- Tourist Information
- Map
- Discover the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world
- Horizon of Khufu
- Is the Great Pyramid built above the geographic center of the Earth?
- The Sphinx
- ScanPyramids Big Void
- Shiny limestone
- The Granite Coffer
Tourist Information
| Type | Pyramid, Archaeological site |
| Year | 2580–2560 BC |
| Age | 4560 years old |
| Other names | Khufu’s Pyramid, Cheops’s Pyramid |
| Getting there | Bus, Car. Best option: Taxi |
| Visiting hours | Daily: October – March 8:00 – 17:00 April – September 7:00 – 19:00 |
| Travel tips | * Keep small change on you for tips. You’ll need to tip for almost every service. * Try to avoid Fridays and Saturdays to visit. Fridays and Saturdays are weekends for most Arab countries and are very busy. * Most tour buses arrive around 9:30 – 10 am. Start early if you want to avoid the crowds and the heat or go later to experience the site when is less crowded. * Every night there is an evening show at the pyramids. * Have suitable footwear. If you are planning to get inside the pyramids do not wear a dress because you will need to climb the stairs. * A walking tour of the Giza pyramids covers around 6 kilometers. You can use private cars with certified guides and drivers that are allowed to go inside the complex. * You can hire a camel, horse, or horse-drawn carriage inside the complex. |
| Location | Al Haram, Nazlet El-Semman, Al Giza Desert, Giza Governorate, Egypt, Africa |
Map
Discover the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world
- The Giza Plateau is home to the Great Pyramid, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing. Here are the most important and famous archaeological sites in the world.
- The Pyramids help to preserve Ancient Egypt. Giza Archaeologic site allows us to explore a long-vanished world.
- Egypt’s pharaohs expected to become gods in the afterlife. The pyramids were built to be massive tombs.
- The Great Pyramid contains three rooms (the King’s Room, the Queen’s Room, and the Great Gallery) created to house the body of Cheops and his wife.
- The mortar that was used to build the pyramid cannot be reproduced today. Its chemical composition is known but can’t be reproduced.
- It is estimated that around 2.3 million blocks of stone were used to build the Great Pyramid of Giza.
- The average weight of each stone was around 4 tons.
Horizon of Khufu
In the heart of mystery and grandeur, the Great Pyramid of Giza bore, long ago, a delightful and meaningful name “Horizon of Khufu“. This magical name gave it a supernatural air and a direct connection to the divine realm, suggesting that the pyramid was more than just a physical construction. It was considered a gateway to the cosmos, a path to the heavens, and an anchor of Egypt’s royal past.
The Horizon of Khufu watches over the kingdom and dominates the landscape with its imposing appearance. In ancient times, the immensity of this pyramid made its name vibrate with mystical power, and legends and stories passed down from generation to generation added mythic luster to Khufu’s royal number.
Traveling through time and space to these sacred places, where Horizon of Khufu soars majestically, takes you on a path of self-discovery and understanding of an ancient past. Here, mysteries intertwine with history and thrill your soul with every detail that prompts you to seek answers to humanity’s age-old questions.
Is the Great Pyramid built above the geographic center of the Earth?
Located on the Giza Plateau is the awe-inspiring Great Pyramid, a remarkable architectural wonder said to have been built directly above the geographic center of the Earth. Transport yourself on a journey through time spanning millennia of human history to the magical realm of ancient Egypt, where the majestic Great Pyramid stands sentinel over your every move.
Throughout the ages, this amazing monument has captivated people and archaeologists from every corner of the globe due to its colossal dimensions, meticulous alignment with the celestial bodies, and deep spiritual symbolism. As you walk this hallowed ground, the echoing tremors of an enigmatic and ancient society envelop you.
This location transcends mere archaeology, serving as a conduit, connecting us to the profound knowledge and sophisticated innovations of the ancient Egyptians. Today, the Great Pyramid is a source of inspiration and curiosity, evoking questions about the enigmatic aspects of the cosmos and the genesis of mankind.
The Sphinx
The purpose of the Sphinx of Giza, a huge monument shaped like a lion with a human head, remains an unsolved mystery to this day. Although there is no hard evidence to reveal exactly its original purpose, there are several theories and speculations.
One of the popular theories is that the Sphinx was created as a symbol of royal power and protection. In ancient Egyptian culture, animals, especially lions, were often associated with gods and protective forces. Thus, the Sphinx could have been erected in honor of an important pharaoh, to illustrate his authority and to ensure the protection of funerary monuments and temples on the Giza Plateau.
Some theories claim that the Sphinx could be associated with the sun god Horus or the god Amon due to the human features of its face and royal symbolism. Others believe that it could be related to astronomy and could have been used as a tool for observing the constellations and the movements of the sky.
In addition, there are more speculative theories that suggest that the Sphinx could hide secret passages or underground chambers, but these ideas have not been confirmed by solid research.
Since there are no written records of the Sphinx’s construction and no concrete archaeological evidence to reveal its original purpose, it still remains a subject of debate and mystery. Today, the Sphinx remains one of the most famous and enigmatic monuments in the world, attracting tourists and researchers who seek to unlock its ancient secrets.
ScanPyramids Big Void
In 2017, scientists from the ScanPyramids project discovered a large cavity above the Grand Gallery through cosmic-ray imaging, which they called the “Great Void”. The purpose of the cavity is unknown and it is still not accessible.
The Great Void of the Great Pyramid, also known as the “Void Chamber”, represents an inner area of the pyramid, located above the Chamber of Kings and below the Imperial Chamber. This name was assigned by Egyptologists and researchers because the chamber does not contain any sarcophagus, furniture, or other artifacts and appears not to be a burial chamber, being empty, compared to other burial chambers in the Egyptian pyramids.
Some of the assumptions regarding this room include:
- Disused Burial Chamber: Some theories suggest that the Great Void was originally intended as a burial chamber for Pharaoh Khufu, but was later abandoned or unused in favor of the Imperial Chamber.
- Space for Weight Relief: Some researchers believe that the Great Void was designed as a hollow chamber to relieve the pressure exerted on the ceiling of the King’s Chamber, thereby contributing to the overall stability of the structure.
- Cosmological Connections: There are also theories suggesting that the Great Void may be linked to cosmological or spiritual ideas of ancient Egyptian culture, having a religious or mystical significance.
- Ventilation Chamber: Another popular hypothesis is that the Great Void was used as a ventilation channel to allow airflow inside the pyramid.
It is important to emphasize that none of these theories have been definitively confirmed and the mystery of the exact purpose of the Great Empty Chamber continues to fascinate and captivate people’s imaginations, contributing to the mystery and enigma of the Pyramid of Giza.
Shiny limestone
Upon completion, the Great Pyramid was covered with shiny limestone facets that reflected the sun’s rays.
Each side of the pyramid was covered with shining slabs of white limestone, an ingenious play of geometry that reflected and amplified the sun’s rays. It is said that in the magical light of the sunset, this masterpiece of the ancient world shone like a sacred jewel, capturing the eyes and imagination of all who saw it.
For the ancient Egyptians, this glow of the pyramid could be interpreted as a divine manifestation, a link between the earthly and heavenly realms. They were convinced that the gods gazed upon this winged wonder, and the shining limestone served as a bridge of light between the human world and that of the gods.
The Granite Coffer
Inside the Great Pyramid’s main chamber is a granite sarcophagus that is far too large to fit through the pyramid’s entrance passage. Historians and archaeologists believe that the Great Pyramid was built around the sarcophagus.
The granite sarcophagus of the Great Pyramid is a burial chamber, a monumental container used to preserve and honor the body of the pharaoh Khufu (also known as Cheops), who was buried in this pyramid. This sarcophagus is located inside the chamber called the “Chamber of Kings” (Khufu’s Burial Chamber).
The sarcophagus is carved from a single massive block of granite and is impressive in size. Traditionally, sarcophagi were used for the burial of important or royal people in ancient times, and Khufu’s is no exception.
The Chamber of the Kings is located on the lower level of the Pyramid, in its center, and is accessed through a narrow and inclined passageway called the Descending Passage. This chamber was built with meticulous attention to architectural detail and served as the eternal resting place for Pharaoh Khufu, who ruled Egypt around 2589-2566 BC.
The granite sarcophagus in the Chamber of Kings was found empty by archaeologists and the mummy of Cheops was not found.
Some researchers believe that the pharaoh Cheops’ mummy was moved or stolen over the centuries. In ancient times, many tombs of pharaohs were looted by thieves or even by successive civilizations, which reused the locations for the burial of other important people. These practices of looting and reuse resulted in the loss of many artifacts and the royal mummy.
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