The Pyramids of Giza 29.9792° N, 31.1342° E

The Pyramids of Giza include three main Pyramids, which were built in the 4th Dynasty (approximately 2550 B.C). The Pyramids of Ancient Egypt were built as tombs for Kings (and Queens). Today there are more than 93 Pyramids in Egypt; the most famous ones are those at Giza.

The Great Pyramid of KhufuThe Great Pyramid of Khufu is by far the most famous Pyramid in Egypt, the biggest, tallest, and most intact. After its construction it became one of the “Seven Wonders Of The World. Khufu’s Pyramid is built entirely of limestone, and is considered an architectural masterpiece. It contains around 1,300,000 blocks ranging in weight from 2.5 tons to 15 tons and is built on a square base with sides measuring about 755ft, covering 13 acres! Its four sides face the four cardinal points precisely and it has an angle of 52 degrees. The original height of the Pyramid was 488ft, but today it is only 455ft high, the 33ft that is missing is due to the theft of the fine quality limestone covering, or casing stones, by the Ottoman Turks in the 15 Century A.D, to build houses and Mosques in Cairo.

Khafre's Pyramid
Khafre's Pyramid, or the 2nd Pyramid, is easily recognizable by the layers of its original casing stones that still remain near its summit and this, along with the fact that it actually stands on a higher part of the plateau, gives the impression that it is taller than the Great Pyramid. An optical illusion, as it is only 446 ft tall, with sides of 704ft. It also has lost some of its original height through the years, once being 471ft tall.

The Pyramid of Menkaure

Khafre's son, Menkaure, built the smallest of the 3 main Pyramids on the Giza Plateau. This one was only a mere 215ft tall, nowadays 203ft, with sides of only 344ft. This Pyramid, like its 2 neighbors, has a north facing entrance.

Apart from the size, Menkaure's Pyramid differed from the other 2 in the choice of casing stones. Whereas the Pyramids of his father and grandfather were completely cased in fine, white, Turah limestone, Menkaure's Pyramid was only partly cased in Turah limestone, from about 15m up! The first 15 meters was cased with pink granite, which had come from Aswan, the last of which was taken by Muhammad Ali Pasha (1805-1848) who used them to construct his arsenal in Alexandria.