Dahshur: The Bent and Red Pyramids Where the Shape Was Perfected
The quiet pyramids of Dahshur tell the story of trial and triumph, a guide to Sneferu's Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid, the first true pyramid.
If Saqqara is where the pyramid was born, Dahshur is where its shape was perfected. This peaceful desert site, often nearly empty of crowds, holds two of the most important pyramids in Egypt, both built by one determined pharaoh.
Sneferu's great experiment
Pharaoh Sneferu, father of Khufu who built the Great Pyramid, was the most prolific pyramid builder of all. At Dahshur he built the Bent Pyramid, whose angle changes partway up where the builders lost their nerve, and then the Red Pyramid, the first successful true smooth-sided pyramid.
Why go
Dahshur is a joy precisely because it is quiet, you can often have a 4,600-year-old pyramid almost to yourself, and even climb inside. It is the missing chapter between Saqqara's steps and Giza's perfection.
See the pyramids beyond the crowds.
Explore our Cairo & Giza journeysFrequently Asked Questions
What is the Bent Pyramid?
A pyramid at Dahshur built by Sneferu whose sides change angle partway up. It captures the moment ancient builders were still perfecting the true pyramid shape.
What is the Red Pyramid?
Also built by Sneferu at Dahshur, it was the first successful smooth-sided true pyramid, the direct forerunner of the Great Pyramid of Giza.