Tag Archives: Cheops

Perhaps the most iconic image at the Giza Pyramid Complex (after the Pyramid of Khafre for me) is the Great Sphinx of Giza. From paw to tail this half man/half lion measures 240 feet/73 meters, and it rises 66 feet/20 meters above the ground. So, even though it appears smallish, especially in comparison to the three large pyramids at this site, it is indeed a very large structure:

And it would look even more impressive if Napoleon’s troops hadn’t blasted off its nose with cannon fire. That’s a myth, by the way. Drawings of the Great Sphinx predating Napolean show it was missing long before “Le Petit Caporal” (The Little Corporal) came along in 1798.

Here’s a side of the Great Sphinx one seldom sees:

Now, normally I hate selfies, but our guide offered, so here we are:

Looking back to the west I captured a three-fer — the Pyramid of Khafre, Pyramid of Menkaure, and one of the three Pyramids of the Queens located just south of Menkaure:

And that is where I’ll leave you for today, with these remaining photos:

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

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!)