Serapeum
4.5
About
Located in Zoser’s funerary complex at Saqqara, this ancient burial chamber was for mummified bulls.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
54 reviews
Excellent
37
Very good
13
Average
1
Poor
2
Terrible
1
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KarenAzinger
Portland142 contributions
Feb 2020
You have to pay extra to visit the Seapeum when you visit Saqqara. On a hot day, it seems like a long dusty walk for not much payoff. Yes, there is a riddle here. How did the ancient Egyptians fashion such perfectly shaped granite sarcophagi and how did they move them into the cave tunnels? The mystery remains unanswered, but the caves themselves are largely unadorned and kind of boring compared to so many other sites in Egypt. We did not think it was worth the time or energy to visit this site.
Written March 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TJim60
3,629 contributions
Sep 2022
Why only three stars?
Because there are lot more interesting sites at Saqqara. Besides the pyramids here, there are tombs of nobles. Some rich in decoration.
Some are open. Some are locked. Often the "man with the key" will show up and for a tip open locked tombs for a "private" viewing.
So see these more compelling sites first.
Once you've exhausted those, see the serapeum.
Some of interesting points about the Serapeum.
It is a catacomb built to house the stone sarcophagi for sacred bulls of the cult of the "god" Apis aka Serapis. Worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. The Serapeum was built by Ramses II.
Later in the pre Christian Greco Roman Egyptian period, worship continued.
The sarcophagi are immense. The largest reportedly weighs some 70 tons.
There are steps down to one sarcophagus so you can get an idea of size from the ground rather than looking down on them.
The fashioning of these burial chambers and their transport under ground will give you an appreciation for the engineering skills of the ancient Egyptians.
Because there are lot more interesting sites at Saqqara. Besides the pyramids here, there are tombs of nobles. Some rich in decoration.
Some are open. Some are locked. Often the "man with the key" will show up and for a tip open locked tombs for a "private" viewing.
So see these more compelling sites first.
Once you've exhausted those, see the serapeum.
Some of interesting points about the Serapeum.
It is a catacomb built to house the stone sarcophagi for sacred bulls of the cult of the "god" Apis aka Serapis. Worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. The Serapeum was built by Ramses II.
Later in the pre Christian Greco Roman Egyptian period, worship continued.
The sarcophagi are immense. The largest reportedly weighs some 70 tons.
There are steps down to one sarcophagus so you can get an idea of size from the ground rather than looking down on them.
The fashioning of these burial chambers and their transport under ground will give you an appreciation for the engineering skills of the ancient Egyptians.
Written October 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cisotto
Olimpia, SP699 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Along with the great pyramids but not least this was the main motivation for me to want to know Egypt. Really impressive this little-disclosed place. The structure there really impresses by its mysteries, its giant sarcophages, they say it was used for bull mummies, but they were found empty, and this remains a mystery, as well as the quality of the finish of those hard stones that make up each sarcophagus, impress by the quality of the cuts and finish in general. I'm really not satisfied with the explanation of the local guides I think there's much more mystery in those tombs.
Automatically translated
Written July 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniela
266 contributions
Apr 2024 • Friends
For the first time visited this place,not to mention heard of this place for the first time. Closed to Joser pyramid and absolutely well preserved place now .An ancient Egyptian burial place for sacred bulls of the Apis cult at Memphis. There are 24 coffins of granite ,with weight of 80 tones each. Its a good walk and something new in Egypt tour .
Written June 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nefertari
Australia19,021 contributions
Sep 2014 • Friends
One of my favourite places to visit is Saqqara, there is so much to see there.
My guide suggested the Serapeum as I had not seen it before and she thought I would like it. The ticket was 100 LE and it was worth it in my opinion.
I was very impressed, it is a clean site compared to other places and once inside it is quiet with "no hassle".
Although I am claustrophobic I did not feel anxious at all, probably because the corridors are wide and they have an air circulation system.
The sheer size of the granite Sarcophagi will get you wondering how they managed to move them without today's equipment and technology, the lid alone can weigh up to 27 tons. In more recent times they have tried to remove one of the smaller ones with heavy equipment but had to abandon it in the middle of the corridor because it could not be dragged any further.
It was a lot cooler underground compared to the outside temperature and I really loved the damp earthy smell below ground. It was a very relaxing visit as we were the only two in there for over 30 mins.
My guide suggested the Serapeum as I had not seen it before and she thought I would like it. The ticket was 100 LE and it was worth it in my opinion.
I was very impressed, it is a clean site compared to other places and once inside it is quiet with "no hassle".
Although I am claustrophobic I did not feel anxious at all, probably because the corridors are wide and they have an air circulation system.
The sheer size of the granite Sarcophagi will get you wondering how they managed to move them without today's equipment and technology, the lid alone can weigh up to 27 tons. In more recent times they have tried to remove one of the smaller ones with heavy equipment but had to abandon it in the middle of the corridor because it could not be dragged any further.
It was a lot cooler underground compared to the outside temperature and I really loved the damp earthy smell below ground. It was a very relaxing visit as we were the only two in there for over 30 mins.
Written February 27, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sharhua
Singapore, Singapore175 contributions
Nov 2019 • Couples
We requested to visit the Serapeum in Saqqara and were glad that we did it. We hired a private tour guide and she told us that this was only her third time venturing into the Serapeum in 19 years! Even our driver also got out of the car to tag along for this visit (and only this visit) as he was also equally intrigued.
We were the only ones in the whole Serapeum when we visited it in the afternoon. It is still a mystery as to how the ancient Egyptians had transported such huge and heavy granite sarcophagi into the tunnels. As they were each carved from a single piece of rock, it would not have been possible for them to have assembled the granite coffins within the tunnels. Furthermore, even many years on, there was great difficulty transporting one of those granite coffins out of the tunnels and the effort was abandoned eventually.
The coffin lids were so large and heavy that when they were discovered in modern times, explosives had to be used to open the lid of one of the coffins, which is on display.
Our guide pointed out that the exteriors and the interiors of the coffin were extremely well made, with exact 90 degree angles at the edges which would be difficult even with modern technology today. Some of the coffins had hieroglyphics on them (some were etched much more deeply than others).
As we were the only ones there, the guard allowed us to peer into one of the empty coffins and to go down into some of the niches in exchange for a small tip. A wonderful place that shouldn’t be missed.
We were the only ones in the whole Serapeum when we visited it in the afternoon. It is still a mystery as to how the ancient Egyptians had transported such huge and heavy granite sarcophagi into the tunnels. As they were each carved from a single piece of rock, it would not have been possible for them to have assembled the granite coffins within the tunnels. Furthermore, even many years on, there was great difficulty transporting one of those granite coffins out of the tunnels and the effort was abandoned eventually.
The coffin lids were so large and heavy that when they were discovered in modern times, explosives had to be used to open the lid of one of the coffins, which is on display.
Our guide pointed out that the exteriors and the interiors of the coffin were extremely well made, with exact 90 degree angles at the edges which would be difficult even with modern technology today. Some of the coffins had hieroglyphics on them (some were etched much more deeply than others).
As we were the only ones there, the guard allowed us to peer into one of the empty coffins and to go down into some of the niches in exchange for a small tip. A wonderful place that shouldn’t be missed.
Written November 22, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
X1_G8
Valencia, Spain64 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
The Serapium is a maze of catacombs filled with numerous gigantic sarcophagi that span over one thousand five hundred years. The reason for their staggeringly immense size is because these magnificent sarcophagi once contained mummified bulls.
Written June 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mohga Moamen
Cairo, Egypt213 contributions
Mar 2021 • Friends
The Serapeum is a great tomb that contains so many coffins ⚰️ of animals that were used in ancient Egypt. Some of the coffins are made of granite and some of them are made of basalt. The coffins are so huge and one of them has the well known drawings of ancient Egypt along its wall.
Written March 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Locy2014
Mexico City, Mexico67 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
Inside the necropolis of Saqqara is, the Serapeum (150LE)
An important place to visit, few visitors, It contains 24 sarcophagi of 80 tons each, with covers of 15 tons of granite, it is twelve meters deep and has three passages; It lacks more illumination but it is an required visit.
You can visit the place in 40 minutes, you do not need to pay to take pictures.
An important place to visit, few visitors, It contains 24 sarcophagi of 80 tons each, with covers of 15 tons of granite, it is twelve meters deep and has three passages; It lacks more illumination but it is an required visit.
You can visit the place in 40 minutes, you do not need to pay to take pictures.
Written November 26, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
podrozniczka60
New Jersey16,679 contributions
Dec 2021
This is an extra attraction in Sakkara. You need an extra ticket to go inside. It is primarily the catacomb of the sacred Apis bull. Multiple mummified animals are located here.
Written January 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Who is the best guide for Saqqara Serapeum & Memphis? How to contact him/her & how much will he/she charge
Written January 22, 2020
Hend is an archaeologist, well connected, which helps a lot to get inside many places, that others can’t. She is wonderful knowledgeable professional and values your time. She works for Memphis Tours. And for other sections of Egypt, Khaled Mohasab. Ask for Mohamed at Memphis. Tell him you want out of the way tours, no shopping, no tourists trap restaurants. You’ll be amazed!
Written February 2, 2020
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