Inside The Pyramid

Burial Chamber or King’s Chamber - Looking inside the Great Pyramid

The burial chamber consists of an empty sarcophagus (7.3 ft by 3.75 ft) with smooth walls and a polished ceiling. The floor is made with blocks of pink granite, which cover 60 square meters. This chamber is almost six meters tall, and was built by solid blocks of granite that weigh about 50 tons. The blocks were transported from Aswan from the south. Egyptologists conclude the sarcophagus was built inside the pyramid during construction. It would have been almost impossible to transport such a heavy stone structure in such a confined and narrow passage.

Egyptians designed this chamber to withstand tons of pressure from the top of the pyramid by building five low-roof chambers that are covered by impressive blocks of stone. This brilliant idea helped contain the room from crumbling inward and keeping it upright.

Grand Gallery

The Grand Gallery rises gradually to the King’s Chamber with a stepped hall. This hall is 49 meters long and is 11 meters tall. The walls are made of polished sand stone with roofing that overlaps stone blocks to create a stepped effect. Its remarkable architecture was thought to once be a ramp for large giant blocks said to seal the pyramid for eternal life. From the bottom of this hall one can choose to enter the Queen’s Chamber or proceed to the top and enter the King’s Chamber.

Shafts

The shafts are thought to have been built to allow air to proceed into the King’s Chamber. They extend about 146 meters outward and travel in a sloping path. It is thought that the shafts were built as a path to the stars, which allowed the pharaoh’s soul to escape. Although these shafts are more predominant in the King’s Chamber, some also exist in the Queen’s Chamber. The other two shafts that are present in the Queen’s Chamber do not exit the pyramid but rather stop about midway. These shafts are believed to point to Sirius and Orion in the constellation.

Queen’s Chamber

This chamber is located under the King’s Chamber and is smaller. Its name has falsely led people into believing that this room once held the mummy of a queen. This chamber is closed to public and cannot be accessed by tourists for viewing.

Underground Chamber

This is thought to be the oldest chamber in the pyramid. This chamber was never fully completed and holds very little oxygen. The low oxygen levels make it impossible to burn lanterns and make it very difficult to breathe. One can only imagine why this section of the pyramid was never completed.