EGYPT: Authorities move granite statue of the Pharaoh Ramses II from Ramses Square to the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Record ID: 852528

  • Title: EGYPT: Authorities move granite statue of the Pharaoh Ramses II from Ramses Square to the Grand Egyptian Museum.
  • Date: 25th August 2006
  • Summary: (W1) CAIRO, EGYPT (AUGUST 25, 2006) (REUTERS) THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF STATUE STATUE MOVING TRUCK WITH STATUE ON IT CROWD WALKING IN FRONT OF STATUE CROWD PEOPLE WAVING FROM THE BALCONIES/STATUE MOVING PAST
  • Embargoed: 9th September 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • City:
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,History
  • Reuters ID: LVAAEFTEO7YS38SWVYIUJHYMD4MU
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  • Story Text: Egyptian authorities began moving the statue of one of Egypt's greatest Paraohs on Friday (August 25, 2006) away from the bustle of central Cairo to its new home near the pyramids.
    The colossal 3,200-year old statue of the Pharaoh Ramses II that has towered over a busy square in downtown Cairo for over half a century is being moved to save it from the effects of decades of pollution and vibrations from the metro station beneath Ramses Square.
    At 1am (local time), a massive steel cage was used to brace the 11 meter (35 foot), 125-ton statue atop two flatbeds trucks.
    Thousands watched and cheered as it began the 8 mile journey to Giza that is expected to take up to 10 hours.
    With the growth of Cairo, Ramses Square has become increasingly noisy and polluted, and it was felt that the statue would be safer in Giza, where it will be housed in the soon to be built Grand Museum of Egypt.
    "The statue's going to be completely safe," said Dr. Zahi Hawass, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Egyptian Antiquities. "The trip will take about 10 hours. The cost of this project is about 6 million Egyptian pounds. The statue will be put inside the museum and we will build the museum around the statue and this is the reason why we are moving the statue right now," he added.
    The giant statue of one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs was moved to the square that bore his name in 1954 from the ancient city of Memphis where it was discovered buried horizontally.
    Ramses square will now be renamed Mubarak square, in honour of Egyptian president Husni Mubarak who has reigned for 25 years.
    When the statue was originally moved from Memphis it was cut into six pieces to make it easier to transport. This time, however, it is being moved standing vertically, and in one piece.
    The move is being made overnight when Cairo's normally gridlocked streets are relatively free from traffic.
    Speaking at the sending off ceremony, Dr. Hawass said that the successful completion of Ramses' journey would send a message to the world.
    "That's why I'm saying, the trip of a king, one of the greatest kings of Egypt who signed the first peace treaty in the world -- the movement of that king today will tell the people all over the world that the monuments of Egypt is safe," said Hawass.
    State television feted today's move, giving Ramses' journey live coverage and historical footage of the statue's journey from Memphis to Cairo in the 1954 and the pharaoh's fifty two year reign over one of Cairo's busiest public squares.
    The project to move the statue is being carried out by the by the Arab contractors construction company and will cost around 6 million Egyptian pounds.
    The statue of Ramses II will eventually reside in the Grand Museum of Egypt, which is slated to be built on the Giza plateau near the Great Pyramids, and should be finished in about five years.
    Ramses II, who died in 1237BC, was one of Ancient Egypt's most powerful rulers, having expanded the borders of Egypt's empire and built numerous temples and monuments during his 67-year reign.
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