Egyptian Pyramids
The Egyptian Pyramids, located near the city of Cairo, where the fertile Nile Valley borders the hot sands of the Libyan Desert, are the greatest architectural monuments of antiquity. These gigantic stone structures never cease to amaze with their awe-inspiring monumentality. Having a regular pyramidal shape, they served as tombs for the powerful pharaohs of Ancient Egypt.
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Why were these structures given the shape of a polyhedron? How did the tradition to bury the dead rulers in such grandiose crypts appear? And whether people were able to build pyramids – maybe it was done for them by mysterious aliens from other planets or gods? There are still no unambiguous answers to these questions. The quantity of these monuments, which for today are known more than hundred, is also impressive. And, according to Egyptologists, there may be more such necropolises, just not all of them are still open.
Video: Egyptian pyramids
Contents- General Information
- Secrets of the Egyptian Pyramids
- Pyramid of Djoser
Egyptian Pyramids at Giza - Useful information for tourists
- Interesting facts
- How to get there
General Information
Among the Egyptian pyramids there are huge and scales more modest, with a smooth surface and stepped, preserved very well and resembling a pile of ruins. They can be observed in Saqqara and Memphis, Hawara and Upper Egypt, Medum and Abusir, El-Lahun and Abu-Rawash. However, only a few are considered major tourist sites, namely the pyramids at Giza, a suburb of the Egyptian capital, erected, as is generally believed, during the IV-VI dynasties of the pharaohs, which fell between the XXVI-XXIII centuries BC
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Looking at these grandiose creations of human hands, one can’t help thinking: how much effort and time was spent on the erection of such structures, which seem – at least in their scale – absolutely useless. Whether the pharaohs who ruled 45 centuries ago wanted to emphasize their own divinity and the greatness of their era, or whether these structures contain some hidden meaning, our understanding is still inaccessible. But it is difficult to comprehend it, because the secrets are safely hidden under the layer of millennia, and we have nothing else to do but to make guesses and versions, hoping that sooner or later all the secret is bound to be revealed …
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Secrets of the Egyptian Pyramids
The Egyptian pyramids are shrouded in a halo of myths and mysteries, with the passage of time and the development of science, there are still more questions than answers. As the proverb says: “Everything in the world is afraid of time, but time itself is afraid of the pyramids”. Interest is fueled by various theories about the appearance of these majestic monuments. Fans of the mystical consider the pyramids to be powerful energy sources and believe that the pharaohs spent time in them not only after death, but also in life to draw strength. There are also quite incredible ideas: for example, some believe that the Egyptian pyramids were built by aliens, and others that the blocks were moved by people possessing a magic crystal. Let’s look at the generally accepted and most likely scenario.
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Religion in the life of ancient Egypt occupied a dominant position. It shaped both the worldview of the people and their entire culture. Death was perceived only as a transition to another world, so the preparation for it had to take place in advance, while still on earth. However, the privilege to remain “immortal” was, as it was believed, only for the pharaoh and members of his family. And he could grant it to his entourage at his discretion. Commoners were deprived of the right to the afterlife, except for servants and slaves, whom the powerful ruler “took” with him. Nothing was to interfere with the comfortable “existence” of a high-ranking deceased, so he was provided with everything he needed – food supplies, household utensils, weapons, servants.
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The architect did not originally plan to erect such a pyramid. The tomb became stepped in the process of construction. In the presence of steps clearly guesses the symbolic meaning: the deceased pharaoh had to ascend to heaven on them. This structure differed from the previous necropolises by the fact that it was built of stone, not brick. And one more peculiarity: the presence of a very wide and deep vertical shaft, from above closed by a dome. In the pyramids, built later, there is nothing similar. Not less interest of archeologists and Egyptologists cause marble fragments under a sarcophagus, on which carved images resembling stars are viewed. These are clearly fragments of some unknown construction, but what exactly, nobody knows.
Djoser’s pyramid was intended not only for himself, and it is also different from other similar structures. In the burial chambers, there are 12 of them in total, the ruler and members of his family were buried. Archaeologists found the mummy of an 8-9-year-old boy, apparently his son. But the body of the pharaoh himself could not be found. Perhaps, the mummified heel found here belonged to him. Back in antiquity, it is believed that robbers entered the tomb, probably kidnapped and its dead “master.”
The tomb was robbed by robbers.
However, the robbery version does not seem so unambiguous. When examining the inner galleries found jewelry made of gold, porphyry bowls, clay and stone jugs and other valuable things. Why didn’t the thieves take out all this wealth? Historians were also interested in the seals affixed to the small clay vessels. On them was inscribed the name “Sekemkhet”, translated as “mighty body”. It clearly belonged to an unknown pharaoh of a powerful dynasty. Everything said that in ancient times the construction of another pyramid was started here, but for some reasons it was not finished. Even found an empty sarcophagus, the internal condition of which allowed us to conclude that no one was buried here….
As for the pyramid of Djoser itself, the attraction is well preserved to this day and is open to tourists. The entrance to it, as well as to the other structures on the territory, is on the northern side. A tunnel equipped with columns leads inside. The northern temple, the location of which on the terrain is evident from the name itself, forms a single architectural ensemble with the pyramid. In it conducted funeral services and made sacrifices in the name of the pharaoh.
.Egyptian pyramids at Giza
The most famous of all Egyptian pyramids are the so-called Great Pyramids, located in Giza, the third largest city in the modern Arab Republic of Egypt, with a population of almost 3 million. The metropolis is spread out on the west bank of the Nile, about 20 kilometers from Cairo and is a de facto suburb of the capital.
.The Great Pyramids of Giza are by far the country’s most popular ancient monuments. For many years their visit has become almost a ritual for tourists. Fly to Egypt and not see with your own eyes these majestic structures? It is impossible to imagine! Many travelers even consider this place to be spiritual, connected with the cosmos, and to visit here becomes akin to some kind of healing. Recent studies have shown that the builders of necropolises amazingly accurately directed them to the belt of the constellation Orion, which is viewed as yet unsolved meaning. It is also interesting that their faces are oriented to the sides of the sun, and it was done with the same accuracy.
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The Egyptian pyramids at Giza are undoubtedly an extremely impressive sight. Their sandstone facades reflect the sunlight: they are pink in the morning, golden in the afternoon and turn a dark magenta color at dusk. One cannot help but admire the feat of engineering and organization that resulted in millions of stone blocks being transported from one place to another and precisely stacked on top of each other without power plants or lifting equipment.
.The Great Pyramids complex comprises the tombs of the three oldest rulers, Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerin. In contrast to the previous “houses after life” (maqabs) the named necropolises are characterized by a strict pyramidal form. Moreover, the first of them is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World that has survived to this day.
Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu)
About the pyramid of Cheops (or Khufu) can be told long and much, but the narration in any case will be incomplete, because it continues to keep in itself a lot of unsolved mysteries. One of them is the orientation to the North Pole exactly along the meridian: its top monumental structure “looks” at the Polar Star. It is amazing, how ancient architects could make such exact calculations, not having modern astronomical devices in their hands. This precision has even less error than the famous Paris Observatory.
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The Pyramid of Cheops is over 146 meters tall – that’s the “height” of a 50-story skyscraper. After the Great Wall of China, it is the largest structure ever erected in human history. The attraction is not “alone”, there are several other buildings around it. Of these, only three companion pyramids and the ruins of the funeral temple have survived to our days. It is obvious, that for their erection was put not less efforts. According to the most widespread version, the satellite pyramids were intended for the ruler’s wives.
.Read also: Pyramid of Cheops
.Pyramid of Chephren (Khafre)
A pharaoh named Chephren was either the son or brother of Cheops and reigned after him. His pyramid, located nearby, is somewhat smaller, but, at first glance, is perceived as more significant. And all because it stands on some elevation. The pyramid of Chephren was found at carrying out archeological excavations in 1860. The tomb of this ancient Egyptian ruler is “guarded” by the famous Sphinx, which looks like a lion lying on the sand, whose face, perhaps, gave the features of Chephren himself. Being the oldest of the monumental sculptures preserved on our planet (its length – 72 m, height – 20 m), it is interesting in itself. Egyptologists tend to think that the tombs of two pharaohs together with the sphinx represent a single funerary complex. Slaves, as it is considered, on building of this pyramid were not involved: for this purpose free workers were hired…
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The Pyramid of Mykerin (Menkaure)
Finally, the Pyramid of Mikerin is the third in the complex of the great monuments of Giza. It is also known as the pyramid of Menkaure, bears the name of the fifth pharaoh of the fourth ancient Egyptian dynasty. Not much is known about this ruler – only that he was the son of Cheops (at least, so claimed the ancient Greek historian Herodotus). This necropolis is called the “little brother” of the two above-mentioned tombs: it was built later than the others and the lowest of them, its height is just over 65 meters. Such modest sizes testify to the decline of the ancient kingdom, the lack of resources necessary for construction.
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However, the monumentality of the structure as such did not suffer from this. For example, the weight of one of the blocks used in the construction of the funeral temple exceeds 200 tons, making it the heaviest on the Giza Plateau. Just imagine what inhuman efforts had to be made to hoist this behemoth into place. And the majestic statue of the Pharaoh himself, seated inside the temple! It is among the largest sculptures, personifying that mysterious era … With the pyramid of Mikerin, as the smallest, could begin the destruction of the entire historical and architectural complex at Giza, conceived by Sultan al-Malik al-Aziza, who ruled at the end of XII century. The work to dismantle the necropolis lasted about a year, but the practical result was minimal. The sultan was eventually forced to curtail them as his, to put it bluntly, foolish and unjustified scheme entailed exorbitant costs.
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Sphinx
At the base of the sacred embankment that once connected Chephren’s pyramid to the Nile is the Sphinx, a mysterious sculpture with Chephren’s head attached to a lion’s torso. In Egyptian mythology, sphinxes were guardian deities, and this sculpture is a protective monument 73 meters long and 20 meters high. After the pharaoh’s death, the body of the Sphinx was gradually covered by the desert sands. Tuthmosis IV believed that the statue addressed him and told him that he would become pharaoh if he cleared the sand, which he hastened to do. From then on, ancient Egyptians believed the monument had prophetic powers.
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Solar Rook Museum
Behind the Pyramid of Cheops is the Solar Rook Museum, which houses the beautifully restored cedar rook on which the dead pharaoh’s body was transported from the east to the west bank of the Nile.
.Useful information for tourists
The Great Pyramid Complex at Giza is open to the public from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. The exceptions are the winter months (open until 4:30 p.m.) and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when access closes at 3:00 p.m.
.Some travelers believe that if the pyramids are located in the open air and are not a museum in the literal sense of the word, it is free to feel free to climb and scramble on these structures. Remember: it is strictly forbidden to do so – for your own safety!
.Before agreeing to go into the pyramids, objectively assess your psychological state and physical health. Persons who have a fear of closed spaces (claustrophobia), this part of the tour is better to skip. Due to the fact that inside the tombs are usually dry, hot and a little dusty, asthmatics, hypertensive people and those suffering from other diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous system are not recommended to enter here.
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How much will it cost a tourist a tour to the Egyptian pyramid zone? The cost has several components. The entrance ticket to it will cost you 60 Egyptian pounds, which is equivalent to about 8 euros. Want to enter the pyramid of Cheops? You’ll have to pay 100 pounds or 13 euros for that. Seeing the inside of the Pyramid of Chephren is much cheaper at 20 pounds or 2.60 euros.
.A visit to the Solar Rook Museum, which is located to the south of the Cheops Pyramid (40 pounds or 5 euros), is also paid separately. Photography is allowed in the pyramid area, but you will have to pay 1 euro for the right to take pictures. There is no charge to visit other pyramids in the Giza area – such as Pharaoh Chephren’s mother and wife.
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Many tourists admit that after seeing the main sights, they do not want to leave this amazing place, literally imbued with the spirit of antiquity. In such cases, you can rent camels for leisurely walks. Their owners wait for clients right at the foot of the pyramids. For their services, they may charge an exorbitant price. Do not agree to it at once, bargain, and you will get a discount.
.Interesting facts
- The Pyramid of Cheops is the only surviving wonder of the world. .
- The pyramids took two centuries to build and were erected several at a time. Now, according to the research of different scientists, their age ranges from 4 to 10 thousand years.
- In addition to the exact mathematical proportions, the pyramids have another feature in this area. The stone blocks are arranged so that there are no gaps between them at all, even the thinnest blade will not get through there.
- Each side of the pyramid is located in the direction of one side of the world.
- The Pyramid of Cheops, the largest pyramid in the world, reaches a height of 146 meters and weighs over six million tons.
- If you want to know how the Egyptian pyramids were created, interesting facts about the construction can be learned from the pyramids themselves. The walls of the passageways depict scenes of construction. The faces of the pyramids were curved one meter so that they could store solar energy. Because of this, the pyramids could reach thousands of degrees and emit an incomprehensible hum from such heat.
- A perfectly straight foundation was made for the pyramid of Cheops, so the faces differ from each other by only five centimeters. .
- The first pyramid built is dated 2670 B.C. In its appearance it resembles several pyramids placed next to each other. The architect created a type of masonry that helped achieve this effect.
- The Pyramid of Cheops is created from 2.3 million blocks that are perfectly even and fit together. .
- Structures similar to the Egyptian pyramids are also found in Sudan, where they later picked up the tradition.
- Archaeologists managed to find a village where the builders of the pyramids lived. A brewery and a bakery were discovered there.
How to get there
Tourists from Russia and CIS countries usually prefer to spend their vacations in Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada and often wish to combine relaxation on the magnificent beaches with a visit to the pyramid complex in Giza. Since the resorts are located far enough from the named city, you can only get there as part of an excursion group. If you go by bus, you will have to spend from 6 to 8 hours on the way. By airplane it will be faster: you will fly in 60 minutes. You can also get there by car with a driver. This is much more comfortable, but it will hit your wallet significantly.
In a more advantageous position are those who are vacationing in Cairo, or staying in the Egyptian capital on a business trip. They can take the bus (routes #900 and 997) or the metro (yellow line #2, exit at Giza station). Alternatively, they can call a cab or catch one in Tahrir Square. The trip will cost more than public transportation, but you will get there faster, in just half an hour. The same car will take you back, but you will have to pay a little more.
.You can get to Giza from the capital by taking a bus in the area of New Cairo (aka Heliopolis), which follows one of two routes: № 355 or № 357. These comfortable vehicles, which run every 20 minutes, are marked with the STA letters, by which they are easily recognized. The final stop is just before the entrance to the pyramid zone, at the intersection.
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