  It is known since the 19 century that in the layout of the pyramid field of
the pharaohs of the 4 th Egyptian dynasty at Giza, a main axis exists. Indeed,
the south-east corners of these monuments align towards the site of the temple
of Heliopolis, which was plainly visible in ancient times. It was later
discovered that a similar situation occurs in the main pyramid field of the
subsequent dynasty at Abu Sir. Here, the northwest corners of three
chronologically successive pyramids again voluntarily align towards Heliopolis.
However, the temple was in this case not visible, due to the rock outcrop today
occupied by the Cairo citadel which blocks the view. In the present paper, a
interdisciplinary approach based on historical, topographical and
archaeoastronomical analysis is developed in an attempt at understanding such
peculiar features, which governed from the very beginning the planning of these
wonderful monuments. A general pattern actually arises, which appears to have
inspired the choice of the sites and the disposition on the ground of almost
all the funerary complexes of the kings during the Old Kingdom. In particular,
this pattern helps to explain the choices in the location of the funerary
complexes of Niuserre in Abusir and of Unas in Saqqara.
