The largest of the approximately 160 pyramids in Egypt, the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, were built as tombs for kings who lived during the 4th Pharaonic Dynasty (3494 BC-2613 BC).
Named after the kings of the era, the pyramids are located in the city of Giza, southwest of the capital Cairo, and serve as the tombs of a father, son and grandson, with the largest being Khufu (King Khufu), the middle pyramid being Khafre (King Khafre) and the smallest being Menkaure (King Menkaure
After its construction, Keops held the title of the world's tallest structure for approximately 4,000 years until the Eiffel Tower was built. It was 230 metres wide and 146.4 metres long, but over time it shortened by about 10 metres due to erosion.
The Great Pyramid of Giza is considered the largest and oldest of the pyramids in Egypt. Among the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid is the only structure that has survived to the present day.
Its construction took approximately 20 years.
The Pyramid of Cheops, built by King Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty for himself, was constructed from limestone blocks, each weighing thousands of kilograms. Comprising approximately 2.3 million stone blocks, it is estimated that the construction of Cheops took 20 years, with 800 tonnes of stone being placed each day.
The king's burial chamber inside the Great Pyramid was constructed from granite blocks, which are thought to have been transported by ship from the city of Aswan in Egypt via the Nile River.
The second largest pyramid at Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre, is believed to have been built by Khafre's son, Menkaure
The protective covering on the top of Kefren, which is 143.5 metres high, appears to have survived intact to the present day. This feature distinguishes the pyramid from the others. The pyramid has two entrances, with the king's chamber located underground and the queen's chamber at the top. At the very top of the pyramid is a protective stone weighing 36 tonnes.
The smallest of the Giza pyramids, Menkaure, is 65.5 metres high. This pyramid was completed by Menkaure's son Shepseskaf after Menkaure's death.
The Giza Sphinx, located in the same area and believed to have been built to protect the pyramids, is also known as the world's largest single-stone statue. The face of the Sphinx is thought to belong to King Khafre
It continues to guard its secret
Surrounding the centuries-old pyramids built for the father, son and grandson are smaller pyramids where queens and other members of the family were mummified and buried. There are also two temples built for funeral ceremonies and rituals around the pyramids.
In ancient Egypt, where the belief in resurrection after death prevailed, kings were mummified and buried with their jewellery to prevent their bodies from decaying after death.
Despite hundreds of years having passed since their deaths, the mummification method that prevented the kings' bodies from decaying continues to keep its secret.
The famous 17th-century traveller Evliya Çelebi also mentions the Egyptian pyramids in his book Seyahatname.
Информация по комментариям в разработке