Five pyramids. History of Egyptian Pyramids

Introduction

Almost five millennia ago, the Egyptian pharaoh Djoser and his brilliant architect Imhotep decided to erect a structure that the world had never seen before - a colossal mountain of stone, built according to strict mathematical calculations, so strong that it stood until the end of time. The construction of this first pyramid in the world lasted more than two decades, and the number of workers - prisoners of war, slaves, voluntary assistants - totaled tens of thousands. Over the next two centuries, the Egyptian pharaohs, following the example of the first builders of the pyramid, built tombs for themselves. For this relatively short period of time, great pyramids were erected, which until now amaze and delight crowds of people. But the erection of these grandiose man-made mountains stopped as suddenly as it began. The Pharaohs, as before, were content with more modest tombs.

Despite all the apparent inviolability of the pyramids, they, ironically, suffered not so much from the forces of nature as from the hands of man. The ancient Egyptians were the first vandals: they plundered their burial chambers and ruthlessly stripped off the limestone shell from them, using material for other buildings, and. this barbarism continued into later times.

Father of History "Herodotus called the Egyptian pyramids" the first miracle of the world. " The past millennia not only confirm this name, but also more and more force researchers to consider this “miracle” the greatest and most mysterious of all known to mankind.

The pyramids, discovered in different parts of the world, show that they are not only the prerogative of the Egyptians. The size, age and good preservation of the pyramids are simply amazing. Perhaps this architecture embodied unknown knowledge and had some special sacred significance ... One thing is certain: the pyramids of the world challenge time and traditional science.

The purpose of the work is the study of the pyramids as an object of world historical cultural heritage.

· Study the history of the pyramids;

· Consider the location of the pyramids on the ground;

· Consider interesting facts and secrets of the pyramids;

· Consider the astronomical and mathematical riddles of the pyramids.

Pyramids of the world

The history of the pyramids

pyramid civilization astronomical

Ancient Egypt is the oldest world civilization, which still remains largely mysterious and full of secrets, despite all the technical achievements of modern science. And one of these secrets is the history of the creation of the pyramids. Pyramids are majestic buildings, a symbol of Ancient Egypt. The rulers of ancient Egypt, the pharaohs needed to stand out among other mortals, confirm their divine origin, so after death their mummies should not have been on the usual scale - tombs of a traditional form in the form of a truncated pyramid, but in more powerful structures - huge stone tombs of a pyramidal shape.

There are a number of versions about the emergence of the pyramids. The official, or so-called classic version, says that the construction of the pyramids in Ancient Egypt began 4000 years before the beginning of our era. The very first pyramid was built by the ancient architect Imhotep for the dynasty of the Pharaohs Joser in Saqqara. It is perfectly preserved to this day and is located 20 km from modern Cairo. This is a step pyramid with a rhombus at the base. Later, Imhotep, who did not come from the royal dynasty, received divine status for the erection of such a magnificent building. History has preserved the name of this man to our times, which in itself is unusual. Among the so-called “seven wonders of the world”, known in antiquity, that struck the imagination of their contemporaries, there is another pyramid of Ancient Egypt. This is the pyramid of Cheops. Unlike other wonders of the world, it exists to this day and still produces a grandiose impression of grandeur. Its height is 146 m and is on a par with the highest buildings of our time. The Cheops pyramid is composed of 2.3 million limestone blocks, which, as it were, did not touch time.

The construction of these magnificent structures was carried out by thousands of slaves. They dragged huge stone blocks processed with copper tools along the ramps. In some pyramids, the blocks reached a weight of two hundred tons and it is incomprehensible to modern builders how the ancient Egyptians lifted such blocks to the tops of the pyramids. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, they used mechanical lifts, although even now in the 21st century there are not many bridge crane designs on the globe that can move a load of this weight. Therefore, the most fantastic theories of the appearance of the pyramids in Ancient Egypt arose and arise. The ideal processing of stone blocks, some of which have not just a smooth, but just the same mirror surface, suggests that they were built using special tools that simply could not be in the Bronze Age. Hence the very widespread version of space aliens who are genuine builders of the ancient Egyptian pyramids.

Another common version of the construction of the pyramids - they were erected by the Atlanteans, giant creatures from the island of Plato. The authenticity of this hypothesis is confirmed by traces of erosion on the lower blocks of the pyramids, which may appear from a long stay of the structure in water. In addition, they even find fossils of shells, which are much older in age than the usual age of the Egyptian pyramids. There are other versions that only add mystery to these grandiose symbols of Ancient Egypt, and at the same time, not passing curiosity and admiration for them to our contemporaries.

The only 7 wonders of the world that have survived to this day are the Cheops pyramid, or the Khufu pyramid, as the Egyptians themselves call it, unlike the rest of the world, using the Greek pronunciation of the name of the pharaoh.

To fully understand how far from us those times were when the Pyramid of Cheops was built, you just need to think that for the contemporaries of the other six wonders of the world, the Great Pyramid in Giza was so old that they no longer knew the key to its mystery.

Despite the fact that the largest pyramid in the world is over four thousand years old, it has been pretty well preserved to our times. Today, excursions to the Egyptian pyramids can be ordered from almost any Cairo hotel.

History and construction of the Great Pyramid of Cheops

It is believed that the incarnation of royal ambitions was carried out by a certain Hemion - the nephew and vizier of the pharaoh, and, by compatibility, also the court architect. The Cheops Pyramid was built around 2540 BC, and construction began twenty years earlier - somewhere in 2560 BC

More than two million huge stones were needed to build the Great Pyramid in Giza. The largest blocks weighed several tens of tons. For the construction weighing 6.4 million tons, so that it does not go underground under its own weight, solid rocky soil has been selected. Granite blocks were delivered from the quarry, which was located at a distance of 1000 km. Scientists still can not find the answer to the question of how these stones were transported and how they built the Cheops pyramid

A lot of controversy is caused by the destination of the highest pyramid in Ancient Egypt. According to the most popular opinion, this is really the tomb of Cheops (second pharaoh of the IV dynasty of rulers) and members of his family. Nevertheless, discussions around the riddles of the pyramid do not cease. For example, from the point of view of some astronomers, a kind of observatory was equipped here, since the ventilation ducts and corridors with amazing accuracy point to the stars Sirius, Tuban, and Alnitak. It is also interesting that during the construction of the Cheops pyramid the coordinates of the Earth’s magnetic poles were also taken into account.

The geometry and description of the Khufu Pyramid

The dimensions of the Cheops pyramid amaze even modern man. Its foundation covers a vast area of \u200b\u200b53 thousand square meters, which is commensurate with ten football fields. Other parameters are no less striking: the base length is 230 m, the length of the side rib is the same, and the area of \u200b\u200bthe side surface is 85.5 thousand square meters.

Now the height of the Cheops pyramid is 138 meters, but initially it reached 147 meters, which can be compared with a fifty-story skyscraper. Years left their mark on the safety of the pyramid. Numerous earthquakes over thousands of years brought down the stone top of the structure, and the smooth stone that faced the external walls crumbled. Nevertheless, the interior of the attraction, despite the many predatory and vandal intrusions, has remained virtually unchanged.

The north entrance to the pyramid was originally at an altitude of almost 16 meters and was sealed with a granite plug. Now tourists get inside through a huge gap made ten meters lower, left in 1820 by Arabs led by caliph Abdullah al-Mamun, who made an attempt to find the treasures that were supposedly hidden here.

Inside the pyramid of Cheops are three tombs, located one above the other. The lowest, unfinished underground chamber is located at the base of the cliff. Above it are the burial chambers of the tsarina and the pharaoh, to which the Great Gallery rises upward. Those who built the pyramid have created a complex system of corridors and mines, the plan of which is still being studied by scientists. Egyptologists put forward a whole theory of understanding the afterlife of the people of that time. With these arguments secret doors and other design features are explained.

For many years now, the Pyramid of Pharaoh Cheops in Giza, like the Great Sphinx, has been in no hurry to reveal all its secrets. For tourists, it remains the most striking landmark in Egypt. It is impossible to fully comprehend the secrets of its corridors, mines and ventilation ducts. Only one thing is clear: the Great Pyramid is the fruit of brilliant design thought.

There are many opinions about when the Cheops pyramid was built and who did it. The most original assumptions are various versions of the construction completed long before the Flood by civilizations that did not survive it, as well as hypotheses about alien creators.
Despite the fact that no one knows the exact time when the Cheops pyramid was built, in Egypt at the official level the date of the beginning of its construction is celebrated - August 23, 2560 BC
Recent excavations carried out at the beginning of the 21st century indicate that the work of the builders of the pyramids was hard, but at the same time they were well taken care of. They had high-calorie meals from meat and fish and comfortable sleeping places. Many Egyptologists are of the opinion that they were not even slaves.
Studying the ideal proportions of the Great Pyramid in Giza, scientists came to the conclusion that even in those days the ancient Egyptians knew very well what the golden ratio was, and actively used its principle to create the drawing.

Inside the pyramid of Cheops there are no decorative paintings and historical inscriptions, except for a small portrait in the passage to the chamber of the queen. There is not even any evidence that the pyramid generally belonged to the pharaoh Khufu.
Until 1300, for three millennia, the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure on the planet, until they built the Lincoln Cathedral that exceeded it.
The heaviest stone block used in the construction of the pyramid weighs 35 tons and is located above the entrance to the burial chamber of the pharaoh.
The outer slabs of the Cairo pyramid, before the Vandal invasion of the Arabs in Egypt, were so carefully polished that under the moonlight a mysterious flicker emanated, and in the rays of the sun their lining shone with a soft peach light.
To study the premises in which it is difficult for a person to reach, scientists used a special robot.
From 6 to 10 thousand tourists visit the pyramids daily, and about 3 million per year.

Useful information for tourists

Currently, in the museum on the south side of the pyramid you can get acquainted with the exhibits that were found during excavations and in the pyramid itself. There is an opportunity to see the restored unique boat from the cedar (Solar Rook), which was built by the ancient Egyptians. Also here you can buy souvenirs for memory. And the next point of view on the territory will be the Great Sphinx.

In the evenings in Giza they demonstrate a light and sound show: alternate floodlights of local attractions are accompanied by a fascinating story, including in Russian and in English.

Museum Hours in Giza

daily from 8.00 to 17.00;
in winter - until 16.30;
during Ramadan - until 15.00.

Ticket Prices

entrance ticket to the Giza zone for foreigners - $ 8;
entrance to the Cheops pyramid - $ 16;
inspection of the Sun Rook - $ 7.

For children and students, prices are usually half as much.

To visit the Cheops’s pyramids, they sell only 300 tickets a day: 150 at 8.00 and 150 at 13.00.
It is best to go to the pyramids in the morning, in order to grab a ticket and protect yourself from the midday heat.
The entrance to the pyramid is very low, you will have to bend about 100 meters, besides it is very dry, hot and slightly dusty inside. People suffering from claustrophobia, diseases of the respiratory tract and heart of the water is undesirable.
Photo and video shooting is prohibited inside. As for photographs against the backdrop of the Great Pyramid, it is better not to give your camera in the wrong hands, as there are frequent cases of theft.
It is better to take a photo of the Cheops pyramid (as well as other pyramids) in the morning or in the evening, when the sun does not shine too bright, otherwise the image will turn out to be flat.
Climbing the pyramid is strictly prohibited.
For local residents, tourists are the main and often the only source of income, so they will constantly offer you to buy something. Therefore, think carefully whether you need certain offers, and in any case, be sure to bargain. Give tips only to those who really deserve them.
Be careful: there are a lot of pickpockets around.

How to get to the pyramid of Cheops

The address: Egypt, Cairo, Giza district, Al Haram street

To get from Cairo:

By metro (line No. 2) - to the Giza station. Then transfer to bus number 900 or number 997 and drive along Al-Haram avenue for about 15–20 minutes.
By bus number 355 and number 357 from the airport and Heliopolis. It goes every 20 minutes.
By taxi to Haram.

From Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh: by tour bus or taxi.

Pyramids of Ancient Egypt: secrets, riddles, structure, architecture and internal structure of the pyramids of Ancient Egypt

May Tours all over the world
Hot tours all over the world

Any unesco

most unesco

Djoser Pyramid

Giza, Al Badrashin

Deciding on this trip is definitely worth it, at least out of curiosity. After all, the Djoser pyramid is recognized as the oldest surviving Egyptian pyramid. Yes, yes, this is the first pyramid of Egypt, and it was built in honor of the ruler of Djoser by the architect and close associate of Pharaoh Imhotep.

The pyramids of Egypt - a unique architectural monument, left over the centuries thanks to mysterious builders who managed to create structures so durable that no natural disasters and destructive wars could completely destroy these ancient Egyptian necropolises. The riddle of the pyramids has not yet been solved: one cannot speak with confidence either about the method of their construction, nor about who acted as the main labor force. Now in Egypt there are about 118 pyramids, the largest of which were built during the reign of the III and IV dynasties of the pharaohs, that is, during the so-called Ancient Kingdom. Pyramids come in two types: stepped and regular in shape. The oldest structures are considered to be the first type. For example, the pyramid of the pharaoh Djoser, dated 2650 BC. e.
Necropolis in Greek means "city of the dead" and is a cemetery, usually located on the outskirts of the city. The Egyptian pyramids - one of the varieties of this kind of burial - served as monumental tombs for the pharaohs.
What do we know about the pyramids of Egypt?
For the first time they learned about the pyramids thanks to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC. Traveling through Egypt, he was struck by the famous pyramids of Giza and immediately ranked one of them, dedicated to Cheops, to the seven wonders of the world. Moreover, it was Herodotus who created the legend of how these structures were built. As soon as the pyramids became the object of research by scientists, and this happened only two hundred years ago, this legend immediately became a historical truth, the reliability of which was refuted not so long ago.
Your browser does not support iframes
How the ancient pyramids were built
To our time, safe and sound did not reach as much as we would like. Numerous vandals who plundered the pyramids for the sake of treasures hidden inside, and local residents who broke down stone blocks for the construction of palaces and mosques, destroyed part of the external and internal appearance. So, the Pink or Northern Pyramid from Dakhshur (26 km south of Cairo) got its name because of the color of the stone, which turns pink in the rays of the setting Sun. However, she was not always like that. Previously, the structure was covered with white limestone, which was fully used for the construction of houses in Cairo.
For a long time it was believed that the ancient gods condemned people violating the peace of the pharaohs to death. This was confirmed by the legend of the curse of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, according to which everyone who participated in the opening of the grave had to die within a few years. And indeed, by 1929 (the tomb was opened in 1922), 22 people who were somehow involved in the autopsy died. Whether the reason was the magic of Ancient Egypt or the poison embedded in the sarcophagus during burial remains to be guessed.
It is believed that the famous Great Sphinx, lying near the pyramids of Giza, is a guard of peace for buried pharaohs.
Architecture and internal structure of the pyramids
The pyramids were only part of the ritual-funeral complex. Next to each of them were two temples, one near and the other much lower, so that its foot was washed by the waters of the Nile. Pyramids and temples were interconnected by alleys. An analogue of the alley of a similar plan can be seen in Luxor. The famous Luxor and Karnak temples were united in part by the avenue of sphinxes that has survived to our time. The pyramids of Giza practically did not preserve their temples and alleys: only the lower temple of Chephren, the pharaoh of the IV dynasty, was long considered the temple of the Great Sphinx.
The internal structure of the pyramids implied the mandatory presence of a chamber, where there was a sarcophagus with a mummy, and hacked passages to this chamber. Sometimes religious texts were placed there. So, the interior of the pyramids in Saqqara, an Egyptian village 30 km from Cairo, contained the most ancient works of extant literature that have come down to us.
It is believed that the famous Great Sphinx, lying near the pyramids of Giza, is a guard of peace for buried pharaohs. The ancient Egyptian name of this first monumental sculpture in the world has not reached our time. Only the Greek version of the designation has remained in history. Medieval Arabs called the Sphinx the "father of horror."
Modern Egyptologists suggest that the construction of the pyramids was carried out in several stages. Moreover, sometimes the size of the tomb during the creation process increased several times in comparison with the original project. The pharaohs built their tomb for many years. Only land work and leveling the site for the future construction required at least ten. For the construction of the largest pyramid to date, Pharaoh Cheops took twenty years. The workers who built the tombs were not slaves tortured to death. Moreover, archaeological excavations have shown that they were kept in fairly decent conditions, treated and fed normally. However, it is still not known exactly how huge stone blocks got to the very top. The only obvious thing is that the construction technique has changed over time, and later structures were built differently than the first ones.

Pyramids

Mysterious pyramids of Egypt

The Egyptian pyramid of Djoser, better known as the step pyramid, is located in Saqqara, 30 km from Cairo. A visit to the pyramid is part of the Dashur-Sakkar tour. To visit this pyramid is at least out of curiosity, because this is the very first pyramid built in honor of the ruler of Djoser. The peculiarity of the pyramid is that it is made in a stepped form. Six steps - the path by which the pharaoh goes into the underworld, as historians believe. Inside the pyramid there are 11 burial chambers for the pharaoh and his family members. In the process of archaeological excavations of Joser himself was not found, only the mummies of his relatives. This is due to the fact that by the time the excavation began, the tomb was already plundered.

An excursion to Saqqara with a visit to the Djoser Pyramid will cost about $ 80 per person.

Mycerin Pyramid

The pyramid is located on the Giza plateau next to other famous pyramids - Cheops and Chefren. Compared with them, the Pyramid of Mycerin is considered the smallest and youngest pyramid of the famous triad. The peculiarity of this pyramid in its color is that until the middle it was made of red granite, and higher of white limestone. But in the 16th century, the lining was destroyed by the Mameluke warriors. The fact that the Mycerin pyramid is relatively small, scientists explain by the fact that the Egyptians stopped making grandiose tombs. But despite this, the pyramid does not cease to amaze scientists and travelers. For example, the largest block of stone weighs about - 200 tons! What technical means helped the ancient Egyptians so much? An excursion to the pyramid is included in the Cairo travel program, its cost is approximately $ 60 per person.

Mycerin Pyramid

The Pyramid of Cheops

There is hardly a man. who would not know the main attraction of Egypt - the pyramid of Cheops. The height of this one of the Seven Wonders of the World today is 140 meters, and an area of \u200b\u200babout 5 hectares. The pyramid consists of 2.5 million stone blocks. The construction of the pyramid took 20 years. Several thousand years have passed since the construction of the Cheops pyramid, but the Egyptians still greatly honor the pyramid, and every year in August they celebrate the day the construction began. Despite the fact that the research and excavation of the pyramid, it still retains many secrets. For example, secret doors were discovered in the burial room of Pharaoh’s wife, which, according to scientists, symbolize the path to the afterlife. But archaeologists could not open the last door. The cost of an excursion to the Giza plateau with a visit to the pyramids is 50-60 dollars. For children, the ticket will cost half the price.

Chefren's Pyramid

Although the Chefren pyramid is 4 meters smaller than the Cheops pyramid, but visually it seems higher. The secret is that the pyramid stands on a ten-meter plateau and is very well preserved to this day. The pyramid has two entrances - one at a height of 15 m, and the other on the same side at the base level. Inside the Chefren’s pyramid, it’s rather modest - two rooms and a couple of corridors, but the real sarcophagus of the pharaoh is stored here. The tomb is made at the highest level and does not leave indifferent any of the tourists. The tomb itself is empty.

Archaeologists found a grand find in a pyramid in the 19th century - a sculpture of a pharaoh from a mountain diorite.

The cost of an excursion to the Chefren pyramid is about $ 60.

Chefren's Pyramid

Dashur

This place is not as popular as the Giza plateau with its pyramids. Dashur is famous for its pyramids, which were built during the reign of Pharaoh Snofu. These structures are considered the first tombs in history, built according to new types of structures.

The southern pyramid, which is better known as Broken, got its name due to the irregular shape. During its construction, the angles of the faces were changed for an unknown reason. Perhaps this was a mistake, but scientists explain it as a construction move with concern for the strength and durability of the pyramid. The main difference between the Broken Pyramid is. that it has two entrances - the "traditional" north and almost no south.

Another attraction of Dashur is the Northern Pyramid, better known by its name as Red. The name of the pyramid was due to its facing red color. This is the first tomb of the correct pyramidal shape. The pyramid is very dark, so you should take a flashlight with you. In the lowest burial chamber you can observe a high stepped ceiling, the same as in the gallery of the Cheops pyramid.

The cost of an excursion to Cairo, which includes a trip to Dashur, will cost an average of $ 85.

Perhaps everyone wants to look at the pyramids. And if this is your dream from childhood, then a tour to Egypt is what you need. To order such a tour today is very simple - it is enough to travel companies of your city through a special form on our website, or contact all the questions you have on the number 8-800-100-30-24.

Most people simply know that the Egyptian pyramids are large, impressive buildings built a long time ago in ancient Egypt. It is also widely known that the pyramids served as monumental tombs, in which the pharaohs, the rulers of ancient Egypt, were buried. However, in fact, there are much more interesting things and little-known facts that many do not know about these exciting buildings. In order to expand your knowledge of the Egyptian pyramids, check out the twenty-five facts presented below, which you may not know.
25. The three most famous Egyptian pyramids are those located in the Giza Necropolis (Giza Necropolis), but in fact in the area of \u200b\u200bancient Egypt, approximately 140 pyramids were discovered.

24. The most ancient Egyptian pyramid is considered the Pyramid of Djoser, which was built in the Necropolis of Saqqara (Saqqara Necropolis) in the 27th century BC.

23. While the Djoser Pyramid is considered the oldest, the Pyramid of Khufu (also known as the Great Pyramid of Giza) is the largest. The initial height of the pyramid was 146.5 meters, and the current height is 138.8 meters.

22. Until the Lincoln Cathedral of Lincoln Cathedral in England was built in 1311, the Great Pyramid of Giza held the title of the tallest structure in the world created by human hands. She kept the record for at least 3871!

21. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the last existing at the moment.

20. Estimates of the number of workers involved in the construction of the pyramids vary greatly, however, it is likely that they were built by at least 100,000 people.

19. The Giza pyramids are guarded by the Great Sphinx, the largest monolithic sculpture in the world. It is believed that the face of the sphinx was given a resemblance to the face of the pharaoh Khafren (Khafra).

18. All Egyptian pyramids were built on the west bank of the Nile River, which is the place of sunset and associated with the kingdom of the dead in Egyptian mythology.

17. The ancient Egyptians buried their noble citizens in pyramids with funeral gifts, which ranged from household items to the most expensive things, such as jewelry. They believed that the dead would use them in the afterlife.

16. The very first known architect of the pyramids was Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian scholar, engineer and doctor. He is considered the author of the first major pyramid - the Djoser Pyramid.

15. While experts generally agree on the hypothesis that the pyramids were built of huge stones carved with copper chisels in quarries, the methods used to move and stack them are still the subject of heated debate and speculation.

14. Another, relatively obvious, is the fact that the methods used to build the pyramids developed over time. The pyramids of a later period are not constructed in the same way as the earliest pyramids.

13. After the end of the period of construction of the pyramids in Ancient Egypt, an outbreak of the construction of the pyramids in the territory of modern Sudan began.

12. In the 12th century, an attempt was made to destroy the pyramids of Giza. Al-Aziz, the Kurdish ruler and second sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty (Ayyubid Sultan of Egypt), tried to demolish them, but he had to surrender, as this task was too widespread. However, he managed to damage the Menkaure's Pyramid, where, due to his attempts, a vertical gaping hole remained in its northern slope.

11. The three pyramids of Giza are precisely aligned in accordance with the constellation of Orion (Constellation of Orion), which could well be the idea of \u200b\u200bthe builders, since the stars of Orion were associated with Osiris, the god of rebirth and the underworld in ancient Egyptian mythology.

10. According to estimates, the Great Pyramid of Giza consists of 2,300,000 stone blocks that weigh from 2 to 30 tons, and some of them even weigh more than 50 tons.

9. Initially, the pyramids were covered with facing stones made of well-polished white limestone. These stones reflected the light of the sun and made the pyramids shine like precious stones.

8. When the facing stones covered the pyramids, they could be seen from the mountains in Israel and maybe even from the moon.

7. Despite the wild heat that surrounds the pyramids, the temperature in the pyramids themselves actually remains relatively constant and keeps around 20 degrees Celsius.

6. It is rather difficult to calculate accurately, but the weight of the Cheops Pyramid may well be approximately 6 million tons.

5. The Pyramid of Cheops was built to the north. In fact, it is the most carefully north-aligned building in the world. Despite the fact that it was built thousands of years ago, it still faces the north, with only a slight error. However, the error occurred because the North Pole is gradually shifting, which means that once the pyramid was directed exactly north.

4. On average, the construction of each pyramid took 200 years. This means that often several, rather than one pyramid, were built at once.

3. One of the reasons why the pyramids are so well preserved is the unique cement mortar used in them. It is stronger than real stone, but we still do not know how they prepared it.