The Great Sphinx

Giza, Egypt

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The Great Sphinx of Giza, the oldest known monumental sculpture in Egypt, is a colossal limestone sphinx carved from the bedrock of the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile. Standing 20 metres high with a human head and lion's body, the monument faces east and was likely created during the Old Kingdom reign of either Khufu (c. 2590–2566 BCE) or Khafre (c. 2558–2532 BCE), though the identity of the pharaoh it represents remains disputed among scholars. Measuring 73 metres long from paw to tail and 19 metres wide at its haunches, it forms part of the Memphite Necropolis and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monument has undergone multiple restorations, including recent work replacing limestone blocks at its base. The Sphinx's distinctive missing nose resulted from deliberate damage inflicted with tools rather than, as popular legend claims, from Napoleonic artillery fire during the 1798 Egyptian campaign.