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Where is the Great Sphinx?

LandmarksAncient History

Quick Answer

The Great Sphinx sits on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile near Cairo, Egypt, beside the famous pyramids.

The Full Story

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a giant limestone statue with the body of a lion and the head of a human, carved straight out of the bedrock. Most Egyptologists believe it was made for the pharaoh Khafre around 2500 BCE, and it lies next to the causeway leading to his pyramid. It is about 73 metres long and 20 metres high, making it one of the largest single-stone statues in the world. For much of its history it was buried up to the shoulders in sand, and it was fully dug out only in the 1930s. The nose is missing, and records suggest it was deliberately damaged centuries ago, not shot off by Napoleon’s soldiers as legend claims.

Key Facts

1.Traces of red paint suggest the Sphinx was once brightly coloured.
2.A stone slab called the Dream Stele sits between its paws, placed by pharaoh Thutmose IV.
3.The face is about 4 metres wide.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"Who Broke the Sphinx’s Nose? Secrets of Egypt’s Guardian"