Pyramids of Giza

The pyramids of Giza are the only remaining wonder of the ancient world. They have also been a World Heritage Site since 1979. The famous ancient Egyptian structures are located around 15 kilometers from the center of Cairo on the so-called Pyramid Road.

The Egyptian pyramids

The pyramids were built between 2620 and 2500 BC as burial sites. The Egyptians erected them on a limestone plateau measuring around 1000 by 2000 meters. A pyramid usually had a walkway connecting the pyramid to a mortuary temple and a valley temple further down. In addition to the imposing size of the pyramids, the way in which they were built is particularly impressive: It is assumed that the workers transported the stone blocks to the top by dragging them on inclined planes.

The Great Pyramid - Cheops Pyramid

The largest pyramid in Giza is that of Pharaoh Cheops, who ruled Egypt between 2620 and 2580 BC. It was originally 146.6 meters high. The sides have an impressive average length of 230.3 meters. Around three million stone blocks, each weighing around two and a half tons, were needed to build it. The complex also includes the remains of a mortuary temple and three smaller queen pyramids.

If you want to visit the pyramid of Khufu from the inside, you first have to walk through the 47-metre-long gallery before reaching the royal burial chamber. Especially in the hot Egyptian summer and when the number of tourists is high, it is therefore not recommended to visit the inside of Khufu's pyramid. The walk through the narrow gallery is physically very strenuous and cannot be managed by many visitors. In addition, all pyramids are constructed in the same way, so the interior of Khufu's pyramid looks no different from that of other pyramids. It is therefore better to choose a smaller version for an interior tour.

The Middle Pyramid - Chephren Pyramid

The second pyramid of Giza belonged to Pharaoh Chephren, who was in power from 2558 to 2532 BC. It originally had a height of 143.5 meters and a side length of 215.25 meters. Due to the fact that it was built on a site ten meters higher, it falsely appears somewhat larger than the Pyramid of Khufu. The famous Great Sphinx is also part of the pyramid complex of Khafre. The huge rock figure of a seated lion with a human head is 73 meters long. 

The Small Pyramid - Mykerinos Pyramid

The third pyramid was dedicated to Pharaoh Mykerinos, who ruled Egypt from 2532 to 2503 BC. It has an original height of 65 meters, making it significantly smaller than its larger neighbors. While the Cheops and Chephren pyramids were completely clad with limestone slabs, the lower levels of the Mykerinos pyramid were edged with rose granite. The limestone and rose granite cladding of the three large pyramids no longer exist today. There are three more queen pyramids to the south of the Mykerinos pyramid.

Origin of the pyramids

There was already a cemetery on the Giza pyramid field in the first dynasty from 3100 BC. Between 2620 and 2500 BC, in the fourth dynasty, the pyramids were built here. After that, the pyramid model was abandoned as a resting place, as it was repeatedly plundered by grave robbers.

The pyramids in modern times

Scientific research into the pyramids began with Napoleon's Egyptian campaign between 1798 and 1799. The first excavations took place in 1860 under the direction of the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette. The pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

The Giza Necropolis is located around 15 kilometers from the city center of the Egyptian capital Cairo. The Pyramid Road (Sharia el-Ahram) leads directly to the pyramid area.