Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany inaugurated on Friday the pyramid of Senusret II, the Pharaoh of the 12th Dynasty, opens to visitors for the first time.

Known as el-Lahun Pyramid, the royal cemetery dates back to the period between 1897 to 1878 B.C. and is located in Faiyum Governorate, 100 kilometers southwest of the capital Cairo.

"The pyramid was built from mud brick, but its core consists of stone walls that were infilled by mud brick. It had a length of 106 meters, a slope of about 42 degrees and a height of 48.65 meters," al-Anany said at a press conference.

The structure of the pyramid is supported by a natural rocky basement that carries a pyramid top and large limestone walls which provided support for the mud bricks, he added.

Discovered in 1889 by the British archaeologist William Petrie, the pyramid of Senusret II was built this way to ensure the strength of the brick structure, said Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

(Cover image from NEWS.CN)