Visit the Great Pyramids, Giza

Only one of the three iconic pyramids at Giza, necropolis of ancient Memphis, which is now part of modern day Cairo, is the number one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The world renowned Great Pyramid of Cheops was the vision of Cheops, a Fourth Dynasty Egyptian pharaoh. Who began construction around 2560 years before the birth of Christ, the purpose of the structure was to become a tomb to house his body after his death.

It is believed that construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza took approximately twenty years; the huge structure is what is known as a platform or "mastaba", whose purpose was to simply cover and hide the tomb below from grave robbers.

The Great Pyramid was built to a height of 156 meters, although today it is 10 meters shorter. The structure was built with incredible precision; the sides of the pyramid are angled at precisely 54degrees and 54 minutes. Each of the four sides points precisely north, south, east and west, even when measured with today’s modern technologically exact instruments’.

Modern architects’ constantly race to hold the record for the worlds tallest building, with the honour being past over every few years. In comparison this pyramid was the tallest structure on the planet for nearly four thousand five hundred years.

The pyramids were originally covered with marble on the entirety of their surface; this must have made the structures shine like a beacon in the Egyptian sun. The second of the tree great pyramids was built for the pharaoh Chephren, and a small amount of the marble casing can still be seen at its tip. The last of the three classic tombs was constructed for the pharaoh Mycerinus.

The Great Pyramid was built with no less than two million stone blocks, each one weighing in at over 2 tonnes. Archaeologists still struggle to give an account of just how these massive blocks were hauled up the structure without the benefit of modern heavy lifting equipment.

The prevailing theory is that a massive spiral ramp was constructed encircling each of the Pyramids. The ramp grew higher along side the construction, the spiral would allow for the stones to be hauled up the sides of the pyramid, without the angle being too great for the movement of the blocks.

The ramp was presumably continuously coated and re-coated with lubricants, possibly simple mud or water or possibly some kind of oil. This would make the hauling and sliding of the blocks to their final resting place much easier. The structures are larger than Westminster and St Paul's Cathedrals in London put together.

Another enticing edifice at Giza is the exotic Abu Hoel, or Sphinx, which can be found only 150 meters from the pyramids. The human head and animal’s body symbolise the pharaoh’s strength and intelligence, it is positioned so that the face is looking exactly east so that it may watch the sun rise.

There is also a museum on the site that amongst many other artefacts houses the Sun Boat, a mysterious item discovered in the 50s, which is believed to have carried the body of Pharaoh Cheops to his pyramid for burial.

This highly important site is one of the greatest tourist attractions in the world. And has been visited by many millions of curious and awed travellers, over thousands of years.

For more information on the Egyptian Pyramids, please visit Ancient Egyptian Facts.