Dahshur Pyramids: Where Pyramids Were Perfected

What You Will See: The Two “Must-See” Dahshur Pyramids

Dahshur is the story of one great pharaoh: Sneferu, the founder of the 4th Dynasty and the father of King Khufu (who built the Great Pyramid at Giza). Sneferu built three pyramids, but his two at Dahshur are the most famous.

1. The Bent Pyramid (The “Beautiful Mistake”)

This is the most unique and visually stunning pyramid in Egypt.

• What It Is: This was Sneferu’s first attempt at building a smooth-sided pyramid.
• The Story (The “Bent”): The architects started building at a very steep, ambitious 54-degree angle. About halfway up, the engineers panicked. The angle was too steep, and the tomb’s inner chambers were showing signs of stress and cracking.
• The “Quick Fix”: To save the structure from collapse, they abruptly changed the angle to a much safer, gentler 43 degrees for the top half. This change is what gives the pyramid its iconic “bent” or “blunt” shape.
• Why It’s Special: This is the best-preserved pyramid in Egypt. It’s the only one that still retains most of its smooth, polished outer casing, giving you a true sense of what all the pyramids looked like 4,600 years ago. (You cannot go inside this one, but you can get right up to it).

2. The Red Pyramid (The “First True Success”)

This is the main event and the one you can explore!

• What It Is: Having learned from his “mistake,” Sneferu ordered a second pyramid built just a kilometer away. This time, they used the safe 43-degree angle from the very start.
• The Result: The world’s first successful, true, smooth-sided pyramid. This was the masterpiece that perfected the art and directly led to his son, Khufu, building the Great Pyramid at Giza.
• Why “Red”? Its name comes from the reddish, oxidized limestone core that is exposed today.
• The Adventure Inside: This is the highlight. Your Egypt Fun Tours guide will wait outside as you embark on the climb. You will climb a modern staircase up the side of the pyramid and then descend down a long, narrow, 63-meter (200-foot) passage deep into the earth. You’ll duck into a low-roofed corridor before emerging into two massive, corbelled-roof chambers in the very heart of this 4,600-year-old tomb.

The “Black Pyramid” (A Bonus)

In the distance, you may also see a third, “melted” looking pyramid. This is the Black Pyramid, built over 700 years after Sneferu by a Middle Kingdom pharaoh, Amenemhat III. It was made of mud-brick and has collapsed, but it’s a fascinating contrast to the Old Kingdom masterpieces.