go on an unforgettable and stunning island of Elephantine or to the ruins of the monastery of St. Simeon.

Cairo , which now is one with the once separate town of El-Giza, is the capital of the state. Here the civilization of ancient Egypt will appear before you in all greatness, because in this place tourists can visit inside the pyramid and take a picture with the mysterious Sphinx.

Luxor . A small administrative center, in which there are such famous sights as the Karnak Temple, the City of the Dead, the Valley of Kings and Queens, as well as the funerary temples of the famous Egyptian rulers: Medinet-Abu, Hatshepsut and Ramesseum.

Section 2. Culture of Egypt: language, customs, traditions

Language . A widely-recognized Arabic dialect of local origin is widely recognized as the spoken language of Egypt. This is a mixture of several adverbs, among which the Cairo variety of speech is still dominant. The official language is Arabic, but only highly educated locals speak it, which constitute a small percentage of the population of the whole country.

Local customs . Of course, in many ways, if not to say - in all the rhythm of the life of the Egyptians is predetermined by the Muslim faith. Guests of the country immediately notice the peculiarities of national costumes, which are observed everywhere, and not only, as is often the case, in rural areas and tiny cities. Men in most cases wear a white shirt with a free cut, and women, on the contrary, dress in black and allow themselves to decorate their apparels only with lace. The head and hair of the Egyptian are hidden under the so-called gigab, but they do not wear a veil, so their faces can be fully considered.

Religion. Probably, I will not surprise anyone, if I say that this country is religious enough. If you were able to visit at least once, you probably noticed that the concept of "Egyptian culture" implies, among other things, universal prayer, which is held five times a day. In large cities, there are special loudspeakers, with which the muezzin regularly calls on all believers to turn to God.

Most Egyptians profess Islam, but in this country can be traced and a fairly rich history of Christianity.

Section 3. Culture of Egypt. National cuisine

Tourists usually characterize local dishes as simple enough, but at the same time very nutritious and nutritious. Everything here is mostly prepared from ripe vegetables and fruits. A variety of condiments and spices are added generously.

In general, speaking in general, for this country is characterized by the presence of just two cuisines: southern (more acute) and northern (relatively soft).

The most favorite dishes of the local population are prepared from beans and are called fulam. Of meat, the Egyptians gladly eat lamb, which can be cooked on the grill, stewed with vegetables, and also in the form of minced meat added to other dishes. Eating pork is prohibited for religious reasons.

But the local population prefers the pigeon with great pleasure, from which an excellent hammam-makshi is prepared (for this the bird is stuffed with rice with spices and fried on coals), and also fish, which in most cases is served in combination with sweet pepper and tomatoes.

The Egyptians are famous sweeties. In any house, hotel or restaurant for dessert you will be offered a dish called menenas, which consists of buns filled with cinnamon, pistachios, almonds or dates, water is added to the dough, previously infused with orange blossoms.