Pictures: Egypt on the threshold of the majestic Pharaohs’ Golden Parade

CAIRO – 3 April 2021: Egypt has concluded the final preparations for its first of a kind Pharaohs’ Golden Parade that will see 22 ancient monarchs parading the streets of the Egyptian capital amid tight security and celebrations. The president will receive the mummies.

The 22 mummies, who died over 3,000 years ago, will be moved from the Egyptian Museum in El-Tahrir Square, where they stayed for decades. Their new residence will be Fustat’s National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

 

Photos were published for teams preparing Egyptian flag-draped coffins for the 18 kings and 4 queens that will be in the parade.

Meritamun, T, Hatshepsut, Ahmose Nefertari are the four queens of the parade.

Kings Ramses II, Ramses III, Ramses IV, Ramses V, Ramses VI and Ramses IX will tour the capital.

Kings in the parade also include Thutmose I, Thutmose II, Thutmose III, Thutmose IV, Seqenenre Tao, Amenhotep I, Amenhotep II, Amenhotep III, Seti I, Seti II, Merenptah and Siptah.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has arrived at the pharaohs’ new residence at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

 

“With all pride and pleasure, I look forward to receiving the kings and queens of Egypt,” El-Sisi wrote on Twitter.

“This majestic scene is a new evidence on the greatness of [the Egyptian] people who are guarding this extended, unique civilization deep inside history,” the president said.

El-Sisi called on Egyptian men and women as well as the whole world to follow up on the parade.

He hailed those monarchs as “great ancestors who preserved the nation and made a civilization that all the humanity is proud of”.

 

The first lady, Entissar Amer, also praised the event, saying it “expressed the greatness of the ancient civilization that introduced and still introduces a unique and diverse legacy to the humanity”.

The Interior Ministry has announced road closures during the event tonight.

This includes entry and exit points to Tahrir Square, including those from 6 October Bridge and 15 May Bridge will be closed along with the shutting down of Qasr El-Nile Bridge, El-Gamaa Bridge, Abbas Bridge and Misr-Helwan Road to ensure the smoothness of the parade.

 

The mummies will be transferred through specially prepared vehicles in the ancient Egyptian style with their names inscribed in Egyptian hieroglyphs and Arabic.

 

Egyptian artists and actors will participate in the parade, including famed stars Mona Zaki, Yousra, Hussein Fahmy, Hend Sabry, Amina Khalil and Asser Yassin.

Seqenenre Tao dubbed “The Brave,” will lead the Pharaohs Golden Parade. He ruled southern Egypt during the Hyksos occupation that seized the delta in northern Egypt for a century. He is the last king of the 17th Dynasty.

Renowned Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass said the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization was chosen to display the mummies in a civilized manner.

 

To protect the mummies during the parade, they will be placed in special capsules filled with nitrogen and carried on carts that will cradle them and provide stability, Hawass added.

Several actors, singers and public figures as well as local and international officials will attend the parade.

Among the attendees are Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay, chief of the UNWTO Zurab Pololikashvili, Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis and Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khatib.

On April 4, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization will open its main hall for visitors. You will be able to visit the Royal mummies starting April 18.

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