King Philippe of Belgium visited the Saqqara and Abusir archaeological sites on Sunday, accompanied by Belgian Ambassador to Cairo, Bart De Groof, to learn more about several of Egypt’s most important and unique archaeological treasures.
King Philippe’s visit to Egypt came as on the sidelines of an official trip to attend the grand opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).
The visit began at the Saqqara archaeological site, where the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Ismail Khaled, personally guided him on a tour that included the tombs of Mereruka and Qagemni in the Saqqara necropolis.
Belgium’s King expressed his profound admiration for the beautifully preserved colored reliefs, which depict details of daily life, customs, and traditions of the ancient Egyptians.
He also emphasized his appreciation for the exquisite artistry and meticulous documentation that characterized ancient Egyptian art.
Following this, King Philip proceeded to the archaeological site of Abusir to visit the pyramids of the Fifth Dynasty, also known as the Pyramids of the Sun Kings.
He listened to a detailed explanation from Khaled about the philosophy behind the construction of these pyramids, and the most prominent recent archaeological discoveries in the area- including the first-ever discovery of a series of storage rooms inside the pyramid of King Sahure.
This discovery aided in revealing the most important features of the Pharaoh’s funerary architecture.
Sahure is considered the second king of the Fifth Dynasty (2400 BC) and the first to choose Abusir as the site for his funerary complex.
King Philippe of Belgium expressed his deep appreciation for the grandeur and ingenuity of Egypt’s antiquities, adding that this visit deepened his connection to Egyptian civilization.
He also expressed his immense satisfaction with the experience.
He promised another visit to Egypt soon to complete his tour of the Saqqara and Abusir areas and see more of their unique landmarks that he was unable to visit during his short trip.
