Everything You Need to Know about the Red Pyramid at Dahshur

Forgotten sites

When travelers pay a visit to Egypt, Cairo is almost always the first stop. Of course there is a wealth of medieval history and heritage sites all across the sprawling metropolis from Old Cairo to the royal palaces peppered around. However, we all know the main attraction is a visit to the Giza Plateau to see the Great Pyramids and the iconic Sphinx. What most travelers don’t know is that the Ancient Egyptians actually left us more than 100 pyramids, and a number of those complexes are equally as impressive as the Giza Plateau; however, most travelers overlook these. From Sakkara to Dahshur, Egypt holds a lot of undiscovered treasures that often fall off the typical tourist radar. The best thing about these lesser known pyramids is that there will always be less crowds, making it possible for you to enjoy a more personalized and intimate tour of these legendary monuments. The Complex of Dahshur, home to the astounding Red Pyramids, is only an hour and a half drive outside central Cairo and, if time permits in your itinerary, is definitely worth the visit.  

The learning game

The Red Pyramid was one of the numerous projects of the 4th Dynasty pharaoh known as Sneferu. After completing the construction of the Bent Pyramid, which is also located nearby in the Necropolis at Dahshur, the great pharaoh set out on a mission to fix the mistakes that were made in the construction of that pyramid and the one at Meidum that collapsed during construction. It was another critical stepping stone in the overall evolution of the Ancient Egyptian pyramid structure. It was a learning game for sure and the Red Pyramid was one of the most important steps in the overall learning process.  

Sneferu was one of the most famous builders of Ancient Egypt, he experimented with a lot of different structures and complexes. He was not fully satisfied with building a step pyramid at Meidum and the Bent Pyramid at Dashur. Along with these two remarkable feats, Sneferu also committed to building the Red Pyramid also known as the North Pyramid at the complex of Dashur. It is believed that he was very set on building what he considered to be a true pyramid. In fact, he was quite upset when he had to alter the angle of the Bent Pyramid, as the weight of the structure threatened to cause the entire pyramid to collapse. The Red Pyramid or the North Pyramid was completed in the beginning of the 26th century BC. Much to the pleasure of the determined pharaoh, this went down in history as the first successful attempt to construct a true pyramid, making it the direct inspiration for the later famous 4th Dynasty Pyramids at Giza.

The squat-like appearance of this ancient pyramid in comparison to other pyramids of similar size is due to the fact that its sides were built at the shallow angle of 43 degrees. After the engineering mishaps that caused the Bent Pyramid to, well, bend, it is believed that Sneferu’s skilled builders decided to build the Red pyramid using the exact same angle of inclination, which essentially allowed for the completion of the Bent Pyramid.  

The Red Pyramid

Standing at a whopping 341 feet tall, the Red Pyramid is the highest structure in all of Dahshur. Now, you may be wondering, how did this pyramid end up being called the ‘Red Pyramid’? Well, this is due to the reddish rust-like color of the pyramid’s exterior. However, it did not always have this red color. Once upon a time, the pyramids were completely encased with a beautiful pure white of limestone sourced from Tura, which is located south of modern Cairo. In fact, almost all pyramids featured a similar casing made of this same white limestone, which continued to be reused and upcycled in medieval times. Only a few of these beautiful white stones now remain at the pyramid’s base, with the rest of the pyramid stripped bare and left with its now iconic red limestone exterior. The pyramid is actually built with approximately 160 layers of stone.

The Red Pyramid is actually the third-largest pyramid in Egypt, following Khufu and Khafra in the Giza Plateau. Yes, this pyramid is actually larger in size than the smallest pyramid at Giza. Today, the pyramid can be fully accessed and you also have the chance to see the burial chamber hidden inside.

The Red Pyramid was one of three pyramids built by King Sneferu following the Bent Pyramid, which is situated just one kilometer to the south, and the other less successful but equally as important Meidum pyramid. It is believed that this pyramid may have been started in the 13th year of the pharaoh’s reign, taking over 10 years to be built.  

Constructions and Visits

The construction of such a complex as Dahshur was the direct result of the engineering errors which were experienced during the construction of the first two pyramids by Snefru. These Pyramids were the Pyramid at Medium, which collapsed in ancient times, and the second one was the Bent Pyramid that had its inclination angle drastically adjusted from 54 to 43 degrees during the construction.

Visitors can enter the pyramid from an entrance located on its northern side, which leads to a narrow passageway that then dramatically slopes down to another gallery into an enclosed chamber. Another passageway or tunnel leads to a second chamber situated in the heart of the pyramid. To the south of this chamber, yet another maze-like corridor leads to the third chamber, which is thought to be the pyramid’s burial chamber.

The pyramid measures in at a height of 105 meters and it has been uncovered after rigorous renovation and is now open for visitors at Dahshur.  It is an attractive touristic destination due to its close proximity from the army camp. In order to arrive at the pyramid, tourists will climb up steps built over the limestone exterior of the pyramid. After the climb up, they will pass through a passageway that is about four feet wide and three feet tall.

More specifically, the entrance is accessed by going up about 125 very steep stones both up and down before having to traverse a 63 meter long passageway that will then take travelers down two antechambers that feature 12 meter high corbelled ceilings and a 15 meter high burial chambers. What is even more fascinating is that fragmentary human remains were actually found here.  

Are you ready to embark on a journey to the land of the Pharaohs? Look no further than Egypt, home to some of the world's most iconic and historic landmarks. From the Great Pyramids of Giza to the Sphinx, there is no shortage of breathtaking sights to behold in this ancient country. Book now with Nile Cruise Vacation and visit all that and more!