Have you ever done something crazy when traveling? Well imagine climbing one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. That is what photographer Andrej Ciesielski did on his recent trip to Egypt, and he has photos and videos to prove it.
Ciesielski, 18, made a trip to Cairo where he began his thrill seeking in the city. His first rooftop destination was Talaat Harb Square in Cairo. Ciesielski claims that it is nearly impossible to access rooftops in the city due to the high levels of security. With armed soldiers everywhere, Ciesielski says he was concerned, but decided to climb anyway.
Below is from the Cairo Tower that tops over 600 feet (187 meters).
The most attention-grabbing climb for Ciesielski during his visit was the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Walking around in the complex I was waiting for the right moment to start climbing The Great Pyramid of Giza. When I started climbing a street seller was standing behind me, but I didn’t care about him, I turned around he laughed and I continued climbing.
At the half some people [noticed] me and looked up... That’s how the police spotted me. They shouted something in Arabic... but I didn’t care and kept going while listening to music.
Ciesielski finally completed his thrill seeking climb, topping 480 feet (146 meters). The climb took only 8 minutes where he captured a few photos, descending from the peak took him about 20 minutes.
The police detained the thrill seeker once he descended, but chose not to press charges after questioning; he avoided the possible penalty of facing up three years in prison.
Ciesielski is an urbex photographer based out of Munich, Germany. More of his work can be viewed on his website or Instagram.
All images used with permission.
[via Andrej Ciesielski]
You shouldn't promote this... This isnt the first photos i see of people climbing the pyramids and you will inspire more to do it! Lets keep thes wonders intact for future generations.
I can't agree more. Fstoppers should remove this article from here +FB
The photos are cool, but the writing clearly illustrates the risks and stupidity involved.
"he avoided armed guards to get to rooftops", and "he was detained by police for his climb and faced 3 years in prison."
Well, if you call this photos cool then I have no words! Absolutely disrespectful to spread this online like a hot cake and FS guys I have no idea how you work as a team but if your admins LEE+PATRICK ? or whoever is watching over this site now read the reactions of public to this then this article and this young kid rudeness should be taken down a long time ago... to directly link to him and share his IDIOTIC behaviour is beyond my words !!! You influence the world, do you think Sean or Nick that this is a good way..? WAKE UP and share good in the world not this nonsense !!! READ WHAT people with COMMON sense write about it bellow !!! :)
I follow you though, This haven't its place in public. you just incitate more people to risk their life for nothing more than popularity and risk of destroying past relic. -1
Hey all click on the dislike button at the top of this article if you don't like promoting that kind of stuff
promoting actions, not products
I dont think climbing on our world heritage is cool, you do. get over it.
Whatever happened to personal responsibility for actions? Why does it seem there are more and more apologists?
I'll tell you something. Not showing these videos isn't going to stop this. Just like banning videos of street racing isn't going to stop street racing. Where's your outcry at the individual for doing this? You were given a completely blank slate on which to write something. Instead of making any comment about the actual perpetrator, you chose to fill that space with your vitriol towards the site that showed the video.
Furthermore, automatically assuming that this will drive more people to do this is laughably short sighted. There are plenty of people who are now *more* aware of the possible repercussions after seeing this. Three years in prison as a possible punishment? No thanks, no matter how much I want to climb a pyramid.
Let me guess; you also berate news broadcasts for any mentions of crimes, as that promotes those crimes and gives attention to the criminals?
Get real. The blame here SQUARELY rests with the adolescent who acted illegally, not Fstoppers. I'm sick and tired of people like you who blame everyone except the offender.
Banning street racing video isn't going to stop street racing. But how much more street racers are there since Fast and furious movies came out???? Pictures and videos do incite people to do things. I dont really care if people put their life in danger, I have a problem when it puts other people life in danger, or if it is a lack of respect to a culture, and degrades our world heritage!
I'd prefer the photos without the basic Asics advertisement
Shoes for scale... ;)
You are not supposed to climb them for a reason, these are ancient relics that should not be stomped on to gain +1s and Likes. On top of that, it's risky and he may just end up being the next rooftopper who fell to his death. The kid is an example to everyone of what we shouldn't be doing.
Ugh, finally bro! Finally someone who speaks out against the offender. I swear, it seems every other post is "oh my god how could you post this you're just promoting this!!". These people are given a text box with the possibility to write anything, yet they choose to write about anything but the actual perpetrator.
Ugh, please stop promoting this stuff.
I was there back in November and as much as I wanted to do the same, there's a reason you don't do it. It's a complete lack of respect for the historical nature of the site. Plus there's no way I would risk 3 years in prison. This stuff shouldn't be promoted since it's hard enough to take decent photos there as is. These events will only tighten security at the site and make it harder for everyone else to get some quality shots while playing by the very strict rules.
Nt
No respect man this guy is a selfish idiot.
I'm absolutely sick of seeing people photograph their feet and legs from high locations!
about as useless as a selfie.
Please do more off cliffs, and win your hard-earned darwin award.
My god kids are clueless these days.
What an idiot. They should have arrested and charged him.
This is why we can't have nice things.
That's how we get ants!
Well great example of another arrogant I---T! And I love the sentence at the end - POLICE CHOOSE NOT TO PRESS CHARGES !!! HAHAHA, have you ever been in Egypt? If he did not pay them ahead before he tried to go up there then for sure he payed them a lot after he got down and they found out about him!!! I was there and this is how it goes there ! SILLY OF YOU TO PROMOTE THIS TO YOUNG KIDS !!! COMPLETE DISRESPECT TO HISTORY AND TREASURES OF THIS ANCIENT WORLD!!! S.H.A.M.E. guys take it down for your respect to this wonder of the world !!! Just my 50cents to this new world of ignorance! Thanks.
I have no qualms (it's a real word... look it up) about these ***ktards climbing to the top of a high-rise and temping gravity, but to climb the pyramids? What an absolute a**hat!! I say they should have stuck him in an Egyptian prison, even for a week. See how straight he walks after that.
Shame on you, Fstoppers for even promoting this story. Bin it.
Look at me, look at me! What, is he like 8 or something?
"They shouted something in Arabic... but I didn’t care and kept going while listening to music".
My God, no wonder photographers have an uneasy relationship with police. You (Fstoppers) label him a photographer - he's not, he's a twit with a camera.
Remove this. This is not a subject of intellectual debate. Climbing the pyramids damages them. When they do let people climb them, various precautions are taken. This kid is just joyriding them out of ego. You are helping to promote and encourage the idea and his ego.
The weather does enough damage as it is. We don't need you promoting copycats and a cool factor for this kid. It was irresponsible of him, and it's irresponsible of you.
It's a shame "photographers" like this felon disgrace my job. This is why it's hard to bring a camera around as security/authorities will assume you'll do something stupid.
I am pretty sure he worked his way around the police. But like many of us here, I suggest this article must be removed!
Hey @Lee, since when did you guys need "....Nick is a recent graduate from USF with a degree in Marketing" Genius to write click-bait articles? Y'all were doing just fine with Apple, iPhone, Guns and Bikini shoots.
This is pathetic and dare I say Nick needs to go back to school for some Social Ethics 101.
As a working at height professional,
these articles really F-ing bug me,
The level of stupidty is off the scale and these kids should be prosecuted heavily.
Just like that tool who climbed the eiffel tower,
What ever you say, they do inspire more young fools to follow in thier foot steps.
Like the Russian kid who hung off cranes, it did not end too well for him...
All this trouble just for a basic picture of his shoes? I find it sad.
Agree with the other comments. Although good images, carrying a camera does NOT put you above the law. (Nor does carrying a german or american passport ;-) ).
Tourist Restrictions for national treasuries are there for a reason (like flying drones in Yellowstone); a gazillion tourists running all over the place will cause substantial damage, period.
So do respect local laws and people's cultural heritage.
And I do feel tempted to run a halloween shooting on your grandma's grave ;-)
Jerk with a camera
I get why Fstoppers posted this, its a photo "story" BUT, while you arent seeking to promote criminal activity by running these kinds of stories, you do (most likely) stroke the egos of the photographers that take them, which in turn (probably) only encourages them to do it more. We should be (and judging by the comments section 'WE' are) discouraging these disrespectful and illegal activites especially on cultural historical sites.
it is tools like this that ruins things for everyone. Please remove this post.
And people wonder why there are so many rules against photographers in public spaces.
Fstoppers should not post articles that support illegal trespassing and damage to ancient monuments.
A website for the positive promotion of the art of photography should not encourage reckless damage caused to ancient monuments by trespassing.. Basic respect of laws and foreign cultures is a fundamental human value. If my art is tagging the Coliseum, then you should have a problem with it.
And I'll tell you they won't remove it...I think it has something to do with ads on the page ;-)
Missing the entire point...
No respect. Disappointed in Fstoppers... many of the articles in the last few months have been lame with no original content, I've seen them all on other sites weeks in advance. After this article, I think I'm done.
If you don't like the reposts, you could just click the link at the top of the page that says "Fstoppers Originals."
https://fstoppers.com/category/originals
That was stupid and irresponsible. And you shouldn't promote this, because you are doing it. Even linking his portfolio and website. Grow up people, instead of glorify the human stupidity!
The sheer amount of personal attacks against Fstoppers and the author is appalling. If you don't like what the kid is doing (I don't either), let the him know directly. The link to his blog is at the bottom of the article.
It's a hard line to walk. On one hand the pictures are cool (even with the skinny jeans and Asics) and this is a place for sharing the cool work others are doing. On the other hand, the kid broke the law. I think the author did his due diligence in explaining the stupidity and consequences with what Andrej did in mentioning that he had to avoid armed guards to get to rooftops, and that he wad detained by police and faced 3 years in prison for his pyramid climb.
I don't believe in censorship, so I can't agree with the calls to take down the article. I just suggest taking out your displeasure on the person who committed the act you disagree with, not the messenger.
“Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed: everything else is public relations.” — George Orwell
I'm sorry, would you really call this "journalism"? I'm not sure George Orwell would agree with you on that.
Journalism in the broad sense. No, this is not The New York Times. But it is public expressing through writing and current events.