Great Pyramid of Giza

About Great Pyramid of Giza

Oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis; one of the seven ancient wonders of the world

The Great Pyramid, or Pyramid of Khufu, is the largest of the Egyptian pyramids and the most famous landmark of the Giza pyramid complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one that remains largely intact. It was built around 2560 BC as the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) of the Fourth Dynasty in the Old Kingdom, over a period of about twenty years, under the architect Prince Hemiunu, and was known in its day as Akhet Khufu, "the horizon of Khufu". Originally 146.6 metres tall, it remained the tallest human-made structure in the world for more than 3,700 years. Most of its smooth white limestone casing has since been removed, lowering it to 138.5 metres; what stands today is the core structure. Each side of the base measures about 230 metres, giving a volume of roughly 2.6 million cubic metres, and it was raised from an estimated 2.3 million blocks weighing some six million tonnes in total, mostly local limestone from the Giza Plateau, by skilled workers drawn from across Egypt. The interior is entered from the north side, which faces visitors arriving from the plateau gate; the route climbs through the Grand Gallery to the King's Chamber with its granite sarcophagus. Around the pyramid lie the queens' pyramids, the solar boat pits and the tombs of nobles, while the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure and the Great Sphinx share the same plateau.

Where:

Cairo, Egypt