Pyramids of EgyptAny travel in Egypt should include a visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza east of Cheops' pyramid, pictured below. The Pyramids of Giza are thought to have been built for the pharaoh's sister and wife Merites, and possibly for two other queens. The Great Pyramid (Khufu) is 241sqm square in plan and 153 metres high. Each side is 230 metres long and the base of the pyramid covering about five hectares (13 acres). It is believed to contain 2.3 million stone blocks, their average weight being one and a half tonnes, and the four sides of the pyramid are perfectly oriented to the main points of a compass. The two other great pyramids in the famous trio are Khafre (214.5 metres square and 143.5 metres high) and Menkaure (110 metres square and 68.8 metres high). |
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Great Pyramids of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza are easy for tourists to visit from Cairo along the 11 kilometre Sharia al-Ahram (Pyramids Road). It's illegal and dangerous to climb any of the pyramids but interior access is available for tourists who don't mind a little claustrophobia (and fairly expensive entry tickets). The Great Pyramid of Cheops was built by the IV Dynasty pharaoh Khufu (also known as Cheops), who reigned from 2589BC to 2566BC. The 137 metre high pyramid is assembled from more than two million limestone blocks and is thought to weigh six million tons. The Pyramid of Khafre, also known as Chephren, sometimes appears larger than the Great Pyramid because it is built on higher ground, has an intact summit and steeper sides. The Pyramid of Khafre is a few hundred metres from the Great Pyramid. The Pyramid of Menkaure, also known as Mycerinus, is the smallest of the Giza pyramids - measuring 108 metres wide and 66 metres high. The narrow corridor to the empty tomb chamber of Menkaure can be an uncomfortable, claustrophobic downward journey stooped over so your head doesn't hit the granite roof (it usually takes just over 80 steps to get to the tomb). All three pyramids once had smooth sides but only the top of the great second pyramid of Khafre still has the ancient bleached cladding. Each block of stone within the pyramids comes to chest or waist height and weighs about 2.5 tonnes. Tourists can still go inside the Great Pyramid but an extra ticket fee is charged. Tourist entry numbers at the two largest pyramids are restricted to 300 a day so it's wise to organise your pyramid visit rather than leave it to chance if you want to see inside these last surviving Wonders of the Ancient World. Tourists were once allowed to climb the pyramids but several fell to their deaths and climbing is no longer possible. Felluca cruise on the Nile River The Egypt State Information Service page provides a wealth of background information. To book cheap airline tickets, hotels, car rentals, etc. in Egypt, visit our Travel Shop. |
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