This year, Egypt is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the exceptional discovery of King Tutankhamun's tomb, and the 200th anniversary of the deciphering of the Rosetta Stone that enabled the world to understand ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. The deciphering of Egyptian hieroglyphs is often considered the beginning of modern Egyptology as a field of academia. This year will be full of wonders for people who are interested in Egyptology, as Egypt has announced major tourist events that will be held throughout 2022. Solar alignment on Abu Simbel Temple The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is organising a major event in February on the occasion of the solar alignment on the Abu Simbel Temple in Aswan. The ministry asserted that this year's date of the alignment is special and will not be repeated again, as it will be on 22-02-2022. Abu Simbel is the largest rock-carved temple in the world. The solar alignment on the temple only happens twice a year on the anniversaries of king Ramses II's birthday and coronation on 22 October and 22 February, respectively. The sun's rays shine through the front corridor of the entrance to the temple and then align on the Holy of Holies. International fashion show in Luxor World-renowned Italian fashion designer Stefano Ricci stated that he will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his brand in Luxor this March. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Anany announced that the international fashion designer will be presenting his latest designs in front of the Temple of Hatshepsut. He explained that the show was organised after the Avenue of Sphinxes celebration, which shed light on the archaeological elements of Luxor, pointing out that Ricci's shows attract rich tourists, which is one of the ministry's goals. Archaeological discovery in Saqqara The Tourism Ministry has revealed that a new archaeological discovery in the Saqqara region will be announced next March in a special ceremony. The discovery was made by a completely Egyptian archaeological mission headed by the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri. The ministry added that due to the discoveries made in Saqqara, the region has become one of the most popular cultural destinations for tourists of different nationalities. Opening of Muhammed Ali Pasha's Palace The ministry also announced that it will be holding an opening ceremony for Muhammed Ali Pasha's Palace in Qaliubiya sometime in the first quarter of 2022. One of the interesting things that characterised the palace in Shubra was that it featured the first modern lighting system. The United Kingdom was the first to implement the system in 1820 at the hands of M. Galaway, who was soon called by Mohammed Ali Pasha to apply the system to his palace. It was considered a great qualitative change. The palace was also unique in how it combined European decorations with Islamic architecture, as it featured four ceilings enclosed with a large fountain standing at the centre as if it were the yard of a mosque. Moreover, the drawings and decorations were painted in the 19th century's Italian and French styles. Inauguration of Greco-Roman Museum Waziri announced that the Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria will also be inaugurated in 2022 after a hiatus of about 10 years. "We have started placing the artefacts, and within a few months, it will be completely finished and ready for inauguration," he said. The museum contains a large collection of coins from different countries. They have been arranged in a historically chronological order, starting with 630 BC and ending with the Ottoman empire in the 19th century. There is also a collection that covers the period from the third century BCE to the seventh century CE. It is a fascinating record of civilisation. The museum contains hundreds of precious artefacts, including many architectural elements from early Christian buildings, and a varied collection of ancient jewellery with different magnificent colours. Inauguration of Grand Egyptian Museum Minister El-Anany confirmed that a several-day long celebration will be held when the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza is inaugurated, asserting that this great edifice is deserving of such an event. The ministry did not disclose the date of the event, however, it asserted that the ceremony is scheduled to take place during 2022. When it is completed, the GEM will not only be the new crown jewel of Egypt, but will also be one of the largest, most modern, and most renowned museums in the entire world. Opening Capitals Museum in NAC Furthermore, the ministry announced that it will be inaugurating the Capitals Museum in the City of Arts and Culture in the New Administrative Capital (NAC) sometime during 2022. The museum will display antiquities from a number of ancient and modern cities of Egypt, including Memphis, Thebes, Tell El-Amarna, Alexandria, Fustat, Fatimid Cairo, modern Egypt, and Khedival Cairo. The museum will also contain a pavilion that represents Ancient Egyptian beliefs, comprising the Tomb of Tutu; a hall of mummies, coffins, canopic pots; and a set of false doors.
