Pyramids
of
Giza, Egypt
three pyramids at Giza in 1957
this National Treasure
protected by guards on camels
The pyramids of Giza are perhaps the most famous ancient monuments in the world. Located on the west side of the Nile, thousands of visitors from around the world spend hours walking around the grounds trying to comprehend the scale of the monuments.
the tourists are also beckoned to take a ride on a camel
Although smooth-looking from a distance, the pyramids were actually constructed using large irregular stone blocks. Today, the remains of the outer casement stones used to finish construction are still visible near the apex of Khafre’s pyramid. When new, they would have gleamed brilliant white in the sunlight.
Cheops pyramid
More Photos of the Cheops pyramid
The Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) was not only the first pyramid built at Giza but also the largest. When completed, it stood some 480 feet tall and contained nearly 6.8 million tons of limestone.
Queen's pyramid
Nearby, three smaller pyramids were constructed for Khufu’s queens.
Solar Boat Museum
More Photos of the Solar Boat Museum
Located around the base of Khufu’s pyramid are five large boat pits, two of which contained the perfectly preserved remains of royal barges. Early this century, one barge was removed from its pit and painstakingly reconstructed and placed in the Solar Boat Museum located on the pyramid’s south side.
Chephren Pyramid
The second largest pyramid at Giza belonged to Khufu’s son Khafre (Chephren).
Chephren pyramid (foreground) appears higher than Cheops (background)
Although Khafre’s pyramid is shorter than that of his father, it appears taller due to the simple fact that it was constructed on higher ground.
Mykerinos Pyramid (on the right)
The Pyramid of Menkaure ( Mykerinos )is the smallest of the three main pyramids
at Giza, standing 203 feet. Originally started by Menkaure, it
was eventually finished by his son.
