Dahshur
About Dahshur
The royal necropolis of Dahshur is located around 45 km south of Cairo in the desert plain on the west bank of the Nile. While it is not as commonly visited as Saqqara or Giza, there are a couple pyramids here that rank among the oldest, largest, and best preserved in Egypt. The relative lack of visitors can make for a better experience compared to the touts and queue at the most popular sites.
Five pyramids are spread out over 3.5km, of which the Bent and Red Pyramids are the most interesting.
The Bent (Rhomboidal) Pyramid rises about 100 meters high, and is notable for its "bent" shape. The lower section has an angle of 54 degrees, but this decreases to 43 degrees about halfway up. The most common theory is that the builders were forced to decrease the angle due to stability issues.
The Red (North) Pyramid is also just over 100 meters tall, and has a reddish tinge due to the loss of its white limestone slab casing. It was the largest man-made structure at the time of its completion, and is the third largest Egyptian pyramid.
Five pyramids are spread out over 3.5km, of which the Bent and Red Pyramids are the most interesting.
The Bent (Rhomboidal) Pyramid rises about 100 meters high, and is notable for its "bent" shape. The lower section has an angle of 54 degrees, but this decreases to 43 degrees about halfway up. The most common theory is that the builders were forced to decrease the angle due to stability issues.
The Red (North) Pyramid is also just over 100 meters tall, and has a reddish tinge due to the loss of its white limestone slab casing. It was the largest man-made structure at the time of its completion, and is the third largest Egyptian pyramid.
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First To Review:
Oct 28, 2008
Wow there are so many pyramids in this area. The Red Pyramid was my favourite pyramid in Egypt. I think this is because of the color and there were less visitors so it was more relaxing too. It is called the Red Pyramid because when the sun sets and rises it looks red. To get into it, your firstly climb steps on the outside of the pyramid about 1/2 way up. Then it is a long dark (low) tunnel going down inside which seems to go forever. Many people turned back because it just seemed too far but they were very close to the end. It really did seem to be quicker going back up but that is because you could see the light and knew how far that you had to go. The Bent Pyramid is in military ground and we were not able to go inside the fenced off area but instead viewed from afar. As you are amid a military base you need to be very careful of where you point your camera as not photos can be taken of the military site nearby. Well worth the visit.
Aug 24, 2010
If you want to view pyramids with out thousands of other tourists, this is the place to do it. It is usually deserted and the Red Pyramid of Snefru is comparable in size to the Giza pyramids. Hire a private driver for the day, which should cost no more than 200 pounds and go out to both the Red Pyramid and the enigmatic Bent Pyramid, many drivers will tell you that it is forbidden to go to the Bent Pyramid, this is not true, they are just being lazy, so insist! It is very worth it.
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