The famous pyramids of the Giza Plateau are the only surviving members of the Seven Wonders of The Ancient World, a list dating back to the Hellenistic period.[src] This list includes legendary structures like the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus. All that remains of the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus is a few column fragments.
Photographs just don’t do the pyramids justice. I had a similar feeling after I saw the Taj Mahal for the first time. Regrettably the sky was thick with dust on the day I visited, which does not make for great photos. I also only had one day to experience this awesome site. At some point I would definitely love to go back there and take more time to explore. Learning about and experiencing ancient civilizations, has always been a fascinating topic for me. Give me a good set of ruins over a mega-mall any day!
1: The first, and tallest pyramid of the Giza Plateau, is the Great Pyramid of Khufu(left). It was constructed around 2550 BC at the behest of Pharaoh Khufu. It towers almost 150 meters above the plateau, and is assembled using stone blocks weighing up to 15 tons. [src]
The second in both height and construction date is the pyramid of Pharaoh Khafre (center), the son of Khufu. This pyramid appears to be taller than that of Khufu, but this is due to it being built on higher ground.
Third in terms of both age and height, is the pyramid of Pharaoh Menkaure, son of Khafre and grandson of Khufu. [src]2: There was a huge number of busses, and throngs of people already there when I arrived. It’s a shame how close they let people park to the pyramid of Khafre3: The pyramid of Pharaoh Khafre, is unique among the three due to part of its limestone shell still being intact.4: A young tout rides his camel around looking for tourists looking for camel rides and photo ops. My guide told me they quote you a really low rate for the ride, but it’s only for the outbound trip. Supposedly they take you a couple kilometers away from the pyramids and then demand more money for the return trip home. I’m not sure if this occurs in reality, or he was just trying to scare me.5: A more casually dressed camel taking a break under a makeshift shade. I think this one was used by the hawkers selling their wares nearby.6: Three small pyramids near the Great Pyramid of Khufu are believed to be the tombs of his queens. Additional small pyramids are near the pyramid of Menkaure as well.7: A building houses the Khufu ship called the Solar Barque. It was discovered in a pit carved out of bedrock below the building in 1954. The boat was found disassembled and the pieces were neatly arranged. The boat was reassembled and placed in its new home for public viewing. [src] The fact that an almost 5000 year-old wooden boat could be found this well-preserved is amazing to me.8: Aligned with the pyramid of the Pharaoh Khafre is the iconic Great Sphynx, a mythical creature with the body of a lion, and the head of a human. The face is believed to represent that of Khafre himself. Carved from a single block of limestone, the sphinx is about 240 feet long and 66 feet high. [src]9: If you look closely, you can see the remains of red pigment. This led researchers to believe the sphinx was brightly painted. There a numerous legends as to why the nose was broken off. These include it was shot off by the army of Napolean using cannon, and it was mutilated by a Sufi Muslim in protest of idolatry in the 14th century. [src]10: The paws and lower tail were well-preserved and the statue gets more and more deteriorated as you go up. When it was discovered, the entire sphinx was buried in sand with the exception of the head [src].
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