| The most famous Egyptian pyramids to be
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| | estimate that it would likely take less
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| built are the Great Pyramids of Giza,
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| | people and less time to build the pyramid
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| located in the outskirts of present-day
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| | using technology that was available at
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| Cairo. There are over 100 Egyptian
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| | that time.
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| pyramids of various sizes, and over 50
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| | Treasures of the Pharaoh
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| more in neighboring Sudan. However, the
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| | The Pyramid of Khufu was built by the
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| three Great Pyramids of Giza earn their
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| | Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) in the
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| fame by being the largest of these.
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| | 4th Dynasty circa 2560 BC, making it over
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| In the most popular pictures of the
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| | 4500 years old! It is widely accepted
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| Pyramids of Giza, like the one shown
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| | that the pyramid was built to bury
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| below, the middle pyramid, that of Khafre
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| | Pharaoh Khufu when he died. However, many
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| (Chephren), appears larger due to the
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| | other conspiracy theories abound as to
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| angle and because it was built on higher
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| | why the pyramids were built, ranging from
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| ground. The largest pyramid is actually
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| | astronomical observatories to alien
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| the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), the
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| | artifacts.
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| one on the left.
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| | Since Egyptian Pharaohs were noted for
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| The Great Pyramid of Khufu
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| | being buried with their great treasure,
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| Contrary to popular belief, not all the
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| | Arab conquerors attempted to gain
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| Great Pyramids of Giza are considered
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| | entrance into the Pyramid of Khufu in
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| part of the Seven Wonders of the World.
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| | order to plunder it.
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| Only the largest, the Great Pyramid of
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| | They managed to find a few narrow
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| Khufu, is a member, and is the only one
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| | passages that led both up into the center
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| of the Seven Wonders that still stands.
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| | of the pyramid, and down beneath the
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| Egypt was also home to another of the
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| | massive structure. However, all they
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| Seven Wonders of the World, the
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| | managed to find at the end of these
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| Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was
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| | passages were empty chambers. No mummies
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| destroyed long ago.
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| | or treasure was found in the pyramid.
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| The Pyramid of Khufu has a height of 145
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| | During the Arabs' excavation of the
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| m (475 ft) and a base area of 52,400 sqm
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| | Pyramid of Khufu, they encountered
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| (562,500 sqft). That area is large enough
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| | various boulders and slabs that were used
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| to fit over 20 Olympic-size swimming
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| | to seal the passages and chambers within
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| pools! And for thousands of years, until
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| | the pyramid. They also found hidden
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| the rise of modern-day skyscrapers, the
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| | doors. This probably fueled the many
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| pyramid was the tallest building in the
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| | myths about the Egyptian pyramids being
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| world.
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| | booby-trapped, and where a grave robber
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| What makes the pyramid an architectural
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| | who managed to get in would never get out
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| triumph and one of the Seven Wonders of
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| | alive.
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| the World is the fact that the rocks used
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| | A 17th century Englishman managed to
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| in its construction each way more than 2
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| | uncover another shaft connecting the
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| tons. And there are more than 2 million
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| | passages, but still no treasure was to be
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| of those rocks.
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| | found.
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| Greek travelers to ancient Giza wrote
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| | Two conclusions can be derived from this.
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| that it took a hundred thousand slaves 20
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| | One, ancient tomb raiders have long since
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| years to construct the pyramid. However,
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| | plundered all the treasure from the
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| since they visited Egypt more than 2
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| | pyramid, leaving behind nothing but a few
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| thousand years after the Egyptian
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| | empty chambers. Or two, Khufu's mummy and
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| pyramids were built, the truth of their
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| | treasure is still cleverly hidden within
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| accounts are suspect. Modern engineers
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| | (or beneath) the Great Pyramid.
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