The Governorate of Giza forms a unique suburb of Cairo on the River Nile.
Together with Qalubeyya Governorate, and the eastern and southeastern parts of Cairo, the three parts are known as greater Cairo.
Stretching 18 km westwards from the Nile to the Pyramids, adjoining Dokki to the north and petering out into fields to the south, Giza covers some 4,700 square kilometers and is the third largest city in Egypt.
The word "Giza" is thought to be of Arabic origin that means "a crossing," referring to the fact that it was where they crossed the Nile at the time of the Arab conquest.
Giza’s historical involvement does not end here, as it happens to be one of Egypt’s richest governorates in ancient remains. It contains the largest number of pyramids, including the three great Pyramids, (one of the seven wonders of the world), as well as the great Sphinx. Giza also holds the site of Egypt’s first capital, Memphis, founded by the Pharaoh Narmer (Menes), founder of the first Dynasty and the unifier of the two lands, Upper and Lower Egypt.
While not being the capital, Giza is home to most foreign embassies and government offices. Moreover, it has many luxurious apartment buildings along the Nile, making it a preferred residential area. It is surely a vibrant city as well as an administrative, cultural, and commercial centre.
Cairo University, one of the Middle East’s most prominent universities, happens to be one of Giza’s landmarks. It was founded in 1908 and moved to its current location in 1924.
A number of major museums can also be found in Giza, such as the Zoological Museum, Botanical Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Mahmoud Mokhtar Museum and Muhammad Mahmoud Khalil Museum. Additionally Giza is home to one of the biggest and oldest zoos in the Middle East and the first media production city built in Egypt and the Middle East.
