Overview
- Features: Ancient pyramid which is now a mound of rubble
- Opening Times: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, daily
- Best Time to Visit: Early morning
- Duration: 30 mins to 1 hr
- Travelled By: On the Go Tours
- Cost:
- Address: North Saqqara, Egypt
- Type: Monument
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Summary
Southwest of the Step Pyramid of Djoser is the Pyramid of Unas, the last pharaoh of the 5th Dynasty. Belonging to 2375-2354 BC, this pyramid is now a big mound of rubble. While basic and unassuming from the outside, the beauty of this pyramid lies on its inside.
Pyramid of Unas
Southwest of the Step Pyramid of Djoser is the Pyramid of Unas, the last pharaoh of the 5th Dynasty. Belonging to 2375-2354 BC, this pyramid is now a big mound of rubble. While basic and unassuming from the outside, the beauty of this pyramid lies on its inside.
Below are some interesting facts about the Pyramid of Unas as well as how to get to and from the pyramid as an independent traveller.
10 Interesting Facts about the Pyramid of Unas
- Built only 300 years after the Step Pyramid, this unassuming pile of loose blocks and debris once stood 43 high
- Since 1998, the Pyramid of Unas has been permanently closed to the public due to deterioration of the interior
- It was the first pyramid to have its royal chamber decorated with funerary practices
- Its ceiling was adorned with stars and its white alabaster-lined walls inscribed with beautiful blue hieroglyphs
- The hieroglyphs are the funerary inscriptions now known as the Pyramid Texts or Book of the Dead; they comprise 283 separate ‘spells’ chosen by Unas to protect his soul
- The inscriptions include rituals, prayers and hymns, as well as lists of items, such as the food and clothing that Unas would require in the afterlife
- A 750-m long causeway connecting the pyramid to the valley temple was originally roofed and decorated with a great range of painted relief scenes, including a startling image of people starving
- These painted relief scenes are now preserved in the Louvre in Paris
- More than 200 mastabas and tombs line the causeway many of which are beautifully decorated and open to visitors
- Of the several better-preserved examples usually open to visitors are the tombs of one of Unas’ queens, Nebet, and that of Princess Idut, who was possibly Unas’ daughter
Getting to & from the Pyramid of Unas
The Pyramid of Unas is located in Northern Saqqara southwest of the Step Pyramid of Djoser. To get to Northern Saqqara, the quickest and easiest way is to hire a taxi. The cheapest option is to take a bus / minibus to Saqqara Road and get off at the Saqqara Road stop. From there, take a microbus to the turn-off to the Saqqara site (ask for Haram Saqqara). From there, it’s a 1.5 km walk to the sites.
