World's First and Oldest Pyramid in Egypt Opens to Public after 90 Years

For the first time in 90 years, the  world's oldest  pyramid was opened to the public after major repairs were done by  Cintec, a British Engineering firm to save the first and the oldest pyramid from collapsing. Cintec strengthened the ancient pyramid by inserting mortars into voids in the walls.T

The step pyramid of Djoser is known as the first and oldest pyramid in Egypt where King Djoser, the founder of the Old Kingdom is believed to be buried. The structure towers up to 200 ft high and is made entirely out of stone.Dating to 2,680 BC, the pyramid was a prototype pyramid that became the blueprint for all Egyptian structures.

It was designed and built under the supervision of Imhotep, the world's first architect. The sarcophagus of the pharaoh is found on a chamber 100ft underground of the pyramid. However, no content or mummy has been discovered. Inscribed in one of the chamber walls are hieroglyphs from the Book of the Dead.

In the 1930s, the structure was closed for public viewing because of safety concerns. To make the matters worse, many supporting internal stone beams were damaged when rubble dropped onto the sarcophagus during the 1992 earthquake that struck Egypt. In 2011, Cintec, a British Engineering Firm won a lucrative contract to do the restoration of the tomb. The firm was highly recommended for its restoration effort in Windsor Castle after it caught fire, and in repairing a major Delhi bridge in India.

Mr. Peter James, the managing director of Cintec, admitted that the construction was extremely dangerous and required innovation from their previous restoration efforts. The repair involved using the diamond drill to dig holes, inserting stainless steel rods inside fabric socks filled with mortars that harden, expands and fills the void, providing the necessary  structural integrity in the walls. 

Peters said during the construction, the pyramid could collapse at any point due to the damage on the ceiling and roof caused by the earthquake, making it risky for the engineers. To prevent this from happening, steel anchors were inserted, and an airbag system was installed to support the walls. To keep the ceiling from falling, deep lime mortar pointing was enforced.

The pyramid repair was about 14 years in the making. The renovation began in 2006 but was interrupted in 2011 and 2012 due to social unrest and revolution in Egypt at that time. The work commenced in 2013 until the present.In 2014, it was reported that the monument's original façade had been altered, causing damage to the pyramid's original façade. After criticisms from UNESCO experts, the firm complied with the UN body's norms. In 2018, UNESCO gave the firm positive reports.

Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said that the restoration costs more than 104 million Egyptian pounds ($6.66 million) and noted that restoration of the country's heritage is their top priority in building a new Egypt.Mr. James became a global authority in the restoration of ancient structures and wrote a book, "Saving Egypt" that provides details on his recent works.