12 Facts about the Pyramids of Giza

Impress your friends with 12 interesting facts about Giza Pyramid

The pyramids of Egypt are fascinating and mysterious structures that have intrigued people for centuries. They are part of the ancient glory of Egypt and they still puzzle the best scientists and scholars. Here are some facts that will give you a glimpse of the knowledge available about these amazing pyramids.

1- The oldest and biggest pyramid of Giza was built by Pharaoh Khufu around 2550 BCE. It is the Great Pyramid. The next smaller pyramid was built by his son, Pharaoh Khafre, and the smallest one by Khafre’s son, Pharaoh Menkaure.

2- The pyramids’ sizes were not related to status; they were the result of the declining economy. As the government spent more and more resources on grand buildings, less resources were left for the pyramids. In fact, Menkaure’s son, Pharaoh Shepseskaf, could not afford to build a pyramid for himself.

3- Scientists and scholars have never figured out how the pyramids were constructed, but they now know that the builders were skilled Egyptian workers who lived in a nearby community and were paid for their work.

4- Today Giza seems like a lonely place of monuments, but when the pyramids were being erected, it was a bustling community with temples, shops, a market, and housing.

5- Experts agree that the pyramids were made from huge blocks cut out of stone quarries with copper tools, each block weighing between 2.5 to 15 tons.

6- The pyramids were coated with casing stones made of smooth white limestone that shone in the sun. It was said that they could be seen from the hills in Israel.

7- The pyramids align with true north. Since there was no Northstar then, no one knows how the Egyptians achieved such accuracy.

8- The Great Pyramid kept its position as the world’s highest human-made structure for 3,871 years until the central tower of the Lincoln Cathedral in England was built in 1311 CE. The pyramid is 146 meters (479 feet) tall. The tower 160 meters (525 feet).

9- Khaemweset, son of Rameses II, is regarded as the first Egyptologist. By the time of the New Kingdom (1570-1069 BCE), Giza was deserted and the pyramids damaged and robbed. Khaemweset devoted himself to the study, restoration and conservation of Giza, which prospered until the Romans took over.

10- In 1798, Napoleon arrived in Egypt with 400 ships, an army of 54,000 and a team of scholars and scientists who, in 1809, produced Description de l’Égypte, a comprehensive history of Ancient Egypt, which sparked a fascination with Ancient Egypt throughout Europe.

11- Despite the scorching heat at Giza, the temperature inside the pyramids stays relatively stable, around 20 Celsius (60 F).

12- The most recent mystery of the pyramids is what seems to be a huge cavity in the Great Pyramid. It is not reachable. No one knows what it is there for. It was discovered by an international team of researchers using muography, a technology that detects density changes inside large rock structures. And now the experts have something else to speculate about and debate.

The Pyramids Of Giza is one of the most important seven wonders in the world that everyone wants to visit more than once in life. check here for more information and in case also if you willing to have a tour to it