Facts about the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

The pyramid of Egypt initially rose 481 feet, making it the world’s tallest man-made structure for thousands of years until it was surpassed in early 1300s by England’s Lincoln Cathedral. The Pyramid Plateau an area of 13 acres, the massive monument was designed to align with the points of the compass and built with an estimated 2.3 million stones, each weighing an average of 2.5 ton each. The Pyramids were built between 2589 and 2504 BC.

Khufu’s pyramid

Khufu’s pyramid, known as the great pyramid of Giza, is the oldest and largest, rising at 481 feet. The Descending Passage pointed to the pole star Alpha Draconis, circa 2170-2144 BCE. This was the North Star at that point in time. No other star has ever aligned with the passage.

The Great Pyramid had a swivel door entrance at one point. Swivel doors were found in two other pyramids: Khufu’s father and grandfather’s, Sneferu and Huni as well.

The granite coffer in the King’s Chamber is too big to fit through the passages of the Pyramids, and so it must have been put in place, prior to the start of building the Pyramid.

The Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza, is aligned True North heading and it is the most accurately aligned structure in existence, facing true North with no error. The position of the North Pole moves over centuries, and the pyramid was exactly aligned.

The Pyramids of Egypt

The Pyramids of Egypt were originally covered with polished limestone. These casing stones reflected the sun’s light and made the pyramid shine. They are no longer present after an earthquake in the 14th century loosened and collapsed many of them. It was calculated that the original pyramid with its casing stones would act like massive mirror and reflect light so powerful that it would be visible from the moon as a shining star on earth. Ancient Egyptians called the Great Pyramid “Glorious Light“.

The outer mantle was composed of 144,000 casing stones, all of them highly polished and flat to an accuracy of 1/100th of an inch, about 100 inches thick and weighing approx. 15 tons each. The base of the pyramid covers 592,000 feet with each side longer than 218,000 foot.

The pyramid is estimated to have around 2,400,000 stone blocks that weighs from 2 to 30 tons each, and there are even some blocks that weigh over 50 tons. It took about 20 years for the Great Pyramid to be completed. The Greek historian Herodotus posited that the work required 100,000 laborers who were divided into five clans of 20,000 men each.

A double tomb for two persons dating back to the first half of the fifth dynasty (2563 - 2423 BC) was uncovered at Pyramids of Giza archaeological area. One of the two owners of the tomb is the priest of King Khafra, discovery dates back to the fifth dynasty. Inside the tombs some never-opened before coffins, along with a number of archaeological finds belonging to the priests.

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