Saqqara

Saqqara, located south of Cairo, was the massive necropolis of Memphis, the Ancient Egyptian capital, and is home to the nation's oldest pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser. This is a beautiful historical place in Egypt.

Aside from housing Egypt's oldest pyramid, Saqqara is the country's greatest archaeological site. Nobles were buried here for roughly 3500 years, notably while neighboring Memphis was the capital city, and the vast ancient burial site is filled with additional smaller pyramids, tombs, and funerary complexes.

The Step Pyramid, built by Imhotep - one of history's earliest recognized architects - during the reign of Pharaoh Djoser approximately 2630 BCE, was the focal point of the Third Dynasty ruler's burial complex, which also included an amazing hypostyle entry hall.

The step pyramid, which stands over 200 feet (60 meters) tall and has a base of 358 feet by 397 feet (109 m by 121 meters), was the Egyptians' first successful effort to create a pyramid and is one of the world's earliest monumental cut stone buildings. Djoser's Pyramid is important as an engineering marvel in and of itself, as well as for clearing the way for the construction of the "real pyramids" of Giza and the rest of Egypt.

Fans of Egyptian history and architecture should also pay a visit to the Imhotep Museum, which has a modest but noteworthy collection of exquisite antique artefacts discovered in and near Saqqara.

Location: Cairo.