A vacation in Egypt would never be complete without a visit to the famous pyramids of Giza. After all, it is a monument that is absolutely essential to Egypt and is one of its most iconic. The pyramids are also one of the Seven Wonders of the World, so if you want to see the last standing ancient wonder, you must visit Giza.
It is a truly unique sight, which makes you realize how much work and effort must have gone into building these gigantic structures. If you visit Giza, you will be greeted by the sight of three enormous pyramids. Nearby is the majestic Sphinx, which was supposed to guard and watch over the entire pyramid complex. The view of the pyramids is even more impressive when you realize that they were built almost 2,500 years before our era.
When watching films and documentaries featuring pyramids, one gets the impression that they are hidden somewhere deep in the desert. If this is your impression too, you will probably be surprised to learn that this majestic work of the Egyptian people is located just a few hundred meters from modern urban development.
Cairo is a truly vast city, which has expanded over the centuries and absorbed the surrounding settlements. Over time, the capital has also swallowed up Giza, and today the pyramids are located in close proximity to this suburb of Cairo. As these are truly gigantic structures, you will see their peaks already on your way to the complex itself. Giza is from Cairo city center about 25 kilometers away, so it's no problem to set off for the pyramids directly from the capital.
When you get to the pyramids themselves, you will have to pay an entrance fee. This may increase if you buy something from local merchants. They will try to sell you something from their range of souvenirs or put you on a camel and take your picture. Sometimes the encounter is pleasant, sometimes rather annoying, but you can always ignore them. Don't let anyone spoil your visit to the pyramids.
If you turn away from the pyramids, you will see urban development, which contrasts sharply with the desert and the beauty of ancient architecture that dazzles you when you look at the pyramids. If you would like to see the interior of the pyramid, you will need to purchase a separate ticket.
Only 300 visitors are allowed into the pyramid each day., so you'll have to get up early to buy a ticket.
If you are interested in history or ancient Egypt, you have surely heard a lot about the pyramids. These ancient structures have become a favorite topic of various conspiracy theorists and mystery seekers. In addition to these groups, scientists and other experts cannot agree on many issues, which is why some information is often distorted or misleading. We will briefly present the main information that is generally accepted as the most likely.
The largest pyramid of the majestic trio is The Pyramid of Cheops, also known as the Great Pyramid. The smaller pyramid is then The Pyramid of Rachef and the smallest (but still impressive) is The Pyramid of Menkaure.
In addition to the pyramids, you can see the magnificent The Great Sphinx The statue is truly monumental and is the largest statue in the world carved from a single piece of stone. Other structures near the pyramids include smaller tombs that belonged to Egyptian queens and members of the royal family.
The Great Pyramid of Cheops is the largest pyramid in Egypt and also the largest known ancient structure. It was built as a tomb for the ruler Cheops. The pyramid is almost 140 meters high. In the past, it was higher, but during World War II, an anti-aircraft observation post was built on its summit and, as is often the case, its historical value was neglected.
The construction of this pyramid consumed approximately 2,5 million stone blocks, which had to be moved without modern technology, the construction was extremely difficult and claimed many lives. One such block weighed up to 2,5 tons The construction took 30 long years and involved more than 100,000 slaves.
The precision with which the building stones were worked is also incredible. No binding material was used in the construction, and the individual blocks were simply placed tightly next to each other. The workmanship is so perfect that you would have trouble inserting a piece of paper between the individual blocks, such was the precision with which the ancient builders worked.
Inside the pyramid, there are numerous chambers and rooms that remain shrouded in mystery to this day and are constantly being explored by archaeologists and thrill seekers.
Not much is known about Cheops' reign, but it is believed that he was buried in the pyramid. Unfortunately, we cannot learn more about Cheops from the treasures that might have been found in the pyramid. It was robbed before archaeologists became interested in it. The structure hides three burial chambers. The main one conceals a huge stone sarcophagus, which must have been placed in the pyramid during its construction. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to get it into the interior of the pyramid.
Throughout history, many treasure hunters have tried to enter the pyramid, but all their expeditions ended in failure. Just finding the entrance seemed like a superhuman task. Everything changed when arab prince Abdullah al Mamun He decided to discover the riches and treasures hidden inside the pyramid. However, he was unable to find the entrance, so he decided to dig a tunnel to the center of the pyramid. But he was unable to find any passageway that would lead him to the royal burial chamber.
However, the intervention in the pyramid attracted the local population, who began to chip away at the white limestone that had covered it in the past. Part of the original shell is now hidden in various buildings in the surrounding area.
The second largest pyramid in the entire complex bears the name of King Rachef. If you stand in front of the pyramids, you will probably think that the Pyramid of Rachef is taller than the Pyramid of Cheops. This is because it stands on higher ground and has steeper walls than the Pyramid of Cheops. This fact confuses many tourists, and you will find many photos on social media where tourists take pictures with what they believe to be the Pyramid of Cheops, but it is actually located a few hundred meters away.
You can also distinguish them by their external cladding, Rachef's pyramid has a white tip. These are remnants of the former cladding that once adorned all pyramids. The tomb was probably built here by King Rachef and is still guarded by a huge sphinx, which has been lying in front of the pyramid itself for thousands of years.
The sphinx has the body of a lion and the head of a human and it will probably come as no surprise that it is supposed to be the head of Pharaoh Rachef. However, even in this theory, some researchers disagree, and many sources state that it depicts Rachef's father, Cheops.
The height of the Sphinx statue is 21 meters. and there is constant debate about its age, but the prevailing opinion is that it dates back to the 3rd millennium BC.
The last pyramid is the Pyramid of Menkaure. It is the smallest of the three, and it is the only one with no remains of its original cladding. The interior of the structure is interesting for its ingenious security system. To confuse potential thieves, the pyramid was equipped with false burial chamber. A sarcophagus bearing Menkaure's name was stored there.
The actual burial chamber is located below the foundation level and is accessed via a tunnel from the false chamber. The room is lined with granite and once contained the monarch's actual sarcophagus. However, it has not survived to this day, as the ship transporting it to Britain sank and the valuable relic remained forgotten at the bottom of the sea. The pyramid is complemented by a group of three smaller pyramids., which were supposed to be intended for the king's wives.
In addition to the pyramids, the complex also features number of graves which were intended for lower members of the royal family. Hidden beneath layers of sand are numerous architectural remains that further emphasized the glory and power of the Egyptian rulers. The pyramids at Giza will captivate you even today and help you understand the power that the Egyptian pharaohs wielded in their time. A visit to the pyramids is an unforgettable experience for everyone, because seeing the last classical wonder of the world is simply an experience of a lifetime.
