Tsar Necropolis Dakhshur in Egypt

Dakhshur – the southernmost of the three necropolia of the city of Memphis – the ancient capital of Egypt. Here is 11 pyramids. Two of them belong to the epoch of the iv dynasty of the ancient kingdom, and the remaining time of the XII dynasty of the Middle Kingdom of Ancient Egypt.

As of April 2021, Dakhshur necropolis is open for tourists. He was closed for a while during Lokdaun, but opened from July 1, 2020.

Some pyramids reached us in a magnificent state, and some look so bad that tourists with difficulty will distinguish them against the background of the environment.

Dakhshur does not take such great popularity as the Egyptian pyramids in Giza. There are no large clusters of tourists and depighters of traders.

Until 1996, this place was not available for tourists. Dakhshur was completely on the territory of the military base of the army of Egypt. They were allowed only archaeologists for special permission of the military.

However, the military base is not doing anywhere, she surrounds Dakhshur from the north, west and south. Some objects of necropolis are still on the territory of the military, and tourists can not go to them.

In this regard, we recommend to come to Dakhshur as part of an organized excursion together with the guide. Egyptian military are unpredictable, to recall at least a shot in the desert of tourist jeeps in September 2015.

Necropolis Dakhshur has 3.5 kilometer sizes. If you want to see everything available, then get ready to walk a lot.

Where is and how to get

Dakhshur is 30 kilometers south of the city of Giza, 8 kilometers south of necropolis Saccar.

If you count down from the city of Cairo, then the distance is about 40 kilometers. Cairo is a huge city, and from one of his suburbs you can go to Dakhshur 35 kilometers, and from the other 55.

You can go here by a taxi that will cost 100-120 Egyptian pounds. Also in neighboring settlements can be reached by bus, but before the necropolis itself will have to go a few kilometers on foot. We do not recommend such a way to tourists.

The easiest and cheapest way is to join the excursion group. In just 50-60 American dollars in one day you can see Gizu, Sakkaru and Dakhshur. That is, you look all the biggest and interesting pyramids in Egypt.

If you still arrived in Dakhshur by taxi, remember that catch the reverse taxi will be very difficult. Easier and safer to pay the driver is simple, usually it is 20-30 pounds per hour.

Ticket price

Official prices are as follows:

Entrance ticket to Necropolis – 60 Egyptian pounds.

A visit to the pink pyramid is included.

Separately, visiting the broken pyramid – 80 Egyptian pounds.

In fact, staff does not always watch tourists. Tourists tell that the pyramids descended for free, and some even in necropolis took place without a ticket, since there was no staff at the entrance.

Opening hours

Official opening hours: from 8-00 (or 9-00, depends on the season) to 17-00.

What to look – two pyramids Snowfra

The first pharaoh of the dynasty built two pyramids in Dakhshare at once. The reasons for such a decision of Pharaoh Snofer (rules about 2600 to our era) are not clarified by historians.

The first – the broken pyramid is named so because of its form. The angle of inclination of the faces in its lower part of it is 53 degrees, and in the upper part of the structure builders reduced it to 42.

The reasons for such a decision historians are not defined. About hypotheses, we talked in detail in the main article "Loars of Pyramid".

The broken pyramid is interesting for tourists also the fact that it is almost completely preserved facing from the White Tour Limestone.

The second such pyramid in Egypt is not. Facing now can be seen only on top of the pyramid of Hefren and on the lower tiers of the pyramid of Mencar.

Inside the broken pyramid are now allowing tourists, and until 2019 it was closed on the restoration.

The second – the pink pyramid is named so because of the color of the limestone, from which she is collected. This shade is difficult to notice, externally differs little from the classic monuments of ancient Egypt from limestone.

Pink pyramid is interesting because all tourists are allowed and free. Recall that in Giza you can go down to the pyramid of Heops for a fee in 400 Egyptian pounds, the pyramids of Hefren and Mencaura – 100 pounds.

It is difficult to descend into the pyramid because of very narrow passes, but the impressions of the burial cameras are worth. In detail, we wrote about all this in the article "Pink Pyramid".

After the Snowfra, his son Heops (Hufu) used the experience of Father builders to build her famous tomb, but not in Dakhshire, but on the plateau Giza. Dakhshur stopped being the royal necropole.

In the era of the first transition period, all the pyramids were robbed. Modern archaeologists did not find either the mummies of the Pharaohs of the ancient kingdom, nor sarcophagus nor treasure.

From the point of view of historical science, the broken and pink pyramids do not represent much interest. There are no inscriptions inside, artifacts inside did not detected. These monuments do not give us any ideas about the life and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. They just stand and silent, and in the literal and figurative sense of this expression.

What to watch – Black (Dark) Pyramid

800 years after Snofer Pharaohs returned to Dakhshur. The black pyramid belongs to the pharaoh of the XII dynasty – Amenhethu III. Time of its construction – around 1830 BC.

Looking in the photo on the right, it is even difficult to think that this is a pyramid. Her foundation was built of gravel and clay, and she herself was collected from an unreleased brick. Therefore, Black Pyramid remained as bad.

However, the inner premises remained completely. Passages and funeral cameras were laid out of granite and did not suffer from time.

Unfortunately, go inside to tourists will not succeed. Even watch the black pyramid near it is impossible. This part of the Dakhshur necropolis is located on the territory of the military base, and access to tourists is prohibited.

It is believed that on the top of each Egyptian pyramid there was a special stone – Pyramidon. Pyramidon of the Black Pyramid was found nearby. This is a very beautiful stone of black granite now stored in the Cairo Museum (see. Photo).

What to look – Pyramid Pharaoh SENUSERT III

Senusert III was the father of Amenhehet III. The surroundings of his pyramid – the most interesting place in Dakhsura for archaeologists. Here constantly being excavated jointly by the Service of Antiquities of Egypt and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Pyramid Senusert III is still worse, now she is more like a hill with a funnel in the center (in the photo on the left). Her height once amounted to 63 meters. Interior premises have been preserved, but they are closed to visitors.

A huge necropolis with dozens of burials found around the pyramid. Several small pyramids belonged to Pharaoh’s wives, and in the north there was a large cemetery of his officials. It was here that the precious treasure of the queen of the queen, which is now exhibited in the Cairo Museum.

The rest of the pyramids in Dakhshire is even difficult to learn. All of them suffered from time or used as sources of building materials.

Around each royal pyramid were organized by the burial and members of the royal family. It is in these burials that the archaeologists find the most valuable artifacts. In several tips in Dakhsch, secret rooms with decorations and canopami were found. All this can be viewed in the Cairo Museum.

Tourists are primarily interested in pyramids, and Dakhshur for these purposes is great. Do not miss the chance to watch the first smooth pyramids in Egypt and go down in two of them.

Important and useful tips

– From the hotels of the resorts of the Red Sea to Dakhshur, you need to go through Cairo. About how to get to Cairo, read in our reviews "Charm El Sheikh to Cairo" and "From Hurghada to Cairo";

– You can save a little on a taxi from Cairo in Dakhshur if you get to the metro to a red branch station to El Monib (ultimate). Watch the scheme and prices in our article "Metro Cairo";

– to change dollars and euros for Egyptian pounds in Cairo More. Read our review "Exchange of money in Egypt".

Read our articles about Egypt and its attractions (Links below).