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Al-Ahram Weekly 15 - 21 July 1999 Issue No. 438 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 15 - 21 July 1999 Issue No. 438
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Travel Living Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters Face-lift for Khafre
By Nevine El-Aref
After the restoration and reopening of a range of Giza Plateau landmarks, in particular Khufu's Pyramid and the Valley Temple of the Sphinx, the Pyramid of Khafre has now been padlocked in readiness for a long overdue face-lift.
This is the third time that Khafre's Pyramid has closed for restoration. It is a part of the rotational system that is in place at the Giza Plateau to preserve the monuments. Every year, one pyramid closes for 12 months while two remain open for visitors.
Zahi Hawass, director general of the Giza Plateau, said that the restoration work will start from the main doorway and reach to the burial chamber with initial attention to be given to several cracks which have appeared on the inner walls.
"Restoration will also include the installation of a new lighting and ventilation system, as well as the cleanup of the wooden stairway. Damaged steps will be removed and replaced by new ones," Hawass said. "The new ventilation system that will be installed in the pyramid is similar to the one in the Great Pyramid of Khufu." This new system will circulate the air inside the pyramid through two vent-holes next to the original air shafts found on the northern and southern sides of the king's burial chamber.
Graffiti left by the pyramid's visitors will be removed from the walls of the burial chamber and the corridor. "However, the graffiti written by the famous Egyptologist, Belzone, on the wall of Khafre's burial chamber in 1818 will remain as it is. It is now considered one of the main inner features of the pyramid," Hawass said.
Another Giza Plateau pyramid has closed for repairs
Photos: Sherif Sonbol
According to officials, there will be an upgrading of the closed circuit TV system installed inside the pyramid to monitor the behaviour of visitors.
A new stairway will allow access to the original entrance. This will see visitors exiting from another route so that they can enter and leave by two different corridors. "This will enable [the] smooth flow of visitors. In order to be sure that the pyramid will be kept protected, the number of visitors per day will be reduced to 300," Hawass declared.
He attributed the rapid deterioration of Khafre's Pyramid to the breathing of visitors. This causes both humidity and salt encrustation. "More than two million visitors enter the pyramid annually and each person exhales about 20 grams of water vapour which causes humidity and affects the monument," he said.
The additional fee charged for visiting Khufu's Pyramid after it was reopened in 1995 was another factor in Khafre's deterioration. It resulted in increased numbers of visitors to Khafre's Pyramid, as its entrance was "free" because it was included in the price of the ticket to visit the Giza Plateau.
"Rains and the sound of aircraft also shared in the rapid deterioration of the monuments. Thus an agreement has been made to exclude the plateau from Egyptian air routes," Hawass said.
