Great Pyramid of Giza

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The Great Pyramid is the oldest of the ancient wonders and the only one still substantially standing. It was built as the tomb of the Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khufu, known to the Greeks as Cheops, around 2600–2560 BCE. Originally about 146 metres tall, it lost its smooth limestone casing and its pointed top over the centuries and now rises to roughly 138 metres. Estimates of the number of stone blocks run to more than two million, quarried mostly nearby, with finer limestone brought from Tura and granite for the King’s Chamber from Aswan, hundreds of kilometres away. Inside, a rising passage leads to the Grand Gallery and the King’s Chamber, while smaller shafts and the so-called Queen’s Chamber remain subjects of research. Beside the pyramid lie boat pits, tombs of family and officials, and the settlement and cemeteries of the workers, whose excavation has shown that the builders were organised, fed and housed rather than anonymous slaves. For some 3,800 years it was the tallest human-made structure on Earth. The Giza Plateau, with the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure and the Great Sphinx, is part of a UNESCO World Heritage property. Today visitors encounter desert light, hawkers, camels and crowds, along with the pyramid’s astonishing mass. Entering the interior is physically demanding, with low, steep passages and limited air, so many travellers choose to admire the exteriors and nearby tombs. The Giza plateau is also now closely linked with the nearby Grand Egyptian Museum.