11 Best Sights in Cairo, Egypt

The quest for immortality is tangible at what is considered Egypt's first pyramid, so old that it was a great attraction even in antiquity: as the graffiti attests, people came here as tourists and seekers of blessings as early as the Middle Kingdom (2130–1649 BC), if not earlier. It was designed by Imhotep—a great architect who would, in time, become deified and worshiped as the patron god of architects and doctors—for the 3rd Dynasty pharaoh, Djoser, who reigned from approximately 2650 to 2575 BC. Although not much is known about this ruler, Egyptologists surmise that he sent expeditions to Sinai to mine copper and turquoise.

The Step Pyramid was ingeniously erected as a single-level mastaba tomb prior to ending up a a six-step pyramid. It was the predecessor of the "true" pyramid forms, which, like those in Giza have smooth sides. Its interior is a logistical wonder, with almost 6 km (3.5 miles) of passageways and tunnels, as well as chambers. The simple mortuary temple attached to the pyramid is to the north rather than to the east. Djoser also reserved a spot for an Egyptian alabaster sarcophagi belonging to his daughters. After earthquakes destabilized the pyramid, making its interior unsafe, Egyptian authorities embarked on a 14-year, restoration that was completed in 2020 and that cost nearly US$6.6-million.

Just east and in the shadow of the Great Pyramid is the tomb of Khafre’s wife and the granddaughter of Khufu, Queen Meresankh III. The powerful queen was interred in a large and elegantly decorated mastaba (an oblong or rectangular tomb with a flat roof and sloping sides), one of many such 4th and 5th Dynasty tombs in the area. The interior walls depict colorful scenes of full-size figures engaged in key Old Kingdom activities such as baking bread, sculpting, and metal smelting. One scene shows Meresankh’s body undergoing mummification on an embalming table beneath a tent. The queen is also shown with her mother, the equally eminent Queen Hetepheres II, on the eastern wall of the chapel. A second chamber contains 10 rock-cut statues of the queen, her mother, and her daughters.

The website of Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has a link that allows you to "visit" this matsaba virtually, but, as you don’t stumble upon the tomb of a pyramid owner’s wife every day, an in-real-life visit is best. There's a separate admission fee, though, so be sure to ask for a ticket at the entrance.

Of all the Old and Middle Kingdom pyramids at Dahshur, the one built for Amenemhet III (1844–1797 BC) is, perhaps, the most easily recognizable. It was originally constructed out of black mud brick and encased with fine limestone that was later plundered, leaving it with the darker color that led to its modern-day name. It took an estimated 15 years to build this structure, which measures 31 square meters (344 square feet) and was originally 80 meters (265 feet) tall. Its pyramidion (a pyramid's crowning feature) was fashioned from black basalt and now resides in the Egyptian Museum.

Nearby are tombs belonging to other members of the court, unlikely to be open to the public. Like Sneferu, Amenemhet III had two pyramids; the other one is in Hawara in Fayyum.

No visitor to Kagemni’s tomb can ever forget the endearing depiction of a calf drinking its mother’s milk or the bewildering one of an underwater battle between a crocodile and a hippopotamus. Both scenes demonstrate the ancient Egyptians’ astute observations of the animal world. They are also just two of many scenes expertly carved in the limestone tomb belonging to a chief judge and vizier under the 6th-Dynasty ruler, Teti (2345–2333 BC). Others touch upon daily activities such as fishing, dancing, husbandry, and making food offerings to the tomb owner.

This tomb adjoins the Mastaba of Mereruka to the east. Some presume that a single artist or atelier was responsible for decorating the mastabas in this area because certain scenes—the force-feeding of animals, poultry yards, the tomb owner being carried on a chair—recur. But they could also be conventional scenes used to decorate tombs at the time.>

The Teti cemetery's largest tomb, with more than 30 rooms, belonged to Mereruka, a wealthy vizier during the reign of the 6th-Dynasty (2345–2181 BC) pharaohs, Teti and Pepy I, and who was married to one of Teti’s many daughters. The tomb's significance lies in its renderings of not only its owner but also of Old Kingdom life, with scenes of jewelry-making, scribal recording, herding, and harpooning, among other activities.

In one scene, Mereruka himself can be seen fishing and fowling alongside his family. In another, almost poetic one, the dutiful official is shown as the personification of the three ancient Egyptian seasons: akhet (for the flooding), peret (for the emergence of fertile land), and shemu (for the harvest). In addition, a life-size statue depicts Mereruka stepping forward from the tomb's false door to receive his offerings.

At the end of the walkable section of the Unas Pyramid's causeway is the magnificently decorated and somewhat provocative tomb of the “Two Brothers,” namely, Niankh-khnum and Khnumhotep, who were overseers of the Great House manicurists in the 5th Dynasty (2494–2345 BC). As at other tombs, much of the iconography here depicts fishing, carpentry, agriculture, and other everyday activities. But the men’s professions are also showcased in precious snippets showing pedicurists and manicurists hard at work.

A remarkable chapel scene of the two interlacing and facing one another has been at the heart of much speculation over the years. Many argue that the men were brothers, perhaps even twins thanks to their similar names. Others note that such intimate ancient Egyptian scenes were usually reserved for husbands and wives, indicating a possible homosexual relationship between the two men, although both had wives and children. Regardless, the two men were close: an inscription above the tomb’s entrance reads “joined in life and death.”

Ti was a supervisor of the construction of Niuserre and Nefefrikare’s pyramids in Abu Sir and was married to Neferhetepes, a priestess of goddesses, with whom he had sons. His recently restored family tomb is exquisitely decorated and painted—the boat-building scenes are particularly noteworthy—with some of its original roof in tact. A statue of Ti, albeit a reproduction, is visible in the serdab (a small room specifically for a statue of the deceased), and a large courtyard with a stairway leads to Ti’s burial chamber, where you can spot the official’s sarcophagus.

The son of Unas, Teti was the first pharaoh of the 6th Dynasty (2345–2181 BC), and he's believed to have ruled for a little over a decade. Beyond this not much is known about him. Although his is the northernmost of the royal pyramids, it’s not far from the Step Pyramid of Djoser.

Originally, Teti's pyramid was encased in blocks of fine limestone. What remains is a core of smaller blocks of local limestone and debris fill, rendering it less majestic than other structures. You can, however, enter this pyramid through a sloping passageway located at the north face. Inside, an antechamber has a large basalt sarcophagus that might once have contained the pharaoh's body. It's the burial chamber and its pyramid texts (used to guide the soul of the deceased in the afterlife) that are truly captivating, though. Here, long vertical columns are adorned with elegantly carved spells in hieroglyphs, and the ceiling is punctuated by representations of stars set against a dark blue background.

Unas, sometimes referred to as Wenis, was the last pharaoh of the 5th Dynasty, reigning from approximately 2375 to 2345 BC. At first glance, his pyramid could easily be mistaken for a topographical feature in the Saqqara landscape. But the slanted case section of Unas's once glorious pyramid reveals a royal tomb that occupies an area of 17 square meters (188 square feet) and originally stood 43 meters (141 feet) tall. It was also the first ancient tomb to have its vaulted burial chamber decorated with resplendent green pyramid texts, meant to safely guide the deceased's soul through the perils of the afterlife. So self-assured was this innovative ruler that his pyramid was called “Perfect Are the Places of Unas” in ancient Egyptian.

Named for the pinkish limestone of which it is made, this, like the Bent Pyramid, belonged to Sneferu (2613–2589 BC). It measures 67 square meters (721 square feet) and was originally 104 meters (341 feet) tall, making it only slightly smaller than the Great Pyramid at Giza, later built for Sneferu's son, Khufu. It also marks the first successful attempt at building a smooth-sided "true pyramid." If you can manage navigating the low-ceilinged passage leading down into the interior, you can see the pyramid's three magnificent corbelled chambers. You can also see evidence of tomb robbers, who battered the floor of the topmost chamber in search of treasure. Note, too, the graffiti left by 19th-century tourists.

One quick glance at this pyramid, and you can see that something is amiss—some call it a "false pyramid" others refer to its shape as "blunted" rather than "bent." Regardless, it has an unusual silhouette that was the result of an architectural mishap. It was designed for Sneferu (2613–2589 BC), the founder of the 4th Dynasty and the father of Khufu (for whom the Great Pyramid in Giza was built). Only when construction had reached midway did the ancient builders notice that there were flaws—its initial angle was too steep, so, to prevent it from collapsing, they adjusted the angles of its outer face.

Many believe that the Bent Pyramid was the first, albeit unsuccessful, attempt at transitioning from the stepped pyramid to the smooth-sided true pyramid like that of Khufu. Regardless, this is one of Egypt's largest pyramids, standing 105 meters (344 feet) tall and covering an area of 52 square meters (599 square feet). It also retains much of its limestone cladding. What's more, Sneferu didn't let this less-than-successful construction project stop him: he went on to commission the neighboring Red Pyramid.