AL-MINYA

FIRST: THE PHARAONIC PERIOD

BENI HASSAN AL-SHURRUQ
• The site lies on the Eastern Bank of the Nile, 20km south of the city of Al-Minya.
  
• Houses 390 rock-cut tomb chapels decorated with scenes depicting local and regional life during the Middle Kingdom.
  
• It also hosts the Temple of Hatshepsut in an area popularly called Istabl' Antar (Stables of Antar).

  TELL EL-AMARNA

• The New city built by Akhnaten and dedicated to the god Aton. There Akhnaten lived, with his wife and daughters, in isolation devoting himself to the monotheistic religion he advocated.
  
• Parts of the temples, palaces and noble tombs still stand despite attempts by Hur Muheb to destroy the monuments after the King's death.
  
• Nearby lies the region of Al-Haj Qandil containing similiar tombs.

  AL-SHEIKH IBADAH (MALLAWI)

  There is the Temple of Ramses II built in honor of the local deity (Thoth), known as the God of Wisdom and Knowledge.

  
  

SECOND: THE GRAECO-ROMAN PERIOD

AL-ASHMUNAYN AND TUNAH AL-GABAL
• Al-Ashmunayn was the capital city at that time and was called Hermopolis.
  
• Contains the ruins of the Greek city where you can see several columns of the Basilica similiar to the Acropolis in Greece.
  
• In Tunah Al-Gabal many corridors and galleries were discovered containing millions of embalmed ibis and baboons, held sacred by the god Thoth.
  
• There is also the Tomb-chapel of Petosiris, the High Priest. The mural paintings depict a blend of Pharaonic and Greek art.

  
  

THIRD: THE COPTIC PERIOD

• Deir al-Adra (Monastery of the Virgin) stands on the Gabal Al-Tayr (Mountain of the Birds), Markaz Samalut.
  
• There is an old church built by Empress Helena in 328 on the site where the Virgin, Christ and Joseph, the Carpenter, stayed during their journey to Egypt.

FOURTH: THE ISLAMIC PERIOD

• Contains numerous monuments dating back to the Islamic Conquest of Egypt.
• The story of the conquest indicates the strong alliance between the Copts of Egypt and the Arabs in the struggle against Roman oppression.

  
  AL-SHEIKH 'IBADAH (MALLAWI)

• Contains important monuments dedicated to the renowned Muslim warrior Ibadah Ibn Al Samet (Ibadah son of the Silent).

  
  

HOW TO REACH AL-MINYA

• By daily airconditioned trains, scheduled at regular hours.
  
• By private vehicles, taxis and tourist buses.
  

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