The Giza Pyramid Complex is home to some of the most fascinating items in the world. The Giza area has the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Menkaure, and the Pyramid of Khafre. It is also home to the Great Sphinx of Giza.
Egypt is home to more than 100 of these fabulous structures. People have spent centuries wondering how the ancient Egyptians managed to build these items with the limited tools they had available at the time.
Other interesting questions have been pondered about the pyramids. Such as, how much they weigh, what is inside them, and what was their intended purpose. Let’s see if we can answer any of those questions.
How Much Does The Pyramid Of Giza Weigh?
The largest of the Giza Pyramids is the Great Pyramid of Giza. This stone structure is estimated to weigh about 5.75 million tons.
The pyramid was constructed with about 2.3 million stone blocks and each of those blocks weighs 2267.96 kg or 4999.995 pounds. That means that each of the stones used in the construction weighed more than the average elephant does.
The pyramid is 756 feet tall and each side of the base measures about 755.75 feet.
This pyramid was erected for the second king of the fourth dynasty, Khufu Greek Cheops.
How Much Does the Pyramid of Khafre Weigh?
The pyramid of Khafre, which was built for the second son of Khufu, weighs about 4,880,000 tons.
This pyramid reaches a height of 448 feet in the air.
The base is 706 feet in length on each side.
How Much Does the Pyramid of Menkaure Weigh?
The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three pyramids in Giza.
This pyramid stands only 196 feet tall.
This pyramid weighs less than 2,440,000 tons. It is the lightweight of this group.
This is the pyramid of the grandson of Khufu Greek Cheops and the son of Khafre.
Pyramid Passages
A lot of people have surmised that the pyramids were solid formations. The truth is that inside these structures there are intricate passages, shafts, and chamber rooms. Archeologists and historians can only guess what the purpose of each room and passage was because the majority of all artifacts that were stored in the rooms had been taken away.
Inside the pyramids, there were some chambers that were easily identified as the Queen’s chamber, the King’s chamber, and the grand gallery.
Who Built The Pyramids
For centuries it was believed that slaves were forced to build these formations. Then records from that time were discovered and those records detailed the workers who constructed the pyramids were paid highly.
The records also state that the workers were also provided with food and other essentials to compensate for their labors.
Because the job of building the pyramids was a prestigious one the workers were permitted to be buried in tombs very near the sacred pyramid structures.
Researchers have discovered that it probably took two decades to build each of the pyramids. Workers on these structures definitely had job security.
Did You Know?
- At the time of the use of the great pyramids of Egypt when the kings and members of the ruler’s family died, they were buried with their riches. That is one reason why so many of the pyramid rooms have been emptied. Looters have stolen all of the riches they held. The reason the people were buried with their riches was that they believed that they could go to paradise when they passed into the next life and they wanted their belongings with them when they went.
- If the pyramids were to be constructed today it would cost about one billion dollars to build each one.
- If you walked around the pyramids you walk about one mile around each one
- The pyramids are the third heaviest man-made objects in the whole world
- No mummies have ever been found inside these structures
- Inside the Great Pyramid, a ship was discovered. This vessel is 143 feet in length and 195 feet wide.
- Although they called one of the chambers inside the Great Pyramid the Queen’s chamber, the queen was not buried in that room. It was more likely a room that housed statues and other artifacts.
- The Pyramid of Khafre is actually a pyramid that is connected to several other structures around it.
- There are two entrances into the pyramid of Khafre.
FAQs
Is the Great Pyramid of Giza the heaviest pyramid?
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the heaviest of the pyramids. This structure is also referred to as the Pyramid of Khufu.
When Was The Pyramid of Giza Constructed?
It is surmised that the Pyramid of Giza is about 4,500 years old.
How Many Pyramids Are Located in Giza?
There are three pyramids in Giza.