Fact 9 on the Bent Pyramid: | A 'Valley Temple' was built as part and on the lowest end of the pyramid complex and led to the River Nile. The 'Valley Temple' was a site of worship and the starting point of the funeral ceremonies and rituals.
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Fact 10 on the Bent Pyramid: | The Valley Temple consisted of an entrance passageway, an open courtyard and an inner sanctuary fronted by ten square columns behind which were six alcoves in which stood statues of Snefru.
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Fact 11 on the Bent Pyramid: | The Bent Pyramid complex is the first with a Valley Temple, which became a standard feature for all the following complexes.
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Fact 12 on the Bent Pyramid: | The funeral complex was accessed via a causeway (a raised roadway) that ran down to a Valley Temple. The causeway was paved with limestone and had a low wall built on each side, again made of limestone.
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Fact 13 on the Bent Pyramid: | The causeway led to the main complex that was surrounded by a high wall and consisted of: The Pyramid
The Eastern Temple (east side of the complex)
The Queen's pyramid
The offering altar, in front of the queen's monument
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Fact 14 on the Bent Pyramid: | The area around the monumental tomb was therefore a massive funeral complex in honor of King Snefru and was originally surrounded by a wall that was over 10 meters high (33 feet).
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Fact 15 on the Bent Pyramid: | On the south side of the complex there is a much smaller, subsidiary pyramidal structure, commonly known as a Queen's Pyramid, although it was not intended to house the burial chamber of the queen. The purpose of the structure is unclear but rituals and offerings were made at the front of the building.
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Fact 16 on the Bent Pyramid: | Dimensions: The dimensions of the monument are: Height of ruins from base to summit = 104.71 metres
Height of lower part = 47.04 metres
Height of upper part = 57.67 metres
Base = 189.43 metres
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Fact 17 on the Bent Pyramid: | The are are two entrances to the chambers inside the structure, a steep northern entrance and passage, about 12 meters from the ground level, and a shallower western entrance and passage about 65 meters from the ground level.
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Fact 18 on the Bent Pyramid: | Each opening leads to a separate set of passageways and chambers.
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Fact 19 on the Bent Pyramid: | The northern entrance and passage leads to a narrow antechamber with an corbelled roof with a height of 41 feet.
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Fact 20 on the Bent Pyramid: | The western entrance passage was protected by two portcullis stone blocks that were slid down 45° ramps to block the passage that led to the burial chamber with a height of 57 feet.
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Fact 21 on the Bent Pyramid: | The limestone was polished creating a gleaming monument.
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Fact 22 on the Bent Pyramid: | Lessons were learned in respect of the construction and architecture and King Snefru went on to build the Red Pyramid.
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