Fascination Egypt: The Pyramids of Gizeh
Why the Pyramids of Giza are worth a visit: Interesting facts about one of Egypt's greatest historical and cultural highlights!
Buildings from other eras hold an enormous fascination. To look at them means to experience history up close - and to be able to witness it. Knowing how old a building is can amaze and leave you speechless: knowing that some buildings stand the test of time.
Such structures include but are not limited to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt . For thousands of years they have defied the passage of time and are proof of the existence of an ancient high culture. Egypt and its history has always fascinated many. Even school children talk enthusiastically about Cleopatra and the pharaohs and even with growing age the magic does not diminish. A good reason to put Egypt on your travel bucket list !
A (time) journey to Egypt
If you are planning a trip to Egypt, you should not only think about sun, sand and sea, but definitely also consider visiting the pyramids. Live and in colour they are indeed much more impressive than in photos.
When people talk about the Pyramids of Giza, they mean three pyramids that are close to each other. They vary in size and were built by three different, successive pharaohs. The first was Pharaoh Cheops. In the 26th century B.C. Build the largest of the three pyramids, also known as the Great Pyramid of Giza or the Pyramid of Cheops . In the 26th century B.C. BC therefore means that the construction took place about 2,500-2,600 years before the beginning of our era. Since it is now the year 2023, it has already been more than 4,500 years.
After the Cheops era, it was the pharaohs Chephren and Menkaure who had their pyramids built next to the Cheops pyramid. As is well known, they had the pyramids built as their own tombs. The Egyptians believed that after death the soul ascends to heaven and the pyramids were the "stairways to heaven" so to speak.
How where what
The Pyramids of Giza can be reached in about half an hour by car from downtown Cairo, the capital of Egypt. Anyone who would like to learn more about the buildings should book a guided tour. It is even possible to visit them from the inside. Only people with a tendency of claustrophobia would be advised against it, since the corridors are mostly very narrow and sometimes quite deep. If you are interested in culture, you can explore other sights and places in this area, such as the great Sphinx of Gizeh or the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Already knew? Interesting facts with which you can shine with previous knowledge on holiday in Egypt
- The Pyramids of Giza are one of the seven ancient wonders of the world and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- According to recent findings, the colossal structures were not built by slaves, but by thousands of craftsmen and workers who were said to have been paid for their work.
- It took over 20 years to build a pyramid.
- The blocks of stone used to build the pyramids weighed tons.
- The pyramids used to be white, due to a layer of limestone that is no longer preserved.
- The largest of the three pyramids, the Cheops Pyramid, is 139 meters high.
