CAIRO: The Great Sphinx of Giza, one of the most famous monuments of Pharaonic Egypt, is to get a facelift, the Egyptian ministry of culture said Tuesday. Restoration work on the face undertaken by the High Council for Antiquities is to focus on the beast s neck and chest, rendered fragile by the erosion of desert winds. Antiquities boss Zahi Hawass said the last restoration work on the half-man half-lion statue was carried out in 1996. The face of the 73-meter long and 20-meter high Sphinx, believed to have been built 5,000 years ago, is thought to be modeled on the Pharaoh Khepren and wears a royal headdress. Situated close to the Great Pyramids of Giza just outside Cairo, the Sphinx will remain accessible to the public during the restoration work. AFP
Sphinx to get facelift
