Saqqara – A Few Steps From the Sky

If you’re traveling to Egypt, then a visit to Saqqara is a must. 

To say that it’s simply amazing would not do it justice.  An intricate part of the country’s rich heritage, this impressive town on the west side of the Nile boasts a position in history not known by many.  At just a short distance from Cairo, it’s not hard to reach. 

Saqqara is home to a bounty of monuments that embody every single era of Egypt’s past.  It spans over seven kilometers and offers a wealth of representations from ancient times through the modern Christian days.  It showcases the resting sites of common citizens as well as a great number of pyramids that hold the remains of pharaohs, queens and their offspring.  As archaeologists and historians have confirmed, a great deal of them date back to the initial portion of the first dynasty.  Visitors can view these on the border of the desert, west of Memphis.  Like Giza, Saqqara is considered one of the main attractions in the country and a legacy to humanity. 

But if time is of the essence, the “Step Pyramid” is something you ought not to miss.  Built between 2667 and 2648 B.C and designed by Imhotep as a present for King Djoser, it’s a site that undoubtedly impresses.  Its steps give the allusion of a staircase leading up to the heavens; certainly, an architectural wonder.  Considered the most ancient structure of its kind in the world, it also holds important biblical significance.  Experts believe that the Step Pyramid was once used for storing grain; the same grain that later on saved the lives of many, during the seven year famine.      

Very close nearby you’ll encounter a number of elaborate tombs.  One of these is said to have held Joseph’s remains before they were returned to Israel.  

Imhotep also built seven other temple pyramids.  They were completed with stone, roughly during 2,500 years B.C.  And if the magnificence of it all has you awestruck, continue on to feast your eyes with the Pyramids of Unis, Neferibres, Userkaf and Tety.  Walk through the Valley Temple and the Jubilee Chapel.

Treat yourself to a lesson in history.  Visit the incredible Saqqara and witness its unique ancient marvels.