A trip to Egypt can be overwhelming with so much history, sights and sounds. It is a remarkable country to visit any time of the year. One of the most popular sites to visit in Egypt is the Giza Pyramids. As part of the last surviving Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Egyptian pyramids are a phenomenon worth seeing.
Built during the Fourth Dynasty, the Great Pyramids of Giza can be found resting along the left bank of the River Nile, just south of the city of Cairo. The Giza Pyramids themselves are comprised of three separate pyramids, all built for the eventual burial of Pharaohs.
The Pyramid of Khufu
The largest of the three pyramids is Khufu or Cheops to the Greeks, weighing in at more than 6 million tons and being the largest structure in the world until 1300 AD. Originally built with 2.3 million stone blocks, its completed height was 479 feet (137 meters). Today, it still stands proudly at 449 feet even though some height was lost due to the stripping of its polished limestone casing. The spires of England’s Lincoln Cathedral eventually dwarfed the Khufu Pyramid when the spire heights were completed at 520 feet (160 meters).
The Pyramid of Khafre
The second largest of the Giza Pyramids was built for Khufu’s son, Khafre or Chephren. It is recognizable by the smooth limestone cap that remains on top of the pyramid. This pyramid reached a completed height of 471 feet (143 meters) with a combination of granite and limestone blocks that weighed approximately 2.5 tons each.
The Pyramid of Menkaure
The smallest and last of the pyramids at Giza, known as the Pyramid of Menkaure, was built for Khafre’s son who was the fifth king during the Fourth Dynasty. His pyramid remains 218 feet (66 meters) tall. The smaller pyramids that can be seen around the three larger pyramids at Giza were built for the burial of three of Khufu’s wives and his children.
The Great Pyramids of Giza are referred to as the Giza Pyramids due to the name of the plateau the pyramids were built on. The Giza plateau was once ten miles west outside the city of today’s Cairo, but today’s Giza plateau is now surrounded by a bustling and over crowded city. However, visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza leaves you with a feeling solitude as your ride camelback across the vast desert they still call home.
Marlo Heresco - A published freelance travel writer with miles of experience, a passion for travel and an eye for detail.
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