The Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as Cheops Pyramid or Cheops Pyramid ) is the oldest and largest of the pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex, which borders present-day Giza in Greater Cairo , Egypt . It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one that has remained largely intact.
Egyptologists conclude that the pyramid was built as a burial site for the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty, and estimate that it was built in the 26th century BC over a period of about 27 years.
At an original 146.5 metres (481 feet), the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for more than 3,800 years. Over time, most of the smooth white limestone shell was removed, lowering the pyramid’s height to its current 138.5 metres (454.4 feet). What can be seen today is the underlying core structure. The base was measured at about 230.3 square metres (755.6 feet) square, giving a volume of about 2.6 million cubic metres (92 million cubic feet), including an inner mound.
The dimensions of the pyramid were 280 royal cubits (146.7 m; 481.4 ft) high, a base length of 440 cubits (230.6 m; 756.4 ft) with a seced of 5 + 1 / 2 palms (a slope of 51 ° 50 ‘) 40″).
The Great Pyramid was built by quarrying an estimated 2.3 million large blocks with a total weight of 6 million tonnes. The majority of the stones are not of a uniform size or shape and are only roughly worked. The outer layers were joined together by mortar. Mainly local limestone from the Giza Plateau was used. Other blocks were imported by boat down the Nile: White limestone from Tura for the cladding and granite blocks from Aswan weighing up to 80 tons for the construction of the King’s Chamber.
There are three known chambers within the Great Pyramid. The lowest was carved into the bedrock on which the pyramid was built, but remained unfinished. The so-called Queen’s Chamber and King’s Chamber, which contain a granite sarcophagus, are located further up within the pyramid structure. Khufu’s vizier , Hemiunu (also called Hemon), is considered by some to be the architect of the Great Pyramid. [8] Many different scientific and alternative hypotheses attempt to explain the exact construction techniques.
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