THE TEMPLES, SITES AND MONUMENTS OF ANCIENT EGYPT

The only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing, the Pyramids of Giza are a sight that dwarfs even the greatest modern buildings. The size, age and perfection of this complex makes it one of the most awesome achievments in all of human history.

Actually only one of the pyramids - the Great Pyramid of Khufu - was classified in the 5th century BC as a "Wonder". It is the oldest of the three major and many minor pyramids here. Its stupendous size, great antiquity and unbelievable mathematical perfection make it not just a wonder but a downright mystery. How it was built is still not known. Ingenious tunnels within are still being explored and discovered.

There are two other pyramids in the complex - Khafre and Menkaure. These, while also very impressive, are easily overwhelmed by the sheer scope of their bigger cousin. But together they form a truly majestic spectacle.

The Giza Plateau also home to the Great Sphinx, perhaps the best known monument in the whole of Egypt.

The Pyramids, Sphinx and adjacent temples make up the Necropolis of Memphis, primarily built during the 4th Dynasty (2575-2467 BC).

 

 

At around 2575 BC Pharaoh Khufu (aka. Cheops) makes his mark on the landscape. For him the greatest and most famous pyramid of all was constructed, the Great Pyramid of Giza. When looking at the pyramid group on the Giza plateau it does not seem to be the largest. This is because the tallest looking one has been built on higher ground, but is 10 metres smaller.

To build the Pyramid of Khufu, some Egyptologists speculate that 84,000 people employed for 80 days a year worked for 20 years to complete it. Incredibly, for over 40 centuries it was the tallest man-made structure on earth, only surpassed with the advent of the 19th century and high-tech steel construction techniques.