Great Pyramid of Giza . The only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that still exists, and is one of the great monuments of history that is part of the world heritage due to its historical past.
History
Located on the outskirts of Cairo , this pyramid is the largest of the three and is estimated to have been completed in 2570 BC . for accommodating the body of Khufu , then pharaoh of the fourth dynasty of the ancient Egypt and also known as Cheops who had ordered a tomb that its height should hide the sun .The Pyramids of Giza
The architect who carried out the work was Hemiunu, a relative of the pharaoh, who revolutionized the laws of physics by building what then and until well into the 19th century was the tallest building in the world.
characteristics
- It has a height of 145 m.
- Base area of 52 square meters. Enough area to contain 20 Olympic swimming pools.
- Until modern skyscrapers were built, the Great Pyramid was the tallest building in the world.
- The pyramid was made over 20 years and was built with 2,300,000 stone blocks of approximately two tons per block, although some blocks reached 60 tons.
- To carry out the project, about 100,000 slaves were needed who worked in a long-suffering way, in many cases in miserable conditions and with little food.
Architectural triumph
What makes the pyramid an architectural triumph and one of the Seven Wonders of the World is the fact that each of the stones used in its construction weighs more than two tons. And the Pyramid is made up of more than two million of these stones.
Structure of the pyramid
View of one of the pyramids taken from a car
Inside
As for the interior of the pyramid, it is composed of three main chambers: the King’s Chamber, the Queen’s Chamber and the underground Chamber, the latter located in the basement. It also has a space called the Great Gallery and various ventilation channels.
King’s Chamber
It has granite slabs and is rectangular in shape, with smooth walls and ceilings, and is a stripped-down space with a single point of attention: the empty granite sarcophagus of the pharaoh, without any inscription. On the roof are the discharge chambers that serve to divert the pressure exerted by the upper blocks of the pyramid.
Queen’s Chamber
It is located in the center of the pyramid and is also rectangular. Its walls are smooth and it does not present any decoration or niche.