Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid is the highest in Dahshur, and its name of “Red” is due to the reddish rusty color of its blocks. It was not this color originally, but a beautiful pure white of limestone of Tura, south of modern Cairo. All pyramids had a casing made of this white limestone, which was reused in medieval times. It is the third-largest Egyptian pyramid after those of Khufu and Khafre at Giza. The Red Pyramid was one of three pyramids built by King Sneferu after the Bent Pyramid, located one kilometer to the south, and the so-called Meidum pyramid. This pyramid may have been started in the 13th year of his reign, taking 10 years to be built. The visitor can enter the pyramid from an entrance on the northern side, leading to a passageway and a chamber with a corbelled roof. Another passage leads to a second chamber located in the middle of the pyramid, directly at the western end of that chamber. To the south of it, a passageway leads to a third chamber, which is believed to have been the pyramid’s burial chamber. The Red Pyramid is considered to be a success, as it was a fully constructed, smooth sided, and a free standing pyramid rising to a height of 341 feet, with an angle of 43 degrees. The Red Pyramid's name derives from the material that was used to construct the pyramid, red limestone. This pyramid is believed to be the resting place of King Sneferu