Memphis was the first capital of the country during most of the Pharaonic period. It was located south of the Nile River delta, near the Giza plateau. The city was founded around 3100 BC and was abandoned around 641 BC, after the founding of Luxor and then Alexandria.
City Of Memphis Ancient Egypt
Around 3100 BC, Memphis, which was the first capital of Egypt during most of the Pharaonic period, was founded. Although the seat of power was later moved to Thebes (present-day Luxor) during the New Empire.
The main god of the capital was Ptah, who was attributed to being the one who had given life to the gods, ie, the creator of all gods. Ptah, was also considered to have the ability to listen to his followers in their prayers, for this reason, is graphically seen with his big ears.
Where is the city of Memphis located?
Memphis is located about 24 kilometers south of Cairo, 3 kilometers from Saqqara, and on the west bank of the Nile River.
Who built the city?
According to historical data, the legendary pharaoh Narmer unified upper and lower Egypt, thus creating Memphis.
Why was it built?
Due to the location where the Nile Delta converged with the valley, the place had a strategic geographical location to give importance to the economy and thus the commercial activity due to its port.
According to traces, in the port of this city, there were workshops, shipyards, and even warehouses that were in charge of delivering goods to the Old Kingdom.
It is said that Memphis was full of palaces, gardens, and temples, which made it one of the main cities of antiquity. In the 5th century BC, long after its heyday, the Greek historian and traveler Herodotus described Memphis as a prosperous and cosmopolitan city. Even after Thebes became the capital of the New Empire, Memphis remained Egypt’s second city and prospered until it was finally abandoned during the first Muslim invasions in the 7th century AD.
Important facts about the city of Memphis
Memphis is believed to have been the capital of culture and political power for over 3000 years.
Memphis was originally called Ineb – hedj (white walls), the present name of the city comes from Men – nefer (established and beautiful).
Although Memphis was a city with many royal pyramids, private tombs, and a necropolis of sacred animals, after centuries of modifications by builders in search of stones, annual floods of the Nile, and greedy hunters, today the city is nothing like what it was.
The city was abandoned around 641 BC, after the founding of Luxor and then Alexandria.
Memphis consists of a remarkable open-air museum built around a colossal limestone statue of Ramses II, now collapsed.
Among the most striking features of the Memphis, museum are a stone sphinx of the New Empire, two figures of Ramses II that adorned Nubian temples, and the huge travertine tables on which the sacred Apis bulls were mummified before being deposited in the Serapeum.
Gate 2 Egypt accompanies you through a tour guide to visit the interesting city of Memphis along with other attractions. Interested? Book now!
