Giza Pyramids & the Sphinx

The Pyramids of Giza are world famous due to their magnificence and beauty. All of this dwindles when compared to the precision and astounding ability of the ancient Egyptians in building the Pyramids, which can not be replicated with all of our modern technology nowadays.

King Cheops (Khufu) built the Great Pyramid 2560 BC, its height now being 137 meters (originally 146 meters) and its base about 230 meters wide. The Pyramid builders used about 2.5 million blocks of limestone. It is believed to have been built over a 20 year period.

The Second Pyramid was built by King Kephren (Khafra) to the south west of his father’s (Cheops) Pyramid. It is 136 meters high with the base about 215 meters. This Pyramid still retains portions of the limestone that once covered the entire Pyramid.

The Third Pyramid was built by King Mycerinus (Menkaure) to the south west of the Second Pyramid. Being a lot smaller than the two other Pyramids, it is only 62 meters high. The lower parts of this pyramid still retain some granite portions on its lower part which is lacking in the other two Pyramids.

 

The Sphinx, the guardian of the Giza Plateau, is one of the most well-known monuments in Egypt. Its fame has spread to all the world as the symbol of silence and intrigue. This legendary statue has the body of a lion and the face of a man which makes it quite a mysterious monument. It is believed that it represents god Horus in the Horizon. It is 70 meters long and 20 meters high. Scholars and scientists believe that the face of the Sphinx closely resembles that of King Kephren, the builder of the 2nd pyramid.