The pyramids of ancient Egypt - historical background
Many guests of Egypt have at least once been to the famous pyramids, and those who are just going to this fabulous country, I think, are planning to definitely visit this historically valuable and mysterious place. And when it comes to pyramids, they mean the Great Pyramids of Giza, although many do not even realize that there are just over a hundred pyramids in Egypt..
But in this article I will tell you exactly about those pyramids, to the constellation of which one of the seven wonders of the world belongs - the pyramid of Cheops. And our report on how we drove to the ancient Egyptian pyramids read the link.
Ancient pyramids of Egypt and the Great Sphinx.
The Great Pyramids complex is located on the Giza plateau on the left (western) bank of the Nile, 25 km southwest of Cairo. From afar, these ancient beauties look grayish-blue in the haze, and only when you approach them do you begin to realize all their majesty and enormity.
The ensemble of the Great Pyramids of Giza consists of the pyramids of the pharaohs Cheops, Khaphren and Mikerin, which belong to the period of the IV dynasty. The faces of these pyramids are precisely oriented to the cardinal points..
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The Pyramid of Cheops
The largest of the three Great Pyramids is the Pyramid of Cheops. Its approximate height is 138.8 meters, although, according to scientists, earlier it was higher. The side of its base is 227.5 meters. For the construction of this whopper, the ancient Egyptians did not use a binder solution, the blocks are fitted to each other with amazing geometric accuracy.
Pyramid of Khafre
The second largest pyramid of Khafre differs so slightly from the pyramid of Cheops that from some angle of view it sometimes even seems larger, although this impression is deceptive. Its height is 136 meters, the side is 215 meters..
Mikkerin's pyramid
The Mikkerin pyramid is the southernmost and lowest of the three pyramids at Giza. Outwardly, it is slightly different from its two predecessors. Its height is currently about 62 meters, and the side of its base is 108.4 meters..
There are several small pyramids next to the great pyramids. According to some reports, the wives of the pharaohs are buried there, who did not want to leave for another world without their companions, other scientists believe that the lower pyramids belong to a later period and are an attempt by descendants to repeat the great structures of their ancestors.
At the very foot of the Giza plateau is the Great Sphinx - an extraordinary creature with the body of a lion and a human head, facial features reminiscent of the pharaoh Khafre (although this theory is disputed by modern scientists). It is the largest one-piece sculpture in the world at 20 meters high and 73 meters long.
It is best to come to the Great Pyramids of Egypt on your own in order to have enough time to wander through the sands of Giza, admire the unusually majestic structures and indulge in deep reflections on the topic of eternity, leisurely on the departing sightseeing bus. But this is the place in Egypt where you must visit at least once..