05The story
Five thousand years of building
From the first pyramid in stone to the largest museum of a single civilisation: milestones in the architecture of Egypt.
c. 2670 BC
The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, the first pyramid built in Egypt.
2613–2589 BC
The Bent and then the Red Pyramid at Dahshur: from stepped to smooth sides.
c. 2580 BC
The Great Pyramid rises at Giza.
c. 1971 BC
Building begins at Karnak, and continues into the Ptolemaic era.
c. 1400 BC
Luxor Temple is built in Nubian sandstone.
c. 1264 BC
The carving of the Abu Simbel temples begins.
331 BC
Alexandria is founded on the Mediterranean coast.
280–247 BC
The Lighthouse of Alexandria is built under Ptolemy II.
237 BC
Work begins on the Temple of Edfu, finished some 180 years later.
876–879
The Mosque of Ibn Tulun, the oldest well-preserved mosque in Egypt.
969
Cairo is founded.
1176
Construction of the Citadel begins on the Mokattam hills.
1356–1363
The Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hasan is built.
1477–1479
The Citadel of Qaitbay rises on the site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
1964–1968
The Abu Simbel temples are cut up and moved to higher ground.
1979
Five Egyptian sites join the World Heritage List, among them the pyramids, Thebes and Historic Cairo.
2002
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina opens.
2025
The Grand Egyptian Museum officially opens on 1 November.