|
|
register now
for site updates
(type your email here)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Debating visiting rights
April 9, 2001
Zahi Hawass tries to justify new Pyramid visitation rules
Ever since the last Eid-ul-Fitr, the three day holiday following Ramadan, an increasingly surreal debate has been taking place, one that touches on questions of modernity, nationalism and history, as well as a bevy of domestic, international, touristic, economic and cultural concerns.
The debate over who can and cannot visit the Pyramids, the last remaining wonder of the ancient world, and perhaps the most famous structures ever built by man, started when a plan that had been discussed quite frequently in the press and in archaeological circles actually took effect. A second entrance to the Giza Pyramids plateau was built on the Fayoum Road, to complement the original entrance at the end of Pyramids Road by the Mena House Hotel.
During public holidays, totalling eight days a year, Egyptians would only be allowed to visit the Pyramids from the new entrance on Fayoum Road, and only foreign tourists would be allowed to use the traditional Mena House entrance.
From the Fayoum entrance, however, visitors were only allowed to go so far, to a large picnic area with a clear view -- albeit from a long distance -- of the Pyramids.
The decision surprised many of the thousands of families who descend on the Pyramids during public holidays, when it has become a tradition to spend the day in the shade of the great monuments, and perhaps enjoy a picnic as well.
But in fact, that was precisely the logic behind the decision not to allow the deluge to continue.
According to the antiquities officials who voted on the plan, Egyptian visitors were desecrating the monuments and in general creating an eyesore.
The decision, however, was not taken lightly by Al-Wafd, which began spearheading a campaign to at least embarrass those who took the decision by featuring the story on its front page. In addition to the news coverage, outspoken writer Safinaz Kazem also contributed a back page opinion piece on the matter.
When the same thing happened during eid-ul-adha, more front page coverage appeared in Al-Wafd, and a smaller opinion piece by Kazem , albeit with the same vehemence, appeared in the venerable pages of Al-Ahram.
This week, in the lead up to next Monday's Sham El-Nessim holiday, Giza plateau director Zahi Hawass provides Al-Ahram readers with what he calls a clarification on the matter. In no uncertain terms, Hawass argues, are we preventing Egyptians from visiting the Pyramids. We are merely moving the visitors to a place where they can't be seen.
Not mincing words, Hawass says that the throngs of up to 250,000 Egyptians with their pots and pans, playing soccer and posing a threat not only to the monuments but also to themselves, do not blend in with the Giza Plateau environment. He emphasizes that this was a group decision, and that it had its real roots in a lack of a legitimate understanding on the part of Egyptians of the importance of heritage. He emphasizes that the rule also only applies on eight days out of the whole year, during public holidays.
Others have argued that the decision is precisely the kind of thing that turns people off of their heritage, since the most important thing, after all, is access. In any case, this certainly looks like a debate that's just beginning.
April 13, 2001
Who can't visit the Pyramid?
The debate over the new rules governing when and where Egyptians can visit the Pyramids got even hotter this week, with writer Safinaz Kazem responding to Giza plateau director Zahi Hawass's clarification of the new rules, and both being joined by Culture Minister Farouk Hosni, who attempted to explain more clearly why the rules were put into place.
Al-Wafd and Al-Ahram have been the playing fields for the debate, which started when antiquities authorities decided to allocate a picnic area far away from the monuments for the crowds of Egyptians that traditionally visit the Pyramids on major public holidays like the eid, and this Monday's Sham El-Nessim.
On those days, the regular entrance to the plateau, at the end of Pyramids road near the Mena House Hotel, would only be open for tourists.
The decision has irked a lot of people, who regard it as a snub to locals in favor of foreigners.
After Hawass attempted to justify the new rules in a column in Al-Ahram last week, Kazem responded in Al-Wafd, challenging Hwass's claims that the area is of too much historical significance to merely be a place to have fun and relax. She also cynically wonders whether Egyptians will now have to seek out green cards or US and Canadian citizenship just to visit the pyramids.
According to the Minister of Culture, whose statement was subsequently published in Al-Ahram, there are "two types of Pyramid visits": the first for specialists, researchers, and explorers, as well as those who want to enter the monuments -- basically tourists. The second type includes those who just want to enjoy the surroundings. This, the Minister argues, is what the division is all about, rather than a decision to deny anyone access to the pyarmids. In fact, Hosni says, the ministry actively encourages school trips, boasting as well that the second type of visit is now feee on public holidays.
All these points may soon be overshadowed by the more major changed set to take place on the plateau. According to architect Tarek Naga, profiled in this week's Al-Ahram Weekly, the whole area is in the process of a transformation of sorts. Naga has been assigned the difficult task of turning the whole area into a more appropriately designed tourism venue. He says he plans on eliminating all structures on the plateau, as well as the asphalt roads, and the Mena House entrance itself. Electric trains will take people back and forth, and any structures will be built underground so as not to clash with the monuments.
In any case, it should be interesting to see how this whole thing develops...
April 17, 2001
Meanwhile, back at the Plateau
If things were still somewhat unclear to newspaper readers in the lead up to Shem El-Nessim, regarding whether or not Egyptians would be free to enjoy their traditional picnic by the Pyramids, the fault probably lay with whoever was writing the headlines.
Whereas both Al-Ahram and Al-Wafd seemed to indicate that Egyptians would be allowed to picnic on the plateau as usual, Al-Akhbar clearly indicated that only tourists would be permitted.
The long and short of the matter is that pyramid visitations on major holidays are now divided into two categories. The first, broadly termed "cultural visits", basically encompasses tourists and anyone else who is there to look at and learn about the Pyramids, as well as possibly tour them from the inside. Officials have clarified that this does not single out Egyptians, who are welcome to visit the Plateau as tourists but not for picnics and en masse as before.
That type of visit has now been confined to a specially designated picnic area far from, but in view, of the monuments. The decision has been the subject of quite a bit of debate ever since it was implemented during the two eid holidays earlier this year.
The only difference on Shem El-Nessim was that this time, there would be extra buses available to transport visitors from the traditional entrance at the end of Pyramids road near the Mena House Hotel to the new entrance off of the Fayoum highway.
Did you like this article? Send your comments to comments@cairolive.com
|
|
|
