Ruins of Memphis & the Pyramid Complex from Giza to Dahshur - A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Egypt

Memphis was the capital of Egypt approximately 3000 years BC. The ruins of the capital Memphis today are located 19 km south of modern-day Cairo, on the west bank of the Nile River. This city was founded by King Menes and, with over 30,000 inhabitants, was the largest settlement in the world during that era.

Among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only the Pyramid of Giza still stands today. Although it is no longer intact and has lost many of its outer layers of white limestone casing, and despite many external parts of the pyramid being cracked and broken, and the temples surrounding it largely in ruins, all of this does not significantly diminish the majesty of the Giza Pyramid, a Wonder of the World.

Rising from the vast desert, the Giza Pyramid astonishes all who have seen it. Scientists to this day remain amazed and puzzled by the ingenuity of the ancient Egyptians in creating and completing this colossal structure.

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In fact, Giza is the name of a plateau in ancient Egypt. The Giza Plateau was chosen due to its panoramic view overlooking the Nile River valley and its location on the west bank – the west often being associated with sunset and death. Additionally, the white limestone ridge in this area helped create a solid foundation capable of supporting the immense weight of the structures.

At the same time, the Giza Plateau area also had an abundant source of materials suitable for constructing the solid cores of the large structures. Ancient Egypt actually has more than 80 pyramids built over a period of 100 years, the largest of which are the pyramids at Giza, and the largest pyramid complex among all the pyramids in this area is named after that plateau: Giza.

The Red Pyramid at Dahshur was built during the 4th Dynasty for Pharaoh Sneferu between 2640 and 2620 BC. The pyramid gets its name from the color of its stones. As the first true pyramid and the tomb of Pharaoh Sneferu, with a current height of 104 meters, it is the third tallest and third largest (by volume) among all the pyramids of ancient Egypt.

The Bent Pyramid is also located in Dahshur and is close to the Red Pyramid. This is Pharaoh Sneferu's second grand construction project, a testament to the early period of pyramid building. The bottom section of this pyramid was built with an incline of approximately 58°, the middle section at around 54°, but the top section has a much shallower slope of only 43°. Built on soft clay soil that could not support the weight of millions of enormous stones, cracks in the pyramid's walls were unavoidable.

The Step Pyramid is located at Saqqara. This pyramid is the tomb of Pharaoh Djoser and is the first step pyramid in Egypt, built starting around 2650 BC. The construction model was a mastaba – a type of tomb in the form of a flat-roofed rectangular mound with sloping sides. The structure was initially planned as a square mastaba but was expanded into a four-step pyramid and finally completed as a rectangular-based pyramid with six steps.

The Pyramid Complex at Abu Rawash is located a few kilometers north of the Giza Pyramid complex. Currently, the only notable pyramid in this area is the Pyramid of Djedefre, but it exists only as ruins. The Lepsius Pyramid is now just a mound built of mud bricks. The Pyramid of Djedefre, originally 67 meters high, has suffered extensive damage and is now just a pile of stone remnants.

The Pyramid Complex at Abusir includes very valuable historical relics due to their considerable age (some pyramids dating back approximately 4,000 years). The Abusir Pyramid Complex is located on the left bank of the Nile River, between the Giza and Saqqara complexes. The Pyramid of Sahure, standing at 48 meters tall with a square base measuring 78.5 meters per side, dates back to the 5th Dynasty of ancient Egypt and is currently known as the oldest pyramid in this complex. This pyramid was built on a foundation lined with at least two layers of white limestone quarried from the Maasara quarry in that courtyard.

The core rests on six layers of limestone, and more notably, this pyramid does not have a perfectly square base like other pyramids, and the entrance corridor forms steps. The forecourt of the pyramid features 16 intact red granite columns engraved with the cartouche of Pharaoh Sahure.

In the area from Giza to Dahshur, there are many other pyramids, large and small; however, most have suffered some degree of damage due to time and climate. All these pyramids form a unique pyramid and tomb complex, becoming a distinct symbol of Egypt.

These pyramids and the stories surrounding them still hold many mysteries, arousing curiosity not only among tourists but also compelling scholars to continue their exploration. When speaking of Egypt, the first thing that comes to mind for most people is undoubtedly the pyramids and the mysterious tales of the pharaohs. For this reason, this area is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the world.