The Pyramids of Giza

“There they are!”

We’d been making our way through rush hour traffic on the outskirts of Cairo, when Rich spotted a colossal shape looming over the buildings and trees (yes, trees) to our right. Almost five years later, I still clearly remember the excitement of seeing the Giza Pyramids for the first time, their outlines slightly blurred by the early morning smog.

Our first view of the Pyramids

The viewpoint to the west provides a wonderful vista of the Pyramids on the horizon, silhouetted against the sky.

Me and the Pyramids of Giza

The Pyramids of Khufu (left) and Khafre

The Pyramid of Menkaura, with three of the Queen’s Pyramids (on the right, in a line heading away from us) and a guy on a camel!

There are three main Pyramids at Giza, of which the Pyramid of Khufu (also known as the Pyramid of Cheops, or simply the Great Pyramid) is the oldest and largest. Historical evidence suggests that construction began around 2589 BC, although scientists and historians continue to argue about the accuracy of this date.

The Pyramid of Khufu, with the modern building housing the Khufu Solar Boat in the foreground

One word immediately comes to mind upon seeing the Great Pyramid of Khufu… Massive. You can almost feel its weight pressing down on the desert.

Southeast corner of the Pyramid of Khufu

Eastern face of the Great Pyramid of Khufu

The Great Pyramid of Khufu, from the northeast

The Pyramid of Khufu was named after the pharaoh who had it constructed and whose remains it once housed. Most archaeologists now dismiss the idea it was built by slaves, favouring the theory it was constructed by around 100,000 seasonal workers during the months when they couldn’t tend their fields because the Nile was in flood.

This photo of Sue beside the Pyramid of Khufu really gives you a feel for how steep its sides are

Detail of the eastern face of the Pyramid of Khufu

Made up of approximately 2.3 million blocks of limestone, each weighing around 2.5 tonnes on average (and as much as 15 tonnes), the Pyramid of Khufu originally stood just over 481 feet tall. Plundering of its smooth outer casing reduced this to a mere 451 feet high (!), yet it remained the tallest artificial structure on Earth until the construction of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.

The Pyramid of Khufu, for thousands of years the tallest artificial structure on the planet

It’s hardly surprising the Great Pyramid of Khufu was one of the original Seven Wonders of the World. And the only one still standing.

Me on the Pyramid of Khufu (don’t tell anyone!)

Immediately south of the Great Pyramid is the second of the Giza pyramids, built by Khufu’s son, Khafre. At first sight, the Pyramid of Khafre appears taller than that of Khufu. However, this is an illusion resulting from the fact it is built on slightly higher ground.

Pyramid of Khafre

The Pyramid of Khafre from near the Pyramid of Khufu

The most striking feature of the Pyramid of Khafre is that a remnant of its outer casing still survives near the summit. This really gives you a feel for what all three pyramids must have originally looked like.

The top of the Pyramid of Khafre, with almost intact casing

Southern face of the Pyramid of Khafre

The final pyramid at Giza belongs to Khafre’s son, Menkaura. Originally standing 228 feet tall, the Pyramid of Menkaura is less than half the height of the Great Pyramid, built by his grandfather, Khufu. That said, there’s no denying the youngest of the three Giza Pyramids is still an impressive structure in it’s own right.

The Pyramid of Menkaura, with three Queen’s Pyramids behind

The northern face of the Pyramid of Menkaura, showing the scar where the Sultans of Cairo tried to dismantle it in the 12th Century

The Pyramids are surrounded by the ruins of a whole host of associated buildings, temples and monuments, including several much smaller pyramids (known as Queen’s Pyramids). Together, they mark the northern end of the UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1979 under the title Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur.

Mastabas (tombs) and other buildings beside the Pyramid of Khufu

One of the Queen’s Pyramids, beside the Pyramid of Khufu

One of the Solar Boat pits alongside the Pyramid of Khufu

Building (temple perhaps?) to the north of the Pyramid of Khufu

Queen’s Pyramids associated with the Pyramid of Menkaura

Sadly, my time at the Pyramids was very limited, due to the constraints of the tour (which is why I normally avoid bus tours, but very occasionally you have to bite the bullet). On the one hand, this means I have A LOT of unfinished business at Giza, and in Egypt as a whole. On the other hand, I still count myself extremely fortunate to have spent even a short amount of time at these astounded structures.

Entrance into the Great Pyramid of Khufu – next time!

Of course, even the briefest visit to Giza would be incomplete without a stop at the Sphinx. But I think I’ll save that story for another day!

Next door neighbour – Cairo from the Pyramids

Tourists beware! This looks like so much fun…

…But we were informed there are a lot of unscrupulous sorts at the Pyramids, including many of the camel owners…

…Although the camels themselves are still kinda cute

This post was inspired by Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge, which this week is Three Items or the Number Three, and also the photo themes Old-fashioned from Ailsa (of Where’s My Backpack?) and Buildings over 4 stories tall from Ed (of Sunday Stills Photography).

The Pyramids from the western viewpoint

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