Guide To Visit The Stepped Pyramid Of Djoser

We want to visit the stepped pyramid of Djoser, one of the greatest treasures of Ancient Egypt. It is the most important construction of the Saqqara necropolis and stands out for its particular structure and because it served as a prototype for other later pyramids. Do you want to know more about her? Follow us!

History of the stepped pyramid of Djoser

Before visiting the stepped pyramid of Djoser, it is  worth knowing some touches of its history. As we noted, it is in the Saqqara necropolis, south of Memphis. Its construction was carried out during the reign of the III Dynasty of Egypt, around 2560 BC

This stepped pyramid was the first cenotaph to be built in Saqqara, that is, the first funerary monument dedicated to a person, in this case to the Emperor Djoser. Its architect was Imhotep.

In 1997 this pyramid was declared a World Heritage Site, along with the rest of the buildings in the Memphis necropolis and the pyramid fields.

Visit the stepped pyramid of Djoser: its architecture

The pyramid, made of polished limestone blocks, is sixty meters high and consists of six levels, which are superimposed one on top of the other. As they rise, their size becomes smaller, thus giving it its particular shape.

But the really significant thing, and that you should know before visiting the stepped pyramid of Djoser, is that you will be in front of the oldest stone structure in Egypt. That is why it would later serve as a model for, for example, the construction of the fabulous  pyramids of Gizah.

The pyramid is located in the center of a rectangular enclosure. The wall that surrounds it had fourteen false doors and only one access, which leads to a courtyard and a room with fasciculated columns. These columns are considered to be the earliest known of Egyptian art.

More monuments in the Saqqara necropolis

Alongside the stepped pyramid of Djoser, there are also monuments that are worth visiting if you decide to become an explorer of Ancient Egypt. For example,  you can see the temple of the three corrugated columns. It is located to the southeast of the pyramid, and was rebuilt by Jean Philippe Lauer.

Also noteworthy are the chapels of the Fiesta Sed. They are buildings that cannot be accessed, since there is nothing inside, there are only rocks to commemorate the feast of the reign of the pharaoh of the time, the so-called Sed Party.

Also , it is necessary to mention the Houses of the South and the North, located to the east of the pyramid. They are buildings decorated with four columns and niches for offerings. Engraved names of the princesses of Egypt appeared on the remains.

Finally, the serdab , a small chamber where there is a hole where you can see the statue of the pharaoh, although the original is in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. And next to this, the funerary temple, through which runs a passage that leads to the pyramid of Djoser and ends in the chamber where the pharaoh’s sarcophagus would be found.

Information of interest to visit the stepped pyramid of Zóser

The Saqqara necropolis is open every day, from 8 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. The entrance fee is 80 Egyptian pounds.

To get there there are two options, and everything will depend on how you are planning your trip. You can go by car, renting a taxi. Cairo is 30 kilometers from the necropolis, so for practically 15 euros you can come and go.

However, there are also bus and minibus services. They tend to take longer because they make more stops. In addition, they leave you in the village, so you have to walk to the necropolis, which is located on the outskirts. The option may be cheaper, but it is not the fastest. Of course, in Saqqara, you can take a tuk-tuk there.

If you want to continue your journey through the history of Egypt, we recommend you visit the Gizah necropolis. Spectacular monuments await you there, such as the pyramid of Cheops or those of Jafra and Menkaura. Seeing its smooth walls will remind you of its origins, located in this necropolis of Saqqara.