Egyptian Government Reopens Bent Pyramid to Tourists

An odd-looking pyramid in Dahshur, Egypt, reopened to tourists for the first time since its closure in the 1960s. The irregular pyramid, known as the Bent Pyramid, underwent restoration after it was closed in 1965. Last July, Egyptian officials decided to reopen the site to promote tourism in the city. The archaeological site lies in an open desert that is currently not frequented by tourists. It is also not yet as developed as Giza, where the famous Great Pyramid stands. The Bent Pyramid was built during the Old Kingdom for the Pharaoh Sneferu / ˈsnɛf ru / around 2600 B.C. Its uniqueness comes from its imperfect pyramid shape. The unusual appearance is due to the change in the pyramid’s angle at the middle before it narrows at the peak. According to archaeologists and experts, the Bent Pyramid represents the transition between older pyramids and the perfectly shaped pyramids that Egypt is known for. They hypothesize that the Bent Pyramid may have served as a prototype for the latter pyramids. The reopening of the Bent Pyramid is one of Egypt’s efforts to revitalize tourism in the country. Egypt was a popular tourist destination and had a lot of international visitors in the early 2000s. However, the number of tourists visiting the country sharply declined when the country faced political turmoil from 2011 until recently. During this period of instability, some tourist destinations were robbed or damaged. Many hotels also became deserted because of lack of clients. The country reportedly lost millions of dollars monthly from the drop in tourist visits.