Memphis and Sakkara. Visit the Step Pyramid of Djoser
Memphis and Sakkara (also sometimes written Saqqara) are two visits that you should not miss in Egypt, especially Sakkara.
They are very close to the city of Cairo, about 20 kilometers.
Your visit is usually done on organized trips after visiting the Pyramids of Gizah and although Memphis is not a place where there are too many things of interest, visiting Sakkara and its stepped pyramid is undoubtedly an essential visit.
The Sakkara necropolis. The Step Pyramid of Djoser
Sakkara (or Saqqara) was the main necropolis of Memphis and in it we can find the first pyramid that was built in Egypt: the stepped pyramid.
In addition to this pyramid we can also see other tombs and mastabas in Sakkara.
The entrance door to the enclosure and the Serapeum where the sacred Apis bulls were buried stand out.
The Pyramid of Djoser was built by Imhotep in 2500 BC for Pharaoh Djoser and is actually several mastabas superimposed to form a pyramid. It is therefore the transition between the mastabas and the pyramids.
The pyramid has a rectangular shape, the longest face being 140 meters and it reached a height of 60 meters. In addition, this pyramid was the first Egyptian construction made only with stone.
If you go to Sakkara, be sure to look south because on a clear day you can see various pyramids, among which the Pyramids of Dashur stand out.
The visit to Memphis
Memphis was the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt.
It was founded around the year 3050 BC by the first pharaoh of Egypt, Menes, and for centuries it was the most important city in the country, especially during the reign of Ramses II, and it was a city that had more than 500,000 inhabitants.
The most important thing to see in Memphis is its museum, where there are various statues and sculptures that will not leave you indifferent, especially the gigantic Colossus of Ramses II, which was once 13 meters long although now it is 10 meters long because it is missing part of its the legs.
In addition to this spectacular limestone statue, you also have other very important ones, among which the Alabaster Sphinx stands out, of which it is unknown who it represents.
How to get to Memphis and Sakkara. Schedules.
If you do not have this excursion included in your organized trip or if you go on your own, you can get here by taxi.
Depending on your bargaining power, the trip can cost around 100LE round trip. Near the Sphinx of Gizah or the Pyramids you will find numerous taxis that will offer to take you. Remember to agree with the taxi driver that it is round trip and that he wait for you during the visit to the monuments.
The Memphis Museum is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and the Sakkara site is from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
