Unfinished Pyramid of Abusir

The unfinished pyramid of Abusir is an abandoned pyramid complex located in the necropolis of Abusir whose construction began in the Fifth Dynasty. It is speculatively assigned to Shepseskare, an ephemeral pharaoh whose brief rule is the least well documented of the Fifth Dynasty.

Places of Interest Nearby

Highlights include Abusir and Pyramid of Sahure.

Abusir

Photo: Kurohito, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Abusir is the name given to an Egyptian archaeological locality on the desert plateau 10 km south of Giza and 8 km north of Saqqara. About 35 km south of the Egyptian capital Cairo, Abusir is the site of a compact pyramid field, with pyramids and funerary temples dating mainly from the 5th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom.

Pyramid of Sahure

Photo: Neithsabes, Public domain.

The pyramid of Sahure is the funerary monument built for the Egyptian pharaoh Sahure of the Fifth Dynasty in the late 26th to 25th century BC. This initiated a period of pyramid building by Sahure's successors in Abusir, on a location earlier used by Userkaf for his sun temple. Pyramid of Sahure is situated 200 metres southeast of Unfinished Pyramid of Abusir.

Pyramid of Neferirkare

Photo: Neithsabes, Public domain.

The pyramid of Neferirkare is the funerary monument built for the Egyptian pharaoh Neferirkare Kakai of the Fifth Dynasty in the 25th century BC. It is the tallest, highest-situated structure in the Abusir necropolis – located between Giza and Saqqara – over which it still towers. Pyramid of Neferirkare is situated 410 metres south of Unfinished Pyramid of Abusir.

Places in the Area

Nearby places include Saqqara and Al-Hawamidyah.

Saqqara

Photo: Oltau, CC BY 3.0.

Saqqara is the name given both to a village 32 km to the south of the Egyptian capital of Cairo and to the extensive ancient necropolis on the plateau above the Nile Valley, the location of tombs and pyramids dating to the Predynastic, Old Kingdom, New Kingdom and Late Periods of ancient Egyptian history.

Al-Hawamidyah

Town

El Hawamdeya is a city in the Giza Governorate of Egypt. Successive census results indicate a considerable steady rise in its population: 73,298 in 1986, 91,770 in 1996, 109,314 in 2006, 149,567 in 2018 and 158,278 in 2023. Al-Hawamidyah is situated 6 km east of Unfinished Pyramid of Abusir.