The Great Pyramid

There are many structures around the world that truly exhibits the brilliance and dedication of the Human Race, but there is one monument that transcends art & science to new heights “The Great Pyramid of Giza”. The Pyramid was built by Pharaoh Khufu in the Fourth Dynasty around 2560 BC to be his final resting place, it is also known as the pyramid of “Cheops” by the Greeks who chronicled their visits millennia later and it is the first of three Pyramids built during Egypt old kingdom. The great pyramid is known to be one of the seven wonders of the ancient world as the great pyramid was the tallest man-made structure on earth for more than 3,800 years until the construction of the Lincoln Cathedral, England in 1311 and the only surviving member of the seven wonders.

The Construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza

The great pyramid took 20 years to construct by the hands of Khufu’s vizier, Heminuu using 2.3 million blocks of limestone, each block weighs 2.5 tons which makes it has the total mass of 5.9 million ton and the height of 146.7 m (481 ft) on a base of  230.3(756 ft) long. The pyramid sides rise at an angle of 51°52′ and are oriented to face the four cardinal points of the compass. All the numbers above prove how it is a true living Miracle of pure genius engineering, precise architectural Skill and a true sight to behold next to the other pyramids of Giza.

What makes it an absolute wonder is the construction methods as some theories suggest it was built using slave labor but it was proven wrong as to reach this level of unmatched precision, you need to understand and utilize the dynamics of Management and a critical path analysis methods to control a workforce that peaked at roughly 40,000 skilled members, the labor force was organized by a hierarchy and divided into teams. The pyramid was covered in white limestone giving it a smooth heavenly look but it was removed over the centuries to build fortress and mosques. Once the great pyramid was finished a special block made of a shining material like gold or electrum was placed on the top of the pyramid.

You can read more about how the Pyramids were built.

Mysterious Interior of the Great Pyramid

The interior of the great pyramid has been the subject of many fringe unorthodox theories. There are three known chambers inside of the pyramid, the first one is the king’s chamber which is made entirely from granite and the only object in the chamber is a rectangular granite sarcophagus and on top of the chamber is the five rooms called relieving chambers, between them is a limestone beam. The purpose of these relieving chambers was to absorb the enormous pressure on the King’s great chamber and to redirect it into the surrounding stones. Above the floor are two narrow shafts in the north and south walls and appear to be aligned with the stars or certain areas of the northern and southern skies as these shafts helped in ascending the king’s spirit to the heavens. The second one is the Queen chamber where the wife of the pharaoh was kept.

The third one is the Grand Gallery, a passage providing an access to the royal burial chambers, it is 8.6 m (28 ft) high, 64.68 m (153.1 ft) long and the walls of the gallery are lined with massive granite blocks baring no carvings, no murals, no artifacts or decorations of any kind. In the grand gallery is corbelled vault at an angle about 26 degrees that peaked just short of 30 with a corbelled arch stacks stones on each successive layer with a slight overhang until the structure meets at the high point which makes the grand gallery a little more impressive. The great pyramid still holds many mysteries as in 2017 a team of Japanese researchers discovered a Big Void above the Grand Gallery with a length of 30m (98 ft) using muon radiography. The purpose of the cavity is still unknown.

Tours to the Great Pyramid

Ancient Egyptian history reached by wonderful stories, so you can witness the Great Pyramid of Giza through our Cairo day tours if you are in Cairo, or check our Egypt private tours which mixed by Nile river cruise to enjoy a perfect holiday in the land of Pharaohs and its beautiful cities Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and much more.