The Great Pyramids are the most famous landmarks in Egypt. They were built in the 26-23 century BC and are located on the outskirts of Cairo on the left bank of the Nile, on the Giza Plateau. They are represented by three pyramids - Cheops, Chephren and Mykerin.
The Pyramid of Cheops is the largest pyramid and is considered the largest man-made structure. One side of its square base is almost 230 metres. The height of the Pyramid of Cheops was originally 147 metres, but due to the collapse of the upper blocks it was reduced by 9 metres. The total number of stone blocks is more than two million, each of which weighs more than two tonnes. The blocks are tightly fitted one to another, between some of them it is impossible to draw a knife blade. Each facet of the pyramid is orientated to a separate side of the world, you can enter the pyramid from the north. At the moment inside the pyramid there are three burial rooms with an empty sarcophagus made of granite slabs. The pyramid of Cheops was looted in ancient times, jewellery and mummies were stolen. To the south of the pyramid is a rook made of cedar wood, which is considered to be the oldest ship to date.
The pyramid of Chephren is 136 metres high and was erected 40 years after the construction of the pyramid of Cheops. The length of the side of the base square is 215 metres. It used to house twenty-five statues of pharaohs and the mummy of Chephren.
The Pyramid of Mykerin is the smallest of the three Great Pyramids, with a base side of 108 metres and an original height of almost 67 metres. Inside it is the only burial chamber, which is a recess in the rocky base of the pyramid.
Near the foot of Giza are also the remains of the Sphinx Temple, and a little further away is the monolithic statue of the Great Sphinx. The Temple of the Sphinx is in poor condition, and is a pile of stone blocks of pink granite.
The first pyramid explorer to make a detailed study of the pyramids was Flindris Pitry. He also determined that the sides of the pyramids were strictly orientated along the earth's magnetic poles.
