Latest news with #GizaPlateau
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
Hyatt and ADD Properties mark the official opening of Hyatt Centric Cairo West and announce plans for Hyatt Centric Cairo West Residences
Hosting a celebratory event for the grand launch of Hyatt Centric Cairo West, Hyatt and ADD Properties announce plans of a new branded residences project in Egypt U.A.E: Hyatt announced today that affiliates of Hyatt and ADD Properties (a member of Sami Saad Holding Hospitality and formerly known as ALDAU Development) have officially launched Hyatt Centric Cairo West continuing to strengthen their collaboration, with plans to further enhance Egypt's hospitality sector by adding new branded residences to the groups' development pipeline. Following the successful and strong reintroduction of the Hyatt brand to Egypt in 2021, with the opening of Hyatt Regency Cairo West, ADD Properties and Hyatt have now launched Egypt's first art-inspired hotel, Hyatt Centric Cairo West. Designed to deliver an immersive guest experience tailored to modern travellers seeking authenticity, creativity, and meaningful connection, the property, showcases contemporary Egyptian art and culture, curated by ADD Art (a subsidiary of ADD Properties) in collaboration with 11 local artists. The hotel is located in the upcoming area known as Cairo West – a visionary mixed-use destination on the Giza Plateau, strategically located near the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Designed to become the touristic capital of Egypt, Cairo West will seamlessly integrate hospitality, lifestyle, and culture within one of the country's most iconic and historically significant locations. During the grand opening event of Hyatt Centric Cairo West, ADD Properties and affiliates of Hyatt announced that they have entered into a license agreement to bring the first Hyatt Centric branded residences in the Middle East and Africa region. Located within the dynamic Cairo West destination, this new residential offering is set to include approximately 322 residences designed for those seeking an immersive, experience-driven lifestyle. True to the spirit of the Hyatt Centric brand, the residences are expected to blend modern design with vibrant community energy, giving residents access to thoughtfully curated amenities, contemporary social spaces and seamless connectivity to art, culture, and entertainment. 'We are excited to collaborate with ADD Properties on the upcoming Hyatt Centric branded residences project and are proud to mark the official opening of Hyatt Centric Cairo West,' commented Felicity Black-Roberts, SVP of Development, Hyatt. 'With the successful launch of two Hyatt brands in Egypt since 2021, we are deeply grateful to ADD Properties for their collaboration, valued expertise and strong capabilities and we look forward to continuing our work together on future project opportunities in Egypt.' 'We are proud to be driving forward a new era for Egypt's hospitality and real estate sector through this landmark collaboration with Hyatt. The opening of Hyatt Centric Cairo West and the introduction of the first Hyatt Centric branded residences upcoming in the region reflect our shared commitment to creating distinctive, experience-led destinations,' Lars Geweyer, CEO, ADD Properties - Hospitality Division, added. 'At ADD Properties, we believe in delivering projects that are bold, meaningful, and rooted in culture — and Cairo West is a shining example of this vision brought to life. We look forward to building on this momentum and exploring new opportunities with Hyatt as we shape the next chapter of Egypt's tourism story.' The term 'Hyatt' is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates. About ADD Properties Founded in 2007, ADD Properties (formerly known as ALDAU Development) is a diversified multi-sector conglomerate and a proud subsidiary of Sami Saad Holding, one of Egypt's most respected and long-standing business groups. Headquartered in Cairo with active operations in Egypt and the United Kingdom, ADD Properties has built a dynamic portfolio spanning real estate development, hospitality and property management, residential communities, F&B concepts, and cultural initiatives. With a clear vision to create lifestyle-driven destinations that enrich everyday living, ADD Properties is redefining integrated development across borders. Grounded in a strong Egyptian heritage and guided by a global outlook, the company remains committed to delivering sustainable value, innovation, and excellence across all its ventures. ADD Properties partners with world-renowned hotel brands to deliver exceptional guest experiences. These include Hyatt Hotels Corporation, H World International and IHG Hotels & Resorts. About Hyatt Hotels Corporation Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of March 31, 2025, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,450 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 79 countries across six continents. The Company's offering includes brands in the Luxury Portfolio, including Park Hyatt®, Alila®, Miraval®, Impression by Secrets, and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®; the Lifestyle Portfolio, including Andaz®, Thompson Hotels®, The Standard®, Dream® Hotels, The StandardX, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, JdV by Hyatt®, Bunkhouse® Hotels, and Me and All Hotels; the Inclusive Collection, including Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Hyatt Ziva®, Hyatt Zilara®, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts, Sunscape® Resorts & Spas, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts; the Classics Portfolio, including Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Destination by Hyatt®, Hyatt Centric®, Hyatt Vacation Club®, and Hyatt®; and the Essentials Portfolio, including Caption by Hyatt®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Studios, Hyatt Select, and UrCove. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Mr & Mrs Smith, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar® DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
New discovery beneath Egypt's Sphinx fuels theory of ancient underground city built 38,000 years ago
The mystery of a 'underground city' beneath Egypt 's pyramids has intensified after scientists revealed new scans showing a shaft plunging below the Great Sphinx. Italian researchers, who made waves earlier this year with claims of vast structures hidden beneath the Pyramid of Khafre, now say they have identified a colossal vertical shaft leading and two chambers below the Sphinx. The findings were presented at the recent Cosmic Summit in North Carolina, a gathering known for exploring alternative theories about ancient history. While mainstream archaeologists have slammed the work as unscientific and speculative, the team insists their latest scans point to something extraordinary. Filippo Biondi, a radar expert from University of Strathclyde in Scotland and co-author of the research, told 'These findings strongly support the hypothesis that the Giza Plateau conceals a vast subterranean complex, potentially indicative of an extensive underground city.' The scans detailed a massive shaft surrounded by a spiral-like staircase, decedending from the center of the Sphinx's base and down into two square structures, one at 2,000 feet and another 4,000 feet underground. Armando Mei, an Egyptologist and co-author of the study, noted that similar underground features have now been detected beneath all three major pyramids, suggesting a unified architectural blueprint. 'The discovery proves that the Giza Plateau was engineered long before the dynastic era, possibly around 36,400 BCE, as my research suggests,' he added. If confirmed, the findings could dramatically rewrite the history of ancient Egypt, challenging the long-held belief that the pyramids were built solely as royal tombs, and hinting instead at a forgotten civilization with advanced engineering skills. The iconic Giza pyramids and the Great Sphinx have long been hailed as marvels of ancient engineering, built roughly 4,500 years ago with breathtaking precision and scale that still baffle experts today. But the researchers are shaking up that timeline, suggesting these legendary monuments may rest atop far older, hidden structures that could predate known history by tens of thousands of years. It all began in March when the team announced four massive shafts and chambers were found under the Pyramid of Khafre using a type of sonar technology. They employed cutting-edge SAR Doppler Tomography, a technique that uses satellite radar to detect tiny seismic movements. By analyzing radar signals are and the timing or pattern of those signals when they bounce back, the team was able to create 3D maps revealing hidden subsurface structures. The technology has been published in a peer-reviewed journal. However, latest work by Corrado Malanga from Italy's University of Pisa, Biondi and Mei has not yet been published in a scientific journal for the review of independent experts. They plan to publish a study in 2026. 'Our geophysical surveys beneath the Great Sphinx uncovered pillar-like formations remarkably similar to those beneath the Khafre and Menkaure pyramids,' explained Biondi. 'Even more compelling, our tomographic imaging revealed two large chambers nearly 2,000 feet below the surface.' The two massive chambers, each measuring 131 feet by 131 feet, appear to be connected by an underground shaft, according to recent findings. The data collected also points to a network of hidden structures below the surface, possibly part of a vast underground city, potentially as expansive as the entire Giza Plateau itself. Mei explained that their theory of a lost city draws from ancient Egyptian texts, particularly Chapter 149 of the Book of the Dead, which references the '14 residences of the city of the dead.' 'It describes certain chambers and some inhabitants of the city. That is why we believe it could be Amenti [realm of the dead], as described in ancient texts,' he said. 'Of course, we must be certain, but we believe this could be the case because the pyramids are located exactly where the texts say. 'The texts state that the pyramids were built on top of the city, sealing its entrance.' Biondi added that the mysterious chambers found more than 4,000 feet below the pyramids may be linked to the legendary Hall of Records. The Hall of Records is a mythical chamber said to lie beneath the Great Pyramid or the Sphinx, reputed to house lost wisdom about ancient civilizations. Armando Mei (center) and his team, which includes Corrado Malanga (right) and Filippo Biondi (left), took the world by storm last month when they discovered shafts and chambers more than 2,000 feet below the surface. Despite its enduring allure, there is no solid evidence proving the Hall of Records exists. The team proposes that an advanced civilization originally built the complex, but was destroyed around 12,000 years ago by a 'divine flood' triggered by an asteroid impact. According to their theory, the pyramids are the lone surviving 'megastructure' from this ancient society. Alternate historians, including Graham Hancock, a frequent guest on Joe Rogan's podcast, have long suggested that a sophisticated prehistoric civilization was wiped out by a global cataclysm, possibly a comet strike. This theory holds that the catastrophic floods and upheaval erased most traces of this civilization, with survivors passing down critical knowledge of astronomy, engineering, and sacred architecture to later cultures such as the ancient Egyptians. The researchers now hope to gain permission from Egyptian authorities to excavate beneath the Giza Plateau and put their findings to the test, potentially rewriting the story of human history. 'We have the right. Humanity has the right to know who we are because, right now, we don't,' Biondi said.
Khaleej Times
07-07-2025
- Science
- Khaleej Times
Egyptian conservators give King Tut's treasures new glow
As a teenager, Eid Mertah would pore over books about King Tutankhamun, tracing hieroglyphs and dreaming of holding the boy pharaoh's golden mask in his hands. Years later, the Egyptian conservator found himself gently brushing centuries-old dust off one of Tut's gilded ceremonial shrines -- a piece he had only seen in textbooks. "I studied archaeology because of Tut," Mertah, 36, told AFP. "It was my dream to work on his treasures -- and that dream came true." Mertah is one of more than 150 conservators and 100 archaeologists who have laboured quietly for over a decade to restore thousands of artefacts ahead of the long-awaited opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) -- a $1 billion project on the edge of the Giza Plateau. Originally slated for July 3, the launch has once again been postponed — now expected in the final months of the year — due to regional security concerns. The museum's opening has faced delays over the years for various reasons, ranging from political upheaval to the Covid-19 pandemic. But when it finally opens, the GEM will be the world's largest archaeological museum devoted to a single civilisation. It will house more than 100,000 artefacts, with over half on public display, and will include a unique feature: a live conservation lab. From behind glass walls, visitors will be able to watch in real time as experts work over the next three years to restore a 4,500-year-old boat buried near the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu and intended to ferry his soul across the sky with the sun god Ra. But the star of the museum remains King Tut's collection of more than 5,000 objects -- many to be displayed together for the first time. Among them are his golden funeral mask, gilded coffins, golden amulets, beaded collars, ceremonial chariots and two mummified foetuses believed to be his stillborn daughters. - 'Puzzle of gold' - Many of these treasures have not undergone restoration since British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered them in 1922. The conservation methods used by Carter's team were intended to protect the objects, but over a century later, they have posed challenges for their modern-day successors. Coating gold surfaces in wax, for instance, "preserved the objects at the time", said conservator Hind Bayoumi, "but it then hid the very details we want the world to see". For months, Bayoumi, 39, and her colleagues painstakingly removed the wax applied by British chemist Alfred Lucas, which had over decades trapped dirt and dulled the shine of the gold. Restoration has been a joint effort between Egypt and Japan, which contributed $800 million in loans and provided technical support. Egyptian conservators -- many trained by Japanese experts -- have led cutting-edge work across 19 laboratories covering wood, metal, papyrus, textiles and more. Tut's gilded coffin -- brought from his tomb in Luxor -- proved one of the most intricate jobs. At the GEM's wood lab, conservator Fatma Magdy, 34, used magnifying lenses and archival photos to reassemble its delicate gold sheets. "It was like solving a giant puzzle," she said. "The shape of the break, the flow of the hieroglyphs -- every detail mattered." - Touching history - Before restoration, the Tutankhamun collection was retrieved from several museums and storage sites, including the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, the Luxor Museum and the tomb itself. Some items were given light restoration before their relocation to ensure they could be safely moved. Teams first conducted photographic documentation, X-ray analysis and material testing to understand each item's condition before touching it. "We had to understand the condition of each piece -- the gold layers, the adhesives, wood structure -- everything," said Mertah, who worked on King Tut's ceremonial shrines at the Egyptian Museum. Fragile pieces were stabilised with Japanese tissue paper -- thin but strong -- and adhesives like Paraloid B-72 and Klucel G, both reversible and minimally invasive. The team's guiding philosophy throughout has been one of restraint. "The goal is always to do the least amount necessary -- and to respect the object's history," said Mohamed Moustafa, 36, another senior restorer. Beyond the restoration work, the process has been an emotional journey for many of those involved. "I think we're more excited to see the museum than tourists are," Moustafa said. "When visitors walk through the museum, they'll see the beauty of these artefacts. But for us, every piece is a reminder of the endless working hours, the debates, the trainings."
South China Morning Post
12-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
How Great Pyramids, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, have been made better to visit
Some 2.5 million people visit the Pyramids of Giza each year with hopes of an epic experience befitting one of the Seven Wonders of the World. But for decades, a trip to Egypt's most famous tourist spot meant battling crowds and parrying aggressive hawkers. Now, thanks to a US$30 million revamp that rethinks the experience, seeing the pyramids is finally inspiring more awe than agony. A network of buses whisks visitors around the site, the hard sells have been tamed – and you can even enjoy some fine dining overlooking the 4,600-year-old monuments. All this officially debuts on July 3 – a milestone seven years in the making. In 2018, the Egyptian government signed a public-private partnership deal with Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris' Orascom Pyramids Entertainment (OPE) to overhaul the Giza Plateau, the area west of Cairo on which the ancient structures sit. A soft launch began in early April, allowing OPE to make improvements and address shortcomings ahead of a wider reveal, OPE executive chairman Amr Gazarin said. The firm will operate the location for the next 11 years, drawing revenue not from ticket sales – to which the government is solely entitled – but from VIP tours, sponsorship deals and commercial leases on the grounds.
Zawya
12-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Sofitel Legend Pyramids hotel project confirms progress and strategic alignment
Mr. Yahia Kotub, CEO of Abu Dhabi Tourism Investment Company (ADTIC), and Ms. Maud Bailly, Global CEO of Accor, conducted a joint site visit to the Sofitel Legend Pyramids hotel project, one of the most iconic luxury developments in Egypt and the region, to review construction progress and alignment with the set development timeline. Current Progress: 45% of piling and pre-construction works have been completed, with full construction and finishing works scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2027. The hotel is expected to begin soft operations in Q3 2027, offering a refined luxury experience on the Giza Plateau. Strategic Timing: The project's advancement comes at a time of historic significance for Egyptian tourism, as the Grand Egyptian Museum is set to officially open on July 3rd, 2025. This milestone is expected to reposition the Giza area as a premier global cultural destination and will strongly support the hotel's promotional and strategic positioning. Partnership with Accor: The hotel will be operated by Accor, under the prestigious Sofitel Legend brand — the group's highest luxury tier, which is reserved for unique heritage properties around the world. This partnership reflects the strong strategic alignment between both companies and underscores a shared commitment to delivering world-class hospitality in Egypt. Statement by Mr. Yahia Kotub – CEO of ADTIC: 'We are proud of the progress made at Sofitel Legend Pyramids and believe that the hotel's unmatched location, combined with the momentum following the Grand Egyptian Museum opening, will create a globally distinctive hospitality experience. Our partnership with Accor is a cornerstone of our vision to deliver a sustainable and culturally inspired luxury offering.' Statement by Ms. Maud Bailly – Global CEO of Accor: 'This visit reaffirms our strong partnership with ADTIC and our joint ambition to create a truly iconic hotel at one of the world's most legendary sites. Sofitel Legend Pyramids is set to become a flagship property for our group and a new benchmark for luxury hospitality in the Middle East and Africa.'
