Red Pyramid

#8 among destinations in Egypt

Top attraction, Pyramid, Architecture, Ruins, More...

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Photo details 1. Wikipedia / CC BY 3.0 / Ivrienen / URL • 2. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Ivrienen / URL • 3. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Ivrienen / URL • 4. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Ivrienen / URL • 5. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Ivrienen / URL • 6. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / GDK / URL • 7. Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 / English Wikipedia user Ivrienen / URL

Facts and practical information

The Red Pyramid, standing tall in the Dahshur necropolis of Egypt, is a testament to the architectural prowess of the ancient Egyptians. Named for the reddish hue of its limestone, it was built during the reign of Pharaoh Sneferu, around 2600 BC. The Red Pyramid is recognized as Egypt's first successful attempt at constructing a true, smooth-sided pyramid, marking a significant evolution from the earlier stepped designs.

Measuring 105 meters in height, the Red Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over a millennium. Its base covers an area of 220 by 220 meters, and it boasts a relatively shallow 43-degree angle, which contributes to its stability and grandeur. Visitors can enter the pyramid through a high northern entrance, descending down a 200-foot-long passage to reach the burial chamber, which once housed the pharaoh's sarcophagus.

As the third-largest pyramid in Egypt, after the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Khafre at Giza, the Red Pyramid is an integral part of Egypt's rich historical landscape. It stands as a silent witness to the ingenuity of ancient civilization and continues to draw the curiosity of archaeologists and tourists alike. Despite the wear of time, the Red Pyramid remains a formidable structure, encapsulating the ambition and skill of its ancient builders.

Local name: الهرم الأحمر Height: 344 ftSlope: 43°Coordinates: 29°48'31"N, 31°12'22"E

Location

Al-Haram DahshurCairo 11511 Al JizahEgypt

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Day trips

Red Pyramid – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Sphinx of Memphis, Bent Pyramid, Pyramid of Unas, Qakare Ibi.

4.1 miNE
Monuments and statues
Sphinx of Memphis
104 min walk • The Sphinx of Memphis, Egypt, stands as an enduring sentinel from the ancient world, a historical landmark steeped in mystery and grandeur. Carved from a single block of alabaster, this colossal statue represents a reclining lion with a human head, thought to be that...
1.3 miS
Pyramid
Bent Pyramid
33 min walk • The Bent Pyramid, a remarkable testament to ancient Egyptian architecture, stands as a unique structure in the Dahshur necropolis, located approximately 40 kilometers south of Cairo. This intriguing edifice, constructed under the rule of Pharaoh Sneferu around 2600...
4.1 miN
, Pyramid, Ruins
Pyramid of Unas, Saqqara
106 min walk • The Pyramid of Unas is a smooth-sided pyramid built in the 24th century BC for the Egyptian pharaoh Unas, the ninth and final king of the Fifth Dynasty.
2.4 miN
Pyramid
Qakare Ibi, Saqqara
61 min walk • Qakare Ibi was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh during the early First Intermediate Period and the 14th ruler of the Eighth Dynasty. As such Qakare Ibi's seat of power was Memphis and he probably did not hold power over all of Egypt.
3.1 miN
, Pyramid
Pyramid of Djedkare Isesi, Saqqara
78 min walk • The Pyramid of Djedkare Isesi is a late 25th to mid 24th century BC pyramid complex built for the Fifth Dynasty pharaoh Djedkare Isesi. The pyramid is referred to as Haram el-Shawaf by locals. It was the first pyramid to be built in South Saqqara.
3.3 miN
Pyramid
Mortuary complex of Pepi I, Saqqara
83 min walk • The Pyramid of Pepi I is the pyramid complex built for the Egyptian pharaoh Pepi I of the Sixth Dynasty in the 24th or 23rd century BC. The complex gave its name to the capital city of Egypt, Memphis.
1.9 miNE
Pyramid
Pyramid of Khendjer, Saqqara
50 min walk • The Pyramid of Khendjer was a pyramid built for the burial of the 13th dynasty pharaoh Khendjer, who ruled Egypt c. 1760 BC during the Second Intermediate Period.
3 miN
Pyramid
Pyramid of Merenre, Saqqara
76 min walk • The pyramid of Pharaoh Merenre was constructed for Merenre Nemtyemsaf I during the Sixth Dynasty of Egypt at Saqqara 450 metres to the south-west of the pyramid of Pepi I and a similar distance to the pyramid of Djedkare.
1.6 miSE
Pyramid
Black Pyramid
41 min walk • The Black Pyramid was built by King Amenemhat III during the Middle Kingdom of Egypt. It is one of the five remaining pyramids of the original eleven pyramids at Dahshur in Egypt.
2.2 miN
Pyramid
Pyramid of Pepi II, Saqqara
57 min walk • The Pyramid of Pepi II was the tomb of Pharaoh Pepi II, located in southern Saqqara, to the northwest of the Mastabat al-Fir’aun. It was the final full pyramid complex to be built in Ancient Egypt. Long used as a quarry, the pyramid was excavated for the first time by Gaston Maspero in 1881.
3.2 miN
Pyramid
Pyramid of Reherishefnakht, Saqqara
82 min walk • The Pyramid of Reherishefnakht is the tomb of the ancient Egyptian official Reherishefnakht. It is located in south Saqqara and was built right next to the Pyramid of the 6th Dynasty Pharaoh Pepi I.