Andrej Ciesielski, a German teenager who illegally climbed the Great Pyramid of Giza, a crime punishable with and up to a three-year stint in one of the country’s prisons, has been banned from entering Egypt.

Egypt’s antiquities ministry confirmed the 18-year-old’s travel ban to German authorities in Cairo.

Egypt has been struggling to attract tourists for half a decade – but can seemingly do without one particular visitor, who has been barred from returning after he illegally climbed the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Ciesielski who hails from Munich scaled the 139-metre structure (also known as the Pyramid of Cheops) last month to take photos and videos, despite strict laws against doing so that could have ended in a three-year prison sentence.

Mamdouh Eldamaty, Minister of Antiquities, said that an “official notice” of Mr Ciesielski’s “life ban” had been sent to the German embassy in the Egyptian capital, according to local news site Egyptian Streets.

The teenager said he thought his ascent in January of the 4,500-year-old structure “would be fine, what with Egypt’s dependence on tourists”, but now will not be able to return to the country where he found the people “very kind.”

Climbing the pyramids is outlawed in Egypt to protect the ancient monuments, one of the original seven wonders of the world and those caught doing so face strict punishment.

Ciesielski had been warned he could be punsihed for his actions, but said, “on balance I thought the photos would be worth it.”

He said that some local people saw him when he was half way up, attracting the police’s attention. “They shouted something in Arabic I think but I didn’t care and kept going while listening to music.”

Although Mr Ciesielski did not receive a lengthy sentence and was allowed to continue his trip to Egypt following a brief arrest and questioning by police, he will not be allowed back for future visits to test his photography skills at other famous sites such as Abu Simbel or the Luxor Temple.

The German teenager has previously posted photos online of lofty positions, including from the rooftops of New York over Times Square and in Hong Kong.

Here is a video he posted on his YouTube page as he scaled the pyramid.