The world cultural heritage the pyramids of Gizeh, ca. 4.500 years old, are the only one of the seven wonders of the world from the antiquity, which is still preserved today. The pyramids are located about 15 kilometers from the center of Cairo on the western edge of the Nile Valley. The city of Giza is ca. eight kilometers away.
Since 1979 the pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx are part of the UNESCO world heritage site. The pharaohs Cheops, Chepren and Mykerionos were buried in the pyramids. They served as tombs. The size and age of the pyramids correspond to the order of their names. The Cheops Pyramid is therefore the largest one.
If one has the pyramids of Gizeh before its mental eyes, one thinks inevitably of desert and one-humped camels. Thereby the camels became domestic relatively late. At first donkeys were used by the pharaohs as farm animals. The Libyan Desert is alive, at least in terms of biodiversity. Desert jumping mice and desert hares go hunting. At water places gazelles settle down. Small livestock nomads move with donkeys, goats and sheep to the watering place and let the animals feed on thorn bushes and dry grasses. Otherwise the sand seas dominate. In the rock massifs there are u.a. many species of scorpions, cobras, sand lizards and other small animals. In the adjacent Sinai mountains ibexes are native in whole colonies. There are also found acacia trees, sycamores and tamarisks.
The pyramids of Giza have impressive dimensions
The Cheops pyramid has a side length of 230 meters and a height of 139 meters today. The Chephrenypramid is a little shorter with 215 meters and measured with a current height of 136 meters. The smallest, the Mykerinopyramid, has a side length of 103 meters and a height of 65 meters.
Pyramids Giza with a view of Cairo Egypt sights
The probable construction of the pyramids of Giza
Until today the construction of the pyramids of Giza is puzzled: At the tombs in the valley of the kings inscriptions and mummies were found. In the pyramids of Gizeh however neither mummies, grave goods or inscriptions were to be found. For a long time the opinion was held that ca. 10.000 Egyptian workers, possibly slaves, built the pyramids of Giza. Until today it could not be clarified how the pyramids were built. The technical means at that time, with which one could have imagined how the pyramids of Gizeh could have originated, were factually not present. pulleys and wheels had not yet been invented. It is theorized that the heavy stones were transported on sledges via heaped ramps. By the pyramid form this would be a quite plausible conjecture. According to estimations one assumes with this construction method of approx. 20 years construction time from. The road construction for hauling the stones alone lasted about 10 years.
By the construction of the pyramid of Sakkara and the pyramid of Cheops already experiences could have been collected, which allowed a supposedly mature and modern building method. The corresponding quarries and the storage places of the work for the building of the pyramids of Gizeh were found nearby. Furthermore, six wooden boats were found near the pyramids. One of them has been restored and can be found today in a museum near the Chepren pyramid.
The pyramids of Giza and their myths
There are many legends and myths about the pyramids of Giza. Much remains mysterious and enigmatic. To go on the trail and discovery is fascinating and interesting at the same time.
In the meantime it is clear that the pyramids of Giza were exactly aligned according to the four cardinal points. It has been researched that the pyramids were built at least partly according to astronomical principles. The Swiss author Erich von Daniken, for example, is of the opinion that extraterrestrials were the clients for the construction of the pyramids here. Robert Bauval, Belgian author and lecturer, created the Orion theory, which states that the site plan for the pyramids can be found in the stars. There are hundreds of different theories on the Internet alone. Research on the origin of the pyramids of Giza is still in full swing. To go in the footsteps of this history is something very special and impressive, ultimately it is the most spectacular buildings in human history.
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Stairs into the pyramids of Giza Egypt sightseeing
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Sphinx and Pyramids Giza Egypt Sightseeings
A closer look at the pyramids of Giza: Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre, and Pyramid of Mykerinos
Pyramid of Cheops
The most famous and largest pyramid of the pyramids of Giza is the Pyramid of Cheops. It was built from immovable 3 million. Blocks of stone built. The average weight of each block was 2.5 tons. Inside the pyramid is a gallery 8.5 meters high and 47 meters long. At the end joins the royal burial chamber. Here are the remains of a granite sarcophagus at. The queen’s chamber and the first underground burial chamber adjoin here. The remains of the mortuary temple and the ascending path are located on the east side of the pyramid.
Pyramid of Khafre
The middle one of the pyramids of Giza is the Chepren pyramid, which is completely covered with limestone slabs. The Chephren pyramid is situated a bit higher, it seems bigger than the Cheops pyramid and is therefore easily confused. The 400 meter long path leads directly to the Temple of the Dead, past the Great Sphinx of Giza and the Temple of the Sphinx to the Pyramid.
Mykerinos pyramid
The Mykerinos pyramid has also limestone slabs at the upper part of the pyramid. The other 16 layers consist of rose granite enclosures. The former valley and mortuary temples of the pyramid are no longer completely preserved. The museum of Cairo has exhibited the statue group of Mykerinos.
Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx Egypt attractions
The pyramids of Giza and their Sphinx
The Sphinx, 20 meters high and 74 meters long, was built at the same time as the pyramids of Giza. It is seen as the guardian of the dead kings of Egypt and impresses with its calm and silence.
As with the Pyramids of Giza, myths and legends surround the construction of the Sphinx.
The great Sphinx of Giza is the most famous and largest. The Sphinx represents a reclining graceful lion with a human head and was probably built in the 4th century. Dynasty built (ca. 2520 to 2494 before Christ). The head of the Sphinx is dressed with a Nemes headcloth with uraeus snake.
Largest Egyptian museum in planning at the pyramids of Giza
The Giza Museum is under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2020. It is supposed to become the largest archaeological museum in the world and is located ca. two kilometers away from the necropolis of Giza.
The pyramids of Giza are already impressive from the airplane. Seen on site, they are lasting and deeply touching impressions that will not be forgotten.