Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact. It is part of a group of three pyramids–Khufu (Cheops), Khafra (Chephren) and Menkaura (Mycerimus)–that were built between 2700 B.C. and 2500 B.C. as royal tombs.
The largest and most impressive is Khufu, known as “The Great Pyramid,” which covers 13 acres and is believed to contain more than 2 million stone blocks that weigh from two to 30 tons each.
Initially standing at 146.5 metres (481 feet), the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for more than 3,800 years. The accuracy of the pyramid’s workmanship is such that the four sides of the base have an average error of only 58 millimeters in length. The base is horizontal and flat to within ±15 mm (0.6 in)
The Great Pyramid consists of an estimated 2.3 million blocks which most believe to have been transported from nearby quarries. The largest granite stones in the pyramid, found in the “King’s” chamber, weigh 25 to 80 tonnes and were transported from Aswan, more than 800 km (500 mi) away. It is estimated that 5.5 million tonnes of limestone, 8,000 tonnes of granite (imported from Aswan), and 500,000 tonnes of mortar were used in the construction of the Great Pyramid.
The Great Pyramid – also named the Pyramid of Khufu after the fourth dynasty Pharaoh for whom it was built – sits alongside the pyramids of Menkaure and Khafre, and is perfectly aligned with the constellation of Orion.
