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Overview
The Great Sphinx
The Great Sphinx of Giza is the largest monolithic statue in the world, carved directly from the natural limestone bedrock of the Giza plateau. It depicts a reclining lion with a human head, facing due east toward the rising sun. The body stretches 73 meters from paw to tail and stands 20 meters tall. The head, believed to bear the face of Pharaoh Khafre, was carved from a harder limestone layer than the body, which accounts for the differential weathering visible today.
The Sphinx is positioned at the eastern end of Khafre’s complex and functioned as a guardian of the plateau’s causeways and temples. Between its paws stands the Dream Stela, a granite tablet erected by Pharaoh Thutmose IV (c. 1400 BCE) recording a legend in which the Sphinx appeared to him in a dream and promised him the throne if he cleared the sand burying its body — an early record of the Sphinx being partially obscured by desert encroachment.
Depending on the season, the Sphinx’s nose casts a shadow that functions as a solar marker at certain times of day, and at the spring and autumn equinoxes the sun sets directly over the shoulder of Khafre’s pyramid as seen from the Sphinx’s perspective — a deliberate celestial alignment that is widely accepted by archaeoastronomers.
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Interesting Facts
The Great Sphinx is 73 meters long, 20 meters high, and 19 meters wide — the world's largest monolithic statue
The Sphinx faces due east, aligned with the rising sun at the spring and autumn equinoxes
The Dream Stela between the Sphinx's paws, erected by Thutmose IV around 1400 BCE, is the oldest known literary reference to the monument
The body was carved from softer, more porous limestone than the head, resulting in significantly greater weathering on the torso than on the face
Estimates suggest the Sphinx was originally painted: red for the face, yellow for the body, and blue and yellow striping on the royal headdress (nemes)
History & Significance
The Great Sphinx was carved from a knoll of limestone left in place after quarrying operations on the Giza plateau, most likely during the reign of Khafre (c. 2558–2532 BCE), though some scholars propose an earlier date during the reign of Khufu. No definitive inscription names the builder, but the stylistic resemblance of the face to known statues of Khafre, and its physical position within Khafre’s complex, supports the attribution.
Ancient Egyptians called the Sphinx Hor-em-Akhet (‘Horus on the Horizon’) and later identified it with the god Ra-Horakhty. During the New Kingdom it was a major cult site, and a small chapel was built between its paws by Amenhotep II. The Dream Stela erected by Thutmose IV records the earliest known literary reference to the Sphinx.
Over millennia the Sphinx has required repeated restoration: first by New Kingdom pharaohs, then by Roman engineers, and extensively during the 20th century. Major consolidation work in the 1980s and again in the 1990s addressed severe chemical weathering from humidity and salt crystallization. The Sphinx’s missing nose — lost sometime between the 3rd and 14th centuries CE — is documented in medieval Arab texts but the exact circumstances remain unclear.
What to See
Eastern Enclosure Wall
The viewing terrace in front of the Sphinx provides the standard face-on viewpoint; the erosion channels in the limestone body are visible at close range from here.
Dream Stela
The granite tablet erected by Thutmose IV stands between the Sphinx's paws, recording one of the oldest known legends of the monument.
Valley Temple of Khafre
Immediately south of the Sphinx, this massive granite temple — partially open to visitors — is one of the best-preserved Old Kingdom structures on the plateau.
Solar Alignment View
At the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sun sets directly over Khafre's pyramid as viewed from the Sphinx's position — a deliberate astronomic orientation.
Great Sphinx Tickets and Prices (2026)
There is no separate Sphinx ticket: the Great Sphinx is part of the Giza plateau ticket, together with the outside of the pyramids. Prices are for foreign visitors; they change from time to time, so check at the gate.
| Ticket | Adult | Student |
|---|---|---|
| Giza plateau (includes the Sphinx and the Valley Temple) | EGP 700 | EGP 350 |
Payment is by bank card at the entrance. Visitors cannot walk around the Sphinx itself; you see it from the terrace in front of it and from the Valley Temple of Khafre beside it.
Opening Hours and the Best Time to Visit
The plateau opens daily at 7:00 AM and closes at 5:00 PM. The Sphinx faces east, so the morning light falls on its face; come early, before the tour buses. In the evening the Sound and Light Show lights it up from the terrace.
What to See
- The Sphinx: a lion's body with a king's head, carved from the bedrock of the plateau, about 73 metres long and 20 metres high. It is usually linked to King Khafre of the 4th Dynasty, around 2500 BC.
- The Dream Stele between its paws, set up by Thutmose IV, who tells how the Sphinx asked him in a dream to clear away the sand.
- The Valley Temple of Khafre next to it, built of huge granite blocks, where the causeway to the Pyramid of Khafre begins.
How to Get There and How Long You Need
The Sphinx stands at the lower, eastern edge of the Giza plateau, about 13 km from central Cairo. Allow 30–45 minutes here, and half a day for the whole plateau.
| How | Best for |
|---|---|
| Giza Pyramids day tour | The pyramids and the Sphinx with a guide and car. |
| Grand Egyptian Museum tour | Add the museum, a few minutes from the plateau. |
| Cairo day trip from Hurghada | A long day from the Red Sea. |
Great Sphinx: Common Questions
Is the Sphinx included in the pyramids ticket?
Yes. The Giza plateau ticket covers the Sphinx, the Valley Temple and the outside of the pyramids.
Can you touch the Sphinx?
No. It is protected; visitors see it from the terrace in front and from the Valley Temple.
Who built the Sphinx?
It is usually attributed to King Khafre of the 4th Dynasty, around 2500 BC, whose pyramid stands behind it.
Why is the Sphinx's nose missing?
It was deliberately damaged centuries ago. The popular story that Napoleon's soldiers shot it off is a myth: drawings made before his time already show it missing.
Tours Including The Great Sphinx
These packages visit this site as part of the itinerary.
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Egypt Round Tour: Cairo, Alexandria & Nile Cruise
Immerse yourself in 12 days of Egypt's rich history and culture, from the Great Pyramids of Giza and Alexandria's coastal...
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Day tours & Nile cruises visiting The Great Sphinx
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