Giza
Giza ‘الجيزة’ is located on the west bank of the Nile River just south-southwest of Cairo. It is a suburb of the national capital with a distinctive character enriched by several archaeological and cultural sites.
Although the Giza plateau is most closely associated with the pyramids of Khufu, Khafra, and Menkaura (The Forth Dynasty), the site was used as early as the First Dynasty of Egypt and became the royal necropolis, or burial place for Memphis (the pharaoh's capital city).
The original necropolis of Giza was laid out with surprising precision and skills before it became associated with the great kings of Egypt and their pyramids. These kings had enough money and prestige to buy their way into burial plots at Giza, they had their tombs dug wherever they found available space to honour their memory and as a demonstration of power and permanence after death. This resulted in a number of grave complexes throughout Giza which would not have been authorized by the kings who built the famous pyramids which throughout history have drawn visitors from around the world.
Giza Pyramids
No trip to Egypt is complete without time spent at one of the world's most recognizable tourist attractions. Let us spot the light on its enormous size and precise construction structures.
In less than 100 years, the ancient Egyptians built the three pyramid complexes to serve as the tombs for their dead kings and to endure an eternity. These mighty monuments are a tribute to the power and ambition of Egypt's Pharaonic rulers who ruled Egypt thousands of years ago!
Certainly, you have seen lots of photographs of the Pyramids of Giza, but nothing beats getting up-close-and-personal with these massive ancient monuments. These ancient tombs of kings guarded by the serene Sphinx have wowed spectators for centuries.
One can only imagine that it took humans nearly 4000 years to build anything taller than the Great Pyramid. In contrast to modern times; we get excited when a record lasts longer than a decade!
Giza's Great Pyramid of Khufu
The most accurately aligned structure ever created by human beings! It is not only Egypt’s most famous monument but one of the oldest, greatest, most perfect, and scientific monuments on the face of the Earth. It is the largest of the three main pyramids at Giza, and was built more than 4500 years ago by the Pharaoh Khufu (commonly called by its Greek transliteration of Cheops) who was known to the ancient Egyptians as Ekhet Khufu ("Horizon of Khufu").
It’s not just the height that is impressive but the precision with which the Great pyramid was designed. With a height of 146 meters above (481 feet) and an estimated 2.3 million block some of which are upwards of 50 tons and a base length of more than 230 meters for each side. The greatest difference in length among the four sides of the pyramid is an astonishing accomplishment that would be a challenge to replicate today even with modern equipment.
Standing at the base of Khufu’s Pyramid, it is hard to imagine that this monument was built in just under 30 years. It is the last survivor of the Seven Wonders of the World!
Fun Fact
As the Great Pyramid is not only an architectural and engineering wonder, it is a geographical wonder too! It is located at the exact intersection of the longest line of latitude and the longest line of longitude. Impressive, eh!
Pyramid of Khafra
Khafra Pyramid is the second largest pyramid in Egypt, with a height of 136 meters, only 10 meters lower than the Great Pyramid. It was built by Khufu’s second son Khafra (Chefren in ancient Greek).
Each pyramid is captivating in its way, but the tomb of Khafra is one of the most popular in Egypt and instantly catches the eye of every tourist thanks to the remnants of the cladding at its top, its central position, and the fact that it seems to be the tallest of all due to its location on a higher level on the Giza plateau.
The Valley Temple of Khafra located in the eastern part of the pyramid is one of the best-preserved in ancient Egypt. Fragments of several statues of the pharaoh have been found here, including the famous statue of Khafra seated on a lion throne with Horus’s falcon behind his header.
Fun Fact: If you look at the pyramids of Khufu and Khafre from the Great Sphinx during sunset, you can see how the sun sets between the two pyramids!
Pyramid of Menkaura
The third of the great pyramids of Giza is attributed to Pharaoh Menkaura (Mykerinos in ancient Greek) and the smallest of the three, rising to a height of 65 meters. King Menkaura was the son of Khafra; like his father and his grandfather before, he decided to have his tomb built near that of theirs. The lower section of the pyramid is clad in pink granite, while the upper one is in Tura limestone like other pyramids.
Thousands of years and damage have been caused throughout history, not only in the Pyramid of Menkaure but in several other monuments of the parents. Nevertheless, this great historical attraction still stands with its beauty and attraction in place.
A definite pattern can be traced: Khafra was the son of Khufu and the father of Menkaura, it turns out that each subsequent ruler built a smaller tomb for himself.
Great Sphinx of Giza
Sphinx is a Greek word derived from Pharaonic name “Sheseb-Ankh” which means “The Living Picture”, and it was never known as “Sphinx” to Ancient Egyptians. The Arabic name is “Abu Al-Hawl” (ابو الهول) is a twist of pharaonic name “Bu-Houl" which means “The Home of Horus”. Though it is now indistinct from the drab tan of its sandy surroundings as the Sphinx was once completely covered in vivid paint.
The statue was built in limestone, 70 meters long, 6 meters wide, and 20 meters high, making it the oldest known monumental sculpture in Egypt and one of the most recognizable statues in the world. Because it is the largest statue carved out of just one block of stone. It is represented as the head and body of a lion with the fake royal beard adorned with a noble headdress pharaohs used to wear.
According to some estimates, it would have taken about three years for 100 workers, using stone hammers and copper chisels, to finish the statue. No wonder that Sphinx is considered the most enigmatic sculpture in the world!
