King Djoser's Step Pyramid

This area is centered around the step pyramid complex of Netjerykhet Djoser. The step pyramid is the first pyramid in Egypt and the first large stone structure in the world. The area is very large and contains many very ancient and important sites. In the west we have the beautiful mastabas of Ti and Ptah-hotep. Nearby is also is the Serapeum, the bull catacombs. Near the northeast corner of the Djoser's complex is the 5th dynasty pyramid of Userkaf. On the southwest of the Djoser complex is the very important 5th dynasty pyramid of Unas. It is here that are found the oldest religious texts in the world. Around the causeway of Unas are some quite beautiful mastabas including that of Niankh-Khum and Khum-hotep (the twins) and Irukaptah (the butchers' tomb). See the map for details. I have numbered certain areas to match the pictures taken. The above picture is from angle number 3.

Also near the causeway are the boat pits of Unas. 400 hundred meters to the southwest is the 3rd dynasty unfinished pyramid of Horus Sekhemkhet and further west into the desert in the large rectangle which the locals call Gisr-el Mudir. Just south of the causeway into the desert are the New Kingdom Tombs of Horemheb and Maya. South into the desert near the entrance is the 4th century Monastery of St. Jeremy. And near the ticket office is the newly reconstructed valley temple of Unas.

The following picture is of the entrance to the ancient kingdom, which is No 1 in the above map.

The following picture below is from direction no 2, which is pretty much the court complex where King Djoser meets witht he nobles and confirms his position as King. He will tell everyone "I AM THE KING, IS THERE ANYONE THER TO CHALENGGE ME?" and everyone probably said NO :D hehehehehe..then he proceeds to change his cloths further behind this complex, gets clensed byt he nobel priest before proceeding with the royal ceremonies!

Another bigger view of the side of the kingdom.
The following picture is taken from direction no 4 from the map.

Finally this is the outside view of the entrance tot his kingdom. If you look at the map, picture no 1 is the inner part of entrance. The below picture is the outer part of the entrance.

The enclosure wall with a palace face motif, reconstructed, here viewed from the southeast is some 10.5m tall (20 cubits). It is 1645m long (545m N to S and 277m E to W). There are 14 gates 13 of which are false, there being one true entrance to the complex. The recesses in the stone enclosure were hand carved after the masonry was laid, an enormous task. There were 1680 recesses, each panel is more than 9m tall. The wall is built of fine Tura white limestone.