Memphis was the capital of the ancient Lower Egypt and the Old Kingdom of Egypt. The ruins of Memphis are situated at about 20 km from Cairo towards the south, on the western bank of Nile River. However, the administrative border of Memphis includes the cities and towns of Dahshur, Mit Rahina, Saqqara, Abu Gorab, Zawyet elAryan, and Abusir
Historian Herodotus had stated that the city was established in 3100 B.C. by a person called Menes. However, modern historians think that Menes could just be a mythical figure.
During the rule of the sixth Dynasty, Memphis was at its peak but it declined when the rule of the eighteenth Dynasty ended. When the Roman Empire founded Alexandria, Memphis lost its importance. It was slowly abandoned and became an expanse of scattered stone and low ruins. The remains of the temple of Apis and Ptah had been uncovered in Memphis, along with two statues of Ramesses II. The Saqqara necropolis lies close to Memphis. The present open-air museum of Memphis contains many ancient Egyptian statues, the most famous among them being the 10 m statue of Ramesses II.
In ancient times, Memphis had several rock tombs, pyramids, temples, and ornate mastabas. The site was one of the Seven Wonders of the World during ancient times. In 1979, the site was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage, when the universal admiration shown by people all over the world for the pyramids. The antiquity of the pyramids and their representation of an exceptional civilization were duly recognized. The Giza pyramids are one of the most visited sites in the world. The tourists admire the building technology exhibited by the ancient Egyptians and the art that had been mingled into the constructions beautifully. Which tourist does not know about the sphinx as part of the world famous pyramids? Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur (Egypt) is a true World Heritage site and should be visited at least once.
© Salsa-Trips, Rico Jochen Anderer