Giza (city of pyramids)
The pyramids were built in the city of Giza approximately 5,000 years ago. They were built at the request of the Pharaohs because they believed that they would become gods in the afterlife. To prepare for this life, they built temples and tombs in the form of very huge pyramids. The first Pharaoh to build a pyramid for himself was the Pharaoh Khufu in Year 2551 BC. It is the largest pyramid in Giza, with a height of 138 metres. He was then followed by his son, Pharaoh Khafre, who built the second pyramid in Giza in 2520 BC. It is worth noting that his tomb contains the Sphinx, and a shrine with the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh. As for the third pyramid, it is for the pharaoh. Menkaure, the smallest of the pyramids, was built in 2490 BC.
Where are the pyramids of Giza located?
The most famous of all the pyramids of Giza is located in the city of Giza, south of Cairo, a suburb of the Egyptian capital, 25 km from the city of Cairo, and 8 km from the Nile River. It was named after the Giza Plateau, located on the western bank of the Nile River, where the Plateau dominates. Giza is on the Nile Valley, which is a few dozen meters away from its summit.
The most important pyramids of Giza
King Khufu’s pyramid :
Known as the Great Pyramid of Giza; It is considered the largest of the three main pyramids in Giza, and it is the only pyramid that was classified as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and it represents a tomb for the Pharaoh Khufu. Historians state that building the pyramid required 100,000 men, to work over a period of 3 months of each year, and its construction took approximately Between 10 to 20 years, the pyramid is surrounded by many major edifices, including: 3 pyramids belonging to King Khufu’s wives, two temples, in addition to a small pyramid belonging to the Great Pyramid, and small mastaba tombs. The Pyramid of Khufu is one of the most famous monuments around the world. This huge structure, with its internal facilities and dimensions, is considered an amazing building. The area of the pyramid, excluding the internal rooms and the rocky base, is 2.3 million meters3, and the length of its base is 227.5 meters, and its height reaches 137.2 metres.
King Khafre’s pyramid :
The Pyramid of Khafre is considered the second largest pyramid of the three pyramids of Giza after the Pyramid of Khufu, where the Pharaoh Khafre, son of King Khufu, was buried. The Pyramid of Khafre is famous for the presence of the Sphinx as an external part of it. The pyramid is located 160 meters southwest of the Great Pyramid, with a base area of 210.5 metres. With a height of 135.5 metres, It is noteworthy that the pyramid appears at first glance to be larger than the pyramid of King Khufu due to the height of the ground on which it was built. The top of the pyramid still maintains its external limestone structure, and the distinctive design of the funerary temple can be distinguished from the eastern side of the pyramid.
Pyramid of King Menkaure :
It is the third main pyramid of Giza, and was built to be a tomb for Pharaoh Menkaure. It is also considered the smallest of the three pyramids of Giza in terms of size. However, it is considered a huge structure with a height of up to 62 meters, and a base length of up to 108 metres. It was also built of large limestones. It is noteworthy that on the southern side of the pyramid there are 3 smaller, incomplete pyramids that form graves for relatives of Pharaoh Menkaure.
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