Pyramids of Giza

          The famous Egyptian pyramids are located eight kilometers from Cairo in Giza. Nearby stands a huge statue of the Sphinx. These wonders of the ancient world survived nearly 5,000 years, but only since the nineteenth century, archaeologists began to gather information on their origin. The town of Giza is located in the Nile delta area that once was the border between Upper and Lower Egypt. Around 2925 r. BC, when the two kingdoms were united, the capital of the new Egypt became situated on the west bank of the Nile, Memphis. For nearly 3,000 years was the headquarters of the Pharaohs, which 30 dynasty ruled Egypt. The great pyramid of Giza were built in the time of the fourth dynasty (2575-2465 r. BC). Two of the largest pyramid built in Ancient Egypt is the pyramid of Cheops and the Pyramid of Khafre, less a pyramid of Menkaure and the accompanying objects.

          The biggest of them the Pyramid of Cheops is called Great Pyramid, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, with a base of 230 meters and a height of 147 m. It was built as a tomb approx. 2,575 year BC at the command of Cheops, Pharaoh  IV dynasty. Material which made the greatest building of humanity, came from a quarry Mokattam, it is now a district of Cairo. Stone blocks, which were built pyramid, originally covered the cladding of polished limestone and granite. The rays of the sun reflecting off the plates caused an unusual visual effect. Pyramid almost burning from the shine.

          Pyramid of Khafre reaches a height of 137 m, the pyramid Menkaure is only 65 meters high. Around these pyramids were built several smaller buildings, intended for the tombs of queens and nobles. In addition to Pyramid of Khafre, at the lower mortuary temple, is the Sphinx. Carved in a huge block of rock, he has the body of a lion and the head of Pharaoh. Rock block length of 73 m and a height of 20 meters is very impressive. This is the first monumental sculpture in Egyptian art.

          The most original interior has been preserved in the pyramid of Menkaure. Preserved in the lower temple carvings show the king with the goddess Hathor with cow's horns including the solar disc and the personification of one of the Egyptian nomes. Triad of Menkaure is the oldest triad preserved in Egypt. In the tomb were found the statue of Menkaure with his wife, he stands in an unusual form of canon Egyptian representation. The artist not only equated the height of the king and queen, but both forms are shown in light stride, which is in the attitude reserved for statues of men. This sculpture is located in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

          The entire funerary complex was built with different types of stone. Courtyards lined with black basalt, columns and pillars made of red granite, the walls marked by white limestone used for construction and alabaster. The interior was covered with carved in stone by numerous inscriptions. In addition to the pyramids were built underground facilities for barges, which for the life of Pharaoh could be used for ceremonial trip on the Nile, and after his death were identified with the sacred barge, used to travel across the sky in the afterlife.

In 1979, a complex of ancient buildings became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Map of the complex of pyramids in Giza:

1 Pyramid of Cheops

2 Pyramid of Khafre

3 Pyramid of Menkaure

4 mortuary temple of Khafre

5 mortuary temple

6 Extra pyramid

7 Lower Temple of Khafre

8 Lower temple Mykopojusa

9 Tomb of Queen Hetepheres

10 Tomb of Queen Khentkawes

11 Pyramids of Queens

12 mastabas

13 Great Sphinx

14 Temple of the Sphinx

15 Tomb of the Vizier Hemon

16 Office of pyramids studies

17 Ticket

18 buried boats

19 Modern road

20 stone tombs

21 accommodations builders

22 Cairo

23 Modern city Nazlat as-Samman

24 Avenue processional

25 Quarry Menkaure

26 Modern cemetery

27 Southern field (mainly stone graves)

28 Brick fence

29 mastabas and stone tombs

30 West Cemetery

31 East cemetery

32 Central area of mastabami and stone tombs