The Great Pyramid of Giza is truly the largest of the Egyptian pyramids and served as the final resting place for Pharaoh Khufu, who was in charge during the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt’s Old Kingdom. It was built around 2600 BC and took about 26 years to complete. What’s fascinating is that this pyramid is the oldest among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and it’s the only one that still stands mostly intact! It’s a key feature of the Giza pyramid complex, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as “Memphis and its Necropolis.” You can find it at the northeastern end of the three main pyramids at Giza.

The Giza pyramid complex (also called the Giza necropolis) is home to the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, along with their associated pyramid complexes and the Great Sphinx. All were built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt, between c. 2600 – c. 2500 BC. The site also includes several temples, cemeteries, and the remains of a workers’ village.

Creating the Great Pyramid was a massive undertaking; it involved quarrying roughly 2.3 million large blocks of stone, totaling about 6 million tonnes. Interestingly, the stones vary quite a bit in size and shape, and they’re only made to fit roughly. The outer layers were held together with mortar. Most of the limestone used for the construction came from the Giza Plateau, but some of the stones were actually imported via boat along the Nile River. For example, white limestone came from Tura for the casing, and they used granite from Aswan—some blocks weighed as much as 80 tonnes! These heavy stones were used to create structures like the “King’s Chamber.”

When we look inside the Great Pyramid, we find three known chambers. The lowest one was carved into the bedrock but wasn’t finished. Above that, we have the so-called Queen’s Chamber and King’s Chamber, where you’ll find a granite sarcophagus. Some believe that Hemiunu, who was Khufu’s vizier, might have been the architect behind this magnificent structure. There are various theories out there about how the African pyramid was built, but, like with many ancient structures, experts don’t quite agree on the exact construction techniques used.

As for its age, the Great Pyramid is estimated to be around 4,600 years old. This estimation comes from two main methods: one is looking at its association with Khufu and the archaeological evidence, and the other involves radiocarbon dating of organic materials found within the pyramid’s mortar. It’s incredible to think about the history and mystery that surround this ancient African wonder!

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