As one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Khufu (also known as the Pyramid of Cheops or the Great Pyramid of Giza) attracts millions of tourists each year.
The Pyramid of Cheops is a classic architectural structure primarily built with limestone. It consists of 2.3 million blocks of stone, each weighing between 2.5 to 5 tons, with a base length of 230 meters, encompassing a total area of 13 acres. Its four sides are precisely aligned to the cardinal directions—east, west, north, and south—with a slope of 52 degrees. The original height of the pyramid was 146.5 meters, but it now stands at 137 meters, having lost nine meters due to the theft of its high-quality limestone during its construction in Cairo. However, the Pyramid of Cheops remains the tallest pyramid in the world.
The Pyramid of Cheops is a classic architectural structure made of limestone.
It is hard to imagine how such a colossal pyramid was constructed. Many scientists, archaeologists, and history enthusiasts have attempted to explain this, which has been the subject of ongoing debates and research about the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Various hypotheses have emerged over centuries, with some even suggesting that extraterrestrials might have been involved in the process. Until recently, scientists have finally uncovered the truth behind the construction of Khufu’s Pyramid.
1. Entrance 2. Tomb robbers’ tunnel 3. Ascending passage 4. Descending passage 5. Half-completed chamber 6. Ascending passage 7. Queen’s chamber 8. Horizontal passage 9. Grand hall.
History states that the ancient Egyptians transported massive limestone and granite blocks to this site, but it does not explain how they moved these stones. This has been a mystery for centuries, but it has now been solved, revealing how the Egyptians could transport limestone and granite blocks weighing 2.5 tons over a distance of 500 miles.
It turns out that such a massive stone could not be moved relying solely on human strength. Initially, they had to alter the landscape, redirecting the Nile River to the pyramid construction site, and building artificial canals before they could begin transporting the limestone via water. Workers pulled boats from the quarry to the construction site, a process that took about three days. Archaeologists have found evidence beneath the site, indicating traces of a canal running through it, and a boat pit surrounding the Great Pyramid of Khufu.
The Pyramid of Cheops is the only eight-sided pyramid in Egypt.
The Pyramid of Cheops was the tallest man-made structure for over 3,000 years, constructed from 2.3 million stone blocks so precisely that not even a human hair can pass between adjacent blocks. Impressively, a restored version of the Pyramid was originally covered with high-polished limestone, carefully cut to achieve the golden ratio. The polished limestone reflected sunlight, making it sparkle like stars, with light so intense it could even be seen from the Moon. Unfortunately, the outer limestone layer no longer exists due to the effects of an earthquake.
The Pyramid of Cheops is also unique because it features internal passageways that ascend and descend. It is the only eight-sided pyramid in Egypt, and it indeed has eight sides due to an inward indentation at the base, aligning it with the stars in the Orion constellation. The Pyramid of Cheops is located right at the center of our planet.
To this day, it remains hard to believe that ancient people could construct such a classic structure.
