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Pyramids & Sphinx
A «must see» for every visitor to Egypt, spend half a day wandering and wondering around the great Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza. Explore the site, enter the tombs and venture out into the desert plateaux for the best views of all three pyramids.
On the outskirts of Cairo stands one of the Seven Wonders of the World: the great Pyramids. Built around 4,500 years ago, the three towering Pyramids are massive in size, constructed from around 2,300,000 blocks, weighing an average of two-and-a-half tons each. Get up close and be dazzled by the external magnificence of these wonders.
Within short walking distance of the Pyramids is the Great Sphinx of Giza, built in 2620 BC in the likeness of the then King of Egypt, Chephran (Khafre). The ancient monument — 187 feet long and 65 feet high — is a human-headed lion wearing a royal headdress, sitting in guard of the Great Pyramids.
Dahshur
Dahshur forms the southernmost area of the Memphis Necropolis and contains a number of pyramid complexes and monuments. Dahshur has only recently been opened to the public, having been a military zone until 1996. As a result, the area is not as developed commercially as Giza, and there is a certain peace and tranquility to the site still. It is most noteworthy for being the site that best demonstrates the change from the «step» pyramid to the «true» pyramid that occurred during the Third and Fourth Dynasties.
The Red Pyramid, also called the North Pyramid, is the largest of the three major pyramids located at the Dahshur necropolis. Named for the rusty reddish hue of its stones, it is also the third largest Egyptian pyramid, after those of Khufu and Khafra at Giza. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest man-made constructure in the world. It is also believed to be the world's first successful attempt at constructing a «true» smooth-sided pyramid. Local residents refer to the Red Pyramid as el-haram el-watwat, meaning the Bat Pyramid.
The Red Pyramid was not always red. It used to be cased with white Tura limestone, but only a few of these now remain at the pyramid's base on the corner. During the Middle Ages much of the white Tura limestone was taken for buildings in Cairo, revealing the reddish sandstone beneath.
The Bent Pyramid is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located at the royal necropolis of Dahshur, approximately 40 kilometres south of Cairo, built under the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Sneferu (c. 2600 BC). A unique example of early pyramid development in Egypt, this was the second pyramid built by Sneferu.
The lower part of the pyramid rises from the desert at a 54-degree inclination, but the top section is built at the shallower angle of 43 degrees, lending the pyramid its very obvious «bent» appearance.
