The Great Sphinx of Giza is one of the most recognisable monuments in the world. Carved from a single block of limestone, it measures 73 metres long and 20 metres tall — the largest monolithic statue on Earth. Believed to represent the pharaoh Khafre, the Sphinx has guarded the Giza Plateau for approximately 4,500 years.

The Sphinx sits directly in front of Khafre’s pyramid and is visited as part of the wider Giza Plateau complex. Visitors access the Sphinx enclosure from the valley temple below. The best time to photograph the Sphinx is in the early morning, when the light falls directly on the face and before tour groups arrive. The famous “missing nose” is the subject of many myths — most historians attribute it to medieval vandalism rather than Napoleon’s artillery as is commonly believed.