The pyramids of Giza, at the Egypt, correspond to calling Complex or Giza Necropolis. They are still being visited today, and one of them is part of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
To the Pyramids of Giza are: pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Little Men, the largest and most important in Egypt. Inside them there are underground passages, burial chambers, narrow and steep corridors and galleries. Everything was made to house the tombs of pharaohs, given the importance that death and the afterlife had for the Egyptians.
One of them makes up the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid of Giza, which remains standing and practically intact. It measures 146.5 meters and was considered the tallest building in the world until the 14th century.
The workforce needed to create these monuments was 30 to 100 thousand men, over 14 to 20 years. How it was possible to move the huge stones and granite, at that time, to build these giant buildings is still a mystery. The most accepted theory is that a type of sled made of wooden logs was used to move them across the desert. Another theory would be the use of the power of the Nile River.
Summary about the pyramids of Giza
The Giza pyramids have rectangular bases and four triangular or trapezoid-shaped faces. They are made of stones weighing around two tons each, one of which is covered in granite for a third.
Inside them there are underground passages, burial chambers, narrow and steep corridors and galleries.
The pyramids were built to house the tombs of the pharaohs who ordered their construction.
The three pyramids that make up the Giza Complex were built by the pharaohs Cheops, Chephren and Micerinus (father, son and grandson) and are the namesakes of their kings. They were built to house their tombs, “raising” the pharaoh to unite with the sun god, Ra.
Of the seven wonders of the ancient world, named this way by Greek travelers who listed great “views” they encountered along the way, only the pyramids of Giza still exist.
It is believed that the huge stones were transported on log sleds or by the Nile River.
Characteristics and architecture of the pyramids of Giza
Located close to Cairo, they occupy the Plateau of Giza. Specifically, the pyramid of Cheops It is the largest and oldest of them, comprising the seven wonders of the world.
Why were the Giza pyramids built?
The pyramids of Giza were built to house the tombs of pharaohs, since the Egyptians gave great importance to burial. The pyramids are like representations of sun rays lifting the pharaoh to unite with the sun god. Therefore, their shape was so that the pharaohs, considered divine, followed the sun's rays to find Ra
History of the pyramids of Giza
At the reign of Pharaoh Cheops (2551 BC to 2528 BC), the largest pyramid in Giza was built. Bearing his name, the pyramid of Cheops is the only one of the seven wonders of the world that still exists, practically intact. The pharaoh is remembered, in addition to the majestic construction, for having been cruel and merciless.
The second of the largest pyramids in Giza was built during the reign of Pharaoh Khafre, who was also responsible for building the Sphinx of Giza and the only temple that remains today dating from the period of the Old Egyptian Empire.
Already the third pyramid, the smallest of the three, was built during the reign of Menkauré (son of Pharaoh Khafre) or Micahrinos, in Portuguese. Despite being the smallest of the pyramids, a third of it is covered with noble material, Aswan granite.
Do the pyramids of Giza still exist?
The Giza Necropolis is today an archaeological site open to visitors, however, with the exception of these largest ones, the other works of the architectural complex that was formed by the pyramids no longer exist.
The seven wonders of the ancient world
The seven wonders of the ancient world are:
- the Great Pyramid of Giza;
- the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus;
- the Temple of Artemis;
- the Statue of Zeus;
- the Colossus of Rhodes;
- the Alexandria Lighthouse;
- the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
These works are so named not only because of their beauty, but because they were great architectural and engineering feats. Of these, only the pyramid still exists (and the gardens, possibly, never existed).
Those who first named them this way were Greek travelers who made notes about great “views” they encountered along the way. Certainly, there were not just seven, but the number had spiritual meaning and represented perfection.
Curiosities about the pyramids of Giza
- The Pyramid of Giza was considered the tallest building in the world until the 14th century, when it was displaced by Lincoln Cathedral, in England.
- It is known that the work regime was intense, and payment consisted of beer and food.
- Figures on the number of workers involved in its construction range from 30 to 100 thousand, as well as the time it took to build: 14 to 20 years.
- There is still a question today: how could such heavy stones have been carried? From speculations that talk about extraterrestrials to precise calculations, everything has been tried to explain the facts. The sled theory is one of the most accepted, however there is a hypothesis that the heavy stones were loaded by the Nile River, using the force of water and other elements to lift them. Not only manual workers contributed, but also architects, engineers, chemists, doctors and other experts existing at the time.
- Also Astrology (and Astronomy) was taken into account, as the pyramids are precisely aligned to the Orion constellation.