Cairo — Giza Pyramid Complex

After our visit to Saqqara and stops at various shops I told you about last week, our next tour stop was the Giza Pyramid Complex. Here you’ll find three very large pyramids, the Great Sphinx of Giza, and an assortment of smaller pyramids, all of which were built during the 4th Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Of the three larger pyramids, the Great Pyramid (also known as the Pyramid of Cheops or Khufu) is the most famous because it is the largest — currently 454 feet/138.5 meters high, which is some 27 feet/18 meters shorter than its original height. Seen in the Wikipedia diagram below, it is the large pyramid in the upper right quadrant:

But, oddly enough, when I picture the Giza Pyramids it’s not the Great Pyramid that forms a mental picture in my mind. Like many people, that mental image is of the middle Pyramid of Khafre. I suppose that’s because it has steeper sides, which make it appear taller, and it is the only one of the three that retains at least some of its original cladding. Here’s a comparison of the two:

Not that there’s a whole lot of difference in height between the two. Khafre stands 448 feet/136.4 meters at its current height. But it just looks so much more impressive. The difference in the tops alone make it so:

On Wednesday I’ll concentrate more on the Great Sphinx. Until then I shall leave you with this photo gallery/slide show:

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)