Giza Pyramids

Facts of the Egyptian Pyramids: Giza Complex and Beyond

Giza is located only a few kilometers south of Cairo, several hundred meters from the last houses in the southernmost part of the city proper, where a limestone cliff rises abruptly from the other side of a sandy desert plateau.

Even though the oldest known tomb in Giza is a mastaba that can be dated to the early 1st Dynasty, main attractions of Giza are the three Pyramids that attract several tourists every year.

The Pyramids themselves are a constant and popular attraction for the world at large. They stand for ancient Egyptian civilization's best and most archetypal work. Together with the Sphinx, they simply embody ancient Egypt.

The Pyramids are the oldest manmade structures on the earth and The Great Pyramid needed 30 years, about 100 000 workers & 6 millions stone block to be erected. the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) is the only monument left of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World. The Giza Pyramid of  Khafre is a little smaller than the Great Pyramid but appears slightly larger than it from a few angles because of a better position on the plateau.

The Giza Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the Giza Pyramids. Each Pyramid is a tomb to a different King of Egypt. In front of the pyramids lies the Sphinx or Abu al-Hol in Arabic, "Father of Terror". Carved out of a single block of stone, this enormous cat-like sculpture has mesmerized millions of visitors.

The Pyramids were also the tallest manmade structure in the world for more than 43 centuries with the height of 145.75 m. it was only in the 19th century AD that the pyramids were transcended in height. The Pyramids fulfilled the purpose of the tomb to bury the kings and nobles from where they begin mystic journey of the afterlife.

The Great Pyramid took almost 20 years to be completed and used almost two million blocks of limestone each with a weight of more than two tons. The entrance to the pyramid is on the north and the king's burial chamber is in the center of the structure accessible by the Great Gallery.

There are several corridors, galleries and escape shafts leading to king's chamber or were built for other functions. The walls of the King's chamber and his sarcophagus are built of red granite.

Getting to Pyramids is easy either you plan a one day trip visit from your Sinai or Red Sea resort or you are visiting Egypt for a week. Most travel agencies and tour operators organize daily guided trips to the Pyramids area.

The visit does not need more than couple of hours stopping firstly between the two Pyramids of Cheops and Chefren then head to the Panorama for a full view of Giza Plateau and finally you will be taken to the Sphinx before leaving the area.

Getting life time pictures, purchasing souvenirs and try a short camel ride are the common activities that tourist can do. Follow the instructions of your tour guide when getting to the Pyramids and stay away from the hassle for sellers and camel guys and respond with just one word "Thanks".

You may prefer to attend the Sound and light show performed at Giza Pyramids by evening, it needs a separate ticket and lasts for around 45 minutes. Shows are translated in most languages and it is one of the nice night activities you may always remember.