The Great Sphinx of Giza: History, Mysteries and Best Photo Spots

The Great Sphinx of Giza is probably the most recognisable statue in the world: a colossal creature with the body of a lion and the face of a human, carved directly from the bedrock of the plateau some 4,500 years ago. It guards the pyramid complex and, in silence, has been staring east toward the sunrise since the Old Kingdom. This guide covers the essentials: who made it, what happened to its nose, the great myths and the best spots to photograph it.

What it is exactly

• Type: a monolithic statue carved out of the limestone bedrock.
• Length: 73 metres.
• Height: 20 metres.
• Face width: 4 metres.
• Material: local limestone. The head is a harder layer; the body is softer limestone (which is why the body has eroded faster).

It is the oldest and largest monumental statue known, and together with the Pyramids it defines the Giza skyline.

Who commissioned it

The dominant theory attributes the Sphinx to pharaoh Khafre (Chephren), son of Khufu, around 2500 BC. Arguments:

• It is aligned with the Valley Temple of Khafre, part of the same funerary complex.
• The quarry from which its blocks were cut was used to build that same temple.
• The style of the face matches other confirmed Khafre sculptures.

There are alternative theories — a minority view proposes a much older date based on patterns of water erosion — but mainstream Egyptology supports the Khafre dating.

What it represents

The most accepted reading: the Sphinx is an image of the pharaoh with the power and strength of a lion, guardian of the necropolis and a symbol of divine kingship. The head wore a nemes (the striped royal headdress) and originally a ceremonial beard and a uraeus serpent on the forehead.

Fragments of the beard are preserved today at the British Museum and at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The mystery of the nose

The first thing you notice: the nose is missing. The most common stories are false:

• ❌ It wasn't Napoleon: European drawings show the Sphinx without a nose almost a century before he arrived.
• ❌ It wasn't the British army or Ottoman artillery.
• ✅ The best-documented explanation points to the Sufi Saim al-Dahr, who in 1378 is said to have damaged it because he considered idolatrous that local peasants left offerings to the Sphinx. The medieval historian al-Maqrizi records the account.

Beyond the specific culprit, what is certain is that the mutilation is medieval, intentional and predates the European arrival.

The Dream Stela

Between the front paws there is an inscribed granite block: the "Dream Stela". It was placed there by pharaoh Thutmose IV (15th century BC) and tells how, as a prince, he fell asleep in the Sphinx's shadow and dreamt of it: the god promised to make him pharaoh in exchange for clearing the desert sand from around the statue. He did, he was crowned, and the stela commemorates the story.

It is the first documented case of archaeological restoration of the Sphinx — and it would not be the last.

Restorations and conservation

Over the centuries it has been excavated and restored several times:

• Thutmose IV (15th c. BC) cleared it from sand.
• Romans (1st–3rd c. AD) built stairways and walls around it.
• 19th and 20th centuries: French, Italian and Egyptian campaigns removed sediment and consolidated the body.
• Modern restorations (1980s and 2000s): controversial; some added blocks have since been removed or replaced.

Erosion, rising groundwater and salt in the stone are now monitored. It is one of the most closely watched monuments in Egypt.

Best spots to photograph it

• Front view, from the lower plaza: the classic shot with Khafre behind. Early morning for golden light and fewer crowds.
• Northern side view: shows the lion body and flanks better.
• Valley Temple of Khafre (just behind): closer angles and a different atmosphere.
• Panorama point in the desert (to the south): the Sphinx looks small but composes uniquely with the three pyramids.
• Sound & Light Show (evenings): the Sphinx lit by lasers and narration. Kitschy but photogenic.

Tip: climbing on the Sphinx or touching it is forbidden. The barrier is clearly marked.

How to visit

It is included in the general Giza entry ticket (around 540 EGP for foreigners). No separate add-on.

• Arrive early (at opening, 08:00) to avoid groups.
• 30–45 minutes is usually enough to see it, photograph it and read the on-site information.
• Combine with the pyramids: the natural route is to come down from Khufu/Khafre to the Sphinx at the end of the visit.

Myths and exaggerations you'll hear

• "It's 12,000 years old": no serious archaeological evidence supports it.
• "There are secret chambers underneath": geophysical surveys detected anomalies, but no documented accessible chambers.
• "It points at a specific constellation": it points east, at the equinox sunrise. A solar alignment, not a stellar one.

Where to stay to visit it comfortably

As with the pyramids, the best option is to stay in the Giza / Al Haram area. Some hotels have direct views of the Sphinx and Khafre — perfect for starting the day walking to the entrance.