The Three Pyramids

When the Great Pyramid of Egypt was built it was 146 meters (438 feet) high. Time has worn the pyramid down by 10 meters (30 feet) and it still continues to erode. The pyramid was once covered with limestone that was painted a bright red color. The sides of the pyramid are carefully positioned to point north, south, east, and west. The base of the pyramid has sides that measure 227 meters (681 feet) in length. It was designed so accurately that the error margin between the sides is less then 1 percent.

The pyramid is made up of approximately two million blocks of limestone with each weighing more then two tons. It belonged to the Pharaoh Khufu and once held his body. Today, this pyramid is the last wonder of the world that is still standing.

The Second Pyramid belongs to the Pharaoh Khafre. Unlike the pyramid of Khufu, the angle of this pyramid is 53 degrees. This pyramid is three meters shorter then Khufu’s and stands on the northern side of the Giza Plateau. The top of the pyramid has some limestone left with a white cap on top of the pyramid that can be still seen. This large tomb had been looted before archeologists found it.

The pyramid of Menkaure or the Third Pyramid is the smallest of the three pyramids. Its design is not as well detailed as the other two pyramids. Although the pyramid was not complete when Menkaure died, his son Shepseskaf took the task to finish the large project. This pyramid stands 66 meters high and is rather short.

The pyramids do not stand-alone in the Giza plateau. There are many other objects that surround these monstrous masses. Such structures include: boat pits, queen’s pyramids, mortuary temples, valley temples, mastabas, and the famous Sphinx.