Dahshur

Dashur is not as popular among tourists as, say, Giza with the great pyramids. Nevertheless, there is something to see. Dashur is located about 30 km from Cairo, and therefore, if you are going on an excursion to the Egyptian capital, you should come here.

Dashur is famous for its pyramids, built during the reign of the great pharaoh Snefru. These buildings, by the way, are considered by scientists to be the first royal tombs erected for new types of structures in history.

The southern (or more often just the broken) pyramid in Dashura got its name because of its irregular shape. During its construction, the builders for some reason changed the angle of the faces. Perhaps the Egyptians simply made a mistake, but historians connect this construction move with the architects’ concern about the strength and durability of the pyramid. The main thing, one can say, is the “revolutionary” difference of the Broken Pyramid of Dashur from other Egyptian structures in that it has two entrances – the “traditional” northern and almost non-existent southern.

The second attraction of Dashur is the North, or Red Pyramid. And so called because of the unusual color of the cladding material. This is the first tomb of the correct pyramidal shape. The height of the pyramid is 104 m.

For tourists in Dashura, only the Red Pyramid is open. To get into it, you first need to go up the stairs to a height of about a nine-story building, and then go down the wooden stairs to the inner chambers at the same distance.

The pyramid is dark enough, so with a better take a good flashlight. At the bottom — the grave — the high stepped ceiling will appear to the visitors’ chamber. The same can be seen in the gallery of the pyramid of Cheops.