Of course, first of all, this country is known to tourists as a place in which the 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 Sahara desert. This is the ancient kingdom of sand, bizarre mountains and intricate ancient symbols.
The culture of Egypt is quite interesting and informative. One has only to start studying it, as you understand: this process can capture so much that you completely forget about what is happening around the events.
Well, let's start in order.
Section 1. Culture of Egypt: the largest cities of 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. People come here 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, from the time of school, you remember the existence of such a powerful hydraulic structure as the Aswan Dam. In addition, having been in Aswan, you should definitely visit the local botanical garden, tombs of medieval nobility, a summer cottage and the current mausoleum of the Aga Khan. In your free time, go to the unforgettable and stunning island of Elephantine, or to the ruins of the monastery of St. Simeon.
Cairo , which is now integrated with the once separate town of El Ghiza, is the capital of the state. Here, the civilization of ancient Egypt will appear before you in all greatness, because it is in this place that tourists can visit the pyramids and take pictures with the mysterious Sphinx.
Luxor . A small administrative center, which contains such world-famous sights as the Karnak Temple, the City of the Dead, the Valley of the Kings and Queens, as well as funerary churches of famous Egyptian rulers: Medinet Abu, Hatshepsut and Ramesseum.
Section 2. Culture of Egypt: language, customs, traditions
Language . The generally recognized spoken language of Egypt is considered a rather peculiar Arabic dialect of local origin. This is a mixture of several dialects at once, among which the Cairo variety of speech still dominates. Arabic is considered the official language, but it is spoken only by highly educated local residents, who make up a small percentage of the population of the whole country.
Local customs . Of course, in many ways, if not to say, the Muslim faith determines the whole rhythm of life of the Egyptians. The guests of the country are immediately struck by the peculiarities of national costumes, which are observed everywhere, and not only, as is often the case, in rural areas and tiny cities. In most cases, men put on a white shirt of loose fit, and women, on the contrary, dress in black and allow themselves to be decorated with only lace. The Egyptian head and hair are hidden under the so-called higab, but they don’t wear a burqa, so their faces can be seen.
Religion. Probably, I will not surprise anyone if I say that this country is quite religious. If you managed to visit there 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 all believers to turn to God.
Most Egyptians practice Islam, but in this country you can trace a fairly rich history of Christianity.
Section 3. Culture of Egypt. National cuisine
Tourists usually characterize local dishes as quite simple, but at the same time very hearty and nutritious. Everything here is mainly prepared from ripe vegetables and fruits. Various seasonings and spices are very generously added.
In general, speaking generally, this country is characterized by the presence of two cuisines at once: southern (more spicy) and northern (relatively soft).
The most favorite dishes of the local population are prepared from beans and are called fulula. From meat, Egyptians are happy to eat lamb, which can be grilled, stewed with vegetables, and also added to other dishes in the form of minced meat. Eating pork is prohibited for religious reasons.
But the local population with great pleasure prefers a pigeon, from which excellent hamam-makshe is prepared (for this, the bird is stuffed with rice and spices and grilled on charcoal), as well as fish, which in most cases is served in combination with sweet pepper and tomatoes.
Egyptians are famous sweet tooth. In any house, hotel or restaurant for dessert, you will be offered a dish called menenas, which is a bun filled with cinnamon, pistachios, almonds or dates, and water that has previously been infused with orange blossoms is added to the dough.