The wonders of the world were created over a huge period of time from the xxx to the 3rd century BC. Many great things happened during this time. Entire nations disappeared from the face of the earth, some civilizations were replaced by others. But the influence of the dead cultures remained. Man created a lot of beauty, but people of that time chose only seven of the many magnificent monuments of art and called them "wonders of the world." The Greeks attributed the highest perfection to the number "seven". That is why the Greeks called the seven wonders of the world. 7 wonders of the world were sung in verse and prose, all scientists of antiquity sang about them. Some of the wonders of the world were seen and described by the famous ancient Greek scientist traveler, the famous historian Herodotus. Time, and sometimes people, ruthlessly crack down on ancient monuments, many of which have remained only ruins. So, six wonders of the world have long been destroyed. The most ancient remained - the Egyptian pyramids - the very personification of inviolability and eternity.
Severe, stingy and strict, they stand on the very edge of the boundless Libyan desert south of Cairo near the Nile. From afar, they appear ghostly, almost transparent and blue. As you approach the pyramids, their color thickens, turning from ashen to dark gray. They amaze with their immensity.
The greatness of these pyramids struck Napoleon Bonaparte during his campaign against Egypt. "Soldiers! Forty centuries look at you from the height of these pyramids! ”- he inspired the soldiers before the decisive battle near the pyramids. Vivant Denon, E.-F. Jomar and other scientists who accompanied Napoleon's army laid the foundation for Egyptology.
Why were the pyramids built? The true meaning of the construction of the pyramids of Egypt can only be understood based on the features
religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, from the idea that underlay their religion: after death, a person continues his life path in the realm of immortality. 
For an Egyptian, life did not end in death, so for a long time one of the main problems of the pharaohs and the nobility was to prepare a worthy tomb for themselves and reliably protect it from robbers. Otherwise, Ka and Ba would lose their refuge, and afterlife the deceased would be in danger. Ka was a kind of guardian spirit of a person, his "double." Ba had a falcon with a human head, she lived in a person, being his “life force,” when she left a person, the person died. The body was embalmed so that Ba could return to her former container - the mummy. For Ka, they built houses - tombs of 4-5 millennia BC.
Then, from the modest burial mounds, the Egyptians moved on to the construction of the mastaba. "Mastaba" is an Arabic word that means a flat bench in front of a house. One of the most ancient mastabas that has survived to our time was discovered in 1935 near Sankara. It belonged either to the second pharaoh of the 1st dynasty or even to the unifier of Egypt, pharaoh Men.
Almost 5 millennia have passed since the construction of the first pyramid. It was erected under the pharaoh of the III dynasty - Djoser. It was built by the legendary sage - architect, mathematician, astronomer and physician, the chief adviser of the pharaoh - Imhotep.
Built of carefully hewn slabs of dense fine-grained limestone of a stepped shape and an unprecedented height for that time - 60 m, the Pyramid of Djoser was the first monumental building in the history of mankind. The first pyramid was built and rebuilt for a long time, all this took 29 years. The result was a six-step pyramid. From a distance, it looks like six mastabas stacked on top of each other. The stepped shape of the pyramid meant a staircase with six steps leading to a platform at the top (the seventh step). And this number - seven - coincides with the number of planets known to the ancient Egyptians. It also symbolizes the seven stages that, according to the ancients, the soul overcomes in other world. The kings believed that their souls were reunited with the souls of the Unforgettable - the northern stars that never set beyond the horizons. The step pyramid was a symbolic staircase leading to the stars.
In the dunes near the step pyramid of Djoser, two more unfinished two step pyramids were found.
The next pyramid at Meidum was already smoothly lined. It is considered the first classical pyramid. From the polished cladding, very little has survived to this day. This is explained by the fact that during the construction there was a terrible earthquake.
The burial chamber was located inside the pyramid; a narrow gallery led to it, directed downward at an angle of 28 degrees, which turned vertically upward in the center of the base. From here, as through a telescope, it was possible to observe the North Star, because the passage was oriented exactly to the north.
The religious texts (prayers, spells) with which the walls of the tombs were dotted, the so-called Pyramid Texts, promised the kings that the sun's rays would become so strong that they could climb directly to the god Ra. Equilateral pyramids can symbolize the slopes of the sun's rays. And, starting from the IV dynasty, the kings of the Old Kingdom erected only equilateral pyramids.
A few kilometers south of Medum, in Dahshur, rises the so-called Bent Pyramid. Its appearance is unusual: up to a height of 45 meters, its faces are directed upwards at an angle of 54 degrees, and then it breaks, as it were, and the angle of elevation becomes 43.5 degrees. The entire structure is 101 meters high.
At the eastern edge of the Bent Pyramid there is a small mortuary temple, from which a stone mound descends to the banks of the Nile, called the "Road of Ascent."
A little to the north of the Lomanoy, the Red Pyramid arose. This is the first classical pyramid that has survived to this day.
The passage is also oriented towards the North Star and leads to three vaulted rooms located one behind the other. All burial chambers were empty.
All three pyramids - Medumskaya, Lomanaya and Red were intended for the same man-pharaoh Snefru, the founder and first ruler of the fourth dynasty.
In total, more than 80 pyramids have been preserved on the territory of modern Egypt, the pyramids of the IV dynasty are the best of them. But only three were considered wonders of the world in ancient times. They were located on the Giza plateau - these are the world-famous Great Pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Mykerin. So often and still call them Greek names. The real Egyptian names of these pharaohs are Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure.
The time of their construction dates back to the beginning of the Old Kingdom - to the III millennium BC.
The first - the Great Pyramid - Akhet - Khufu (Horizon of Khufu), as it was called - was built for the son of Snefru Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) by the architect and construction manager Hemiun. The reign of Cheops is 2551-2520. BC.
For thousands of years the pyramid of Cheops was the tallest man-made structure in the world. And only in the Middle Ages were built gothic cathedrals who could match her in height. The pyramid is an example of rare technical excellence. The accuracy of manufacturing, assembling and fitting stones is simply fantastic. During the construction of the pyramid, Hemiun managed to solve many technical problems. For example, above the chamber for the sarcophagus and above the entrance to the pyramid, located at a height of 14 m above ground level, he first used triangular arches and vaults, which took the monstrous weight of the stones lying above it. In order to unload the vaults even more, he placed several more empty chambers above the chamber of the sarcophagus. Before Hemiun, arches were never used in Egypt, and they are not found in later Egyptian buildings either.
According to ancient evidence, Pharaoh Cheops' own drawings and projects are immured in the pyramid.
The Pyramid of Cheops rises on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Cairo. Initially, its height was more than 146 meters, the length of each side of the base was 231 meters. 2.3 million stone blocks were used for its construction. The angle of elevation of the planes is about 52o. The total weight of the structure is 6,400,000 tons. The outer slabs of the pyramid were polished to a mirror finish. In the sun and in the moonlight, the pyramid sparkled like a huge crystal glowing from within. The eight-meter top of the pyramid has not been preserved; it is possible that it was lined with gold. It took 20 years to build this pyramid.
To the top of the pyramid of Cheops, where over time a platform of 10 square meters was formed, many climbed to touch Eternity. At its top, while still the heir to the Russian throne, Nicholas II also visited. In 1842, the German archaeologist Lepsius hoisted a flag with the Prussian eagle on the site of the Great Pyramid.
Not far from the pyramid of Cheops, several mastabas and three small pyramids were discovered, where the relatives of the pharaoh were buried. Several underground "docks" were found, where the funeral boats were located. On them, the dead were supposed to make their journeys in the afterlife and accompany the sun god Ra on his daily journey through the sky. Two boats of Pharaoh Cheops have survived to this day. In 1954, they found the remains of a 43-meter vessel intended for the pharaoh. Where the pharaoh's mummy rests is still unknown.
A lot of sensational assumptions are connected with the pyramids. The Pyramid of Cheops is presented as a kind of magical structure, which makes it possible to predict the course of the entire world history by its size. It turned out that the perimeter of the base of the pyramid, divided by twice the height, gives the exact number "Pi" (3.14). All the proportions and ratios of the dimensions of the pyramid are so perfect (“ golden ratio”), which is still a measure in assessing the artistic merit of architectural structures.
Even in the X century, the Arab historian Masudi suggested that the pyramid is a repository of knowledge of ancient civilizations - in astronomy, art, religion. And even contains historical information and prophetic predictions.
Another feature is interesting: the error in the location of the Cheops pyramid at a latitude of 30 degrees is only 1`19``. The accuracy of the orientation of the pyramid along the meridian is also high: according to the latest measurements, the error does not exceed 3`6``. It is difficult to explain how the ancient Egyptians, without a compass, carried out orientation with such amazing accuracy.
Four narrow long shafts were found in the pyramid of Cheops. From the beginning, it was assumed that these were ventilation shafts, however, modern studies in which rock climbers took part did not confirm this assumption. Then a version appeared that the mines had a purely religious purpose. But the architectural studies of the Egyptologist A. Badawi showed that the shafts of the royal burial chamber were channels to the stars. Two shafts were directed to the North Star, the third pointed to Orion, and the fourth - to Sirius.
The first person who got inside the pyramid of Cheops was Caliph Abd Allah al-Manun (813-833), the son of the famous Baghdad Caliph Harun al-Rashid. He discovered several halls and galleries. In one of the halls, called "the tomb of the pharaoh", there was a sarcophagus without a lid, it was brought there during construction, since its dimensions were larger than any internal passage. Two ventilation shafts went out from this hall, which means that this hall was not a burial chamber. Next to the pyramid of Cheops on a hill, from which it even seems higher, stands the pyramid of his son Khafre (Khafre). The reign of Khafre is 2520-2494 BC. The height of the pyramid is 136m, the length of the side of the base is 215m. The angle of inclination of the side face is 53°, almost like that of the famous "Egyptian triangle" with sides 3.4 and 5.
The pyramid is made of stone blocks of various sizes and lined with white limestone slabs. At the very top, part of the facing is made of beautiful yellow limestone.
Two entrances lead to adits that converge in the burial chamber under the pyramid, exactly in the center. In the deepening of the floor is a luxurious sarcophagus. Its lid lies nearby, probably a trace of the robbers.
At the pyramid of Khafre there was a mortuary temple, from which the road descended to the "lower temple". It is built of wide limestone blocks and lined outside and inside with pink granite slabs. In the central hall, the ceiling was supported by 16 columns, and the floor was made of white alabaster. In this hall, they found a statue of Khafre made of dark green diorite. Near the temple, the figure of the Great Sphinx still rises. For the first time, the Roman writer and scientist Pliny the Elder mentioned the Sphinx. The dimensions of the figure of the sphinx are colossal: its height is 20, and its length is 57 meters. The figure carved from a single rock depicts a lying lion with a human head. Between the huge paws of the sphinx is a red granite stele, which was dug out in 1818. The Bedouin nomads called the Sphinx the "father of awe". They mutilated the face of the Sphinx, and Napoleon's soldiers fired at the Sphinx with guns and cannons.
The ancient Greek historian Diodorus wrote that the pharaohs Cheops and Khafre were not buried in the pyramids. Indeed, the first explorers of the Belzoni and Pitri pyramids found the burial chambers of the pharaohs Cheops and Khafre empty.
The third of the Great Pyramids of Giza was built for Khafre's son Menkaure. Its height is 70 m, the length of the side of the base is 108 m. Despite its small size, it was made with the same care and looked very impressive. Its facing, now completely lost, was two-tone. It was made of pale pink granite at the bottom a third of its height, and white limestone at the top. The entrance gallery is also oriented towards the North Star and leads to three burial chambers located above the top of the pyramid. In 1873, British researchers discovered a basalt sarcophagus, a wooden lid and a mummy in the second chamber, but it turned out that the lid and mummy belong to the early Christian era.
The tomb of the son of Mykerin Hepseskaf (the last pharaoh of the IV dynasty) no longer has the shape of a pyramid, but looks like a huge sarcophagus 100 meters long, 72 meters wide and 20 meters high. The Arabs called the tomb "Mastab Faruun" (pharaoh's bench).
The pyramids of the pharaohs of the V and VI dynasties were small, insignificant structures.
The pharaohs of subsequent dynasties generally abandoned the construction of the pyramids. No written evidence of how the pyramids were built has come down to us. In historical sources and hierographic inscriptions, some data have been preserved that make it possible to approximately imagine the progress of the construction of the pyramids.
The pyramid should have been located to the west of the city of the living, since the meeting place of the deceased with the god Ra was at sunset, i.e. west. The pyramid had to stand near the Nile, as the materials were partially delivered to the construction site by water. The soil under the pyramid had to be solid. And the pyramid could not be too far from the capital, because the pharaoh himself watched its construction.
From the beginning, a layer of sand was removed from the selected site and underground structures were built in the stone base. The rectangle on which the pyramid was supposed to stand was surrounded by a waterproof shaft of sand and stones. A network of small channels was pierced in the rocky soil, which were filled with water. The water level was marked on the walls of the channels, then the water was lowered. Then they removed all the irregularities that were above these marks, and the channels fell asleep. There remained a strictly horizontal surface - the base of the pyramid. The southeastern corner of the Cheops pyramid turned out to be only 2 cm higher than the northwestern one.
To find the direction to the north (there was no compass yet), approximately in the center of the construction site a round wall was erected in the height of a man with a flat horizontal top line. In the middle of the fenced circle, the priest waited for the appearance of Venus. The place where she rose above the wall was marked on the wall, the same was done at the place of her sunset. Lines drawn from these two points to the center of the circle formed an angle, the bisector of which indicated the exact direction to the north. To be sure, the result was checked against other stars. The method was very accurate - the northern face of the Cheops pyramid deviates from the north direction by only 1/30 of a degree.
Next, a square was marked out, which served as the base of the future pyramid. For this, a special rope was used.
After that, a feast was held.
Meanwhile, in the quarries, according to the drawings, blocks of a certain size were cut out of a stone monolith. Most of them had a length of 1.3 m and weighed 2.5 tons. But there were blocks weighing 200 tons each. The Egyptians used saws, chisels, drills made of copper (iron products were not yet made). They also used hard dolerite balls, which they brought from the eastern shore of the Red Sea.
To split a particularly hard stone, there were two ways:
1. Holes were drilled in the rock along the marked line, wooden wedges were driven into them and filled with water. The wood swelled and split the stone.
2. A fire was lit on the rock along the intended line. After the stone was heated, the flame was quickly filled with water. A crack formed in the stone along the line.
After the stone block was cut out of the rock, it was marked, put on a "sleigh" and dragged to construction site. To reduce friction when pulling in, the road was watered.
A multi-ton sarcophagus was placed on a mountain of sand, then the sand was raked out from under the sarcophagus, and he himself fell to the right place.
The most difficult and dangerous thing is the lifting of stone blocks from the surface of the earth to the next platform of the pyramid. For this, huge mounds were made, strengthening them with wood and lime cement. Block by block the stepped pyramid grew. After the builders completed all the main work, the steps were laid with a stone mixture. At the end, the pyramid was lined with white limestone, which was brought from Tura. The plates were carefully ground and polished so that together they made up a smooth and shiny surface like a mirror. This is how the classic smooth-walled pyramid was created. According to Napoleon, stone blocks from the three great pyramids of Giza would be enough to encircle the whole of France with a wall three meters high and 30 cm thick. The stones of the pyramids are held by their own weight - there is no binding material. Now there is evidence that the lining of the pyramids contains an unknown substance that protects the stone from sudden changes in temperature.
What was not done to save the mummy. Architects came up with labyrinths of false passages and chambers, traps with vertical wells. To scare off robbers, terrible spells were written on the walls, although it is unlikely that the robbers could read. After the burial, the burial chamber was walled up with thick slabs, the corridors leading to it were filled up with stone blocks. The entrance to the tomb was made at a great height, it was walled up and lined. According to Herodotus, 100,000 people were employed to build the pyramid of Cheops. 4,000 people worked constantly, the rest only from August to October (when there was no agricultural work).
The purpose of the pyramids is still being debated. The most incredible hypotheses are put forward:
1. The pyramids were built by aliens who came from distant stars to leave us stone messages. He writes about this in his books: “In the footsteps of Nostradamus” and “The builders of the pyramids from the constellation big dog» S. Proskuryakov.
2. The pyramids contain a mathematical secret that the Egyptians knew.
3. Pyramids were, as it were, observatories for astronomical observations.
4. The ancient Egyptians, with the help of mysterious forces that are still active, tried to protect their tombs from strangers.
5. In some inscriptions inside the pyramids, the pyramid is called "Stairway to Heaven". Is it possible that the pyramid was the launch pad for the pharaoh's flight to heaven?
6. The Great Pyramid was often called the Bible in stone. From the plan of this pyramid, the location of its gates, passages, halls and burial chambers even managed to subtract the entire history of mankind.
7. The ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras visited the pyramid of Cheops, who saw the labyrinths of the pyramid, illuminated by "a meek, calm light." These were not torches, and there were no traces of soot on the walls and ceilings. What was this light?
All the main pyramids are oriented to the stars and, as it were, indicate the path to the new “starry” life of the pharaoh. But the question arises: Are all these gigantic structures created only to "send" the souls of the pharaohs to the stars? Did this require the perfect geometric shape of the pyramid, its ingenious proportion of the "golden section"? So far, there are no answers to these questions.
And yet not all the tombs were looted. One of the richest not plundered tombs was the tomb of Tutankhamun, the pharaoh of the XVIII dynasty. It was discovered in 1922 by archaeologist Howard Carter and Lord Carnavon in the "Valley of the Kings" in Luxor. The burial contained many art objects and a sarcophagus made of pure gold. The king's face was covered with a golden mask. The mummy was almost completely intact.
Pyramids have attracted the attention of archaeologists for centuries. But there are still some new data. For example, that the age of the Egyptian pyramids is not 5 thousand years, but 10 thousand years. Not long ago, in the Great Pyramid of Giza, work discovered another walled hole at the end of the tunnel.
Pyramids were built not only in Egypt. In Mexico, 50 km from the city of Mexico City, scientists discovered the ancient Aztec city of Teotihuacan, and in it - two pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. The height of the Pyramid of the Sun is 63 meters, the length of the base is 250 meters. The height of the pyramid of the moon is 44 meters. The pyramid of Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent - one of the main deities of the Indians of Central America) in Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City is located on the site of this ancient city) has a height of 30 meters.
The Mexican pyramids were built almost 3 thousand years later than the Egyptian ones and differed in many respects from them. It was impossible to climb the Egyptian pyramids, a person was even ordered to approach them, they were built for the dead and were supposed to protect their peace. The Mexican pyramids were built with steep stairs leading to a flat upper platform, on which altars and temples dedicated to deities were built. The very shape of the pyramid with steep stairs is associated with the performance of a terrible ritual of sacrifice. The bodies of the dead victims, sometimes voluntary, rolled down the steep stone steps. The Indians believed that by sacrificing people, they strengthen the power of the gods so that the world would not be destroyed. But still, mostly festive events took place near the Mexican pyramids, ancient rites were performed. They built pyramids from earth, stones and adobes (raw bricks). The temples were faced with plaster and painted with colorful paintings.
The Mayan pyramids, which are located on the Yuca-tan Peninsula, in Chichen Itza, were built gradually; every 52 years they were completed and updated, so the structure of the pyramids resembles the structure of an onion. The Mayans believed that in 52 years the world would end and the world would be completely renewed. The pyramids they built and the stairs themselves were steeper than those of the Autecs. The main pyramid in Chichen Itza - Castillo (Castle) was precisely oriented to the cardinal points and had four stairs of 91 steps. Together with the stairs leading to the entrance to the temple, there were 365 steps in total, according to the number of days in the year of the Mayan calendar. Pyramids were built from roughly hewn stones and fastened with very resistant lime mortar.
At first it was believed that the pyramids of the Indians were intended only for cult activities. But in 1949, archaeologists discovered a tomb in Palenque (in the ancient capital of the Maya Indians) in the "Pyramid of Inscriptions". The remains of a man were found in it.
The largest pyramid (and at the same time the largest structure in the world) was erected near Lima, the capital of Peru, but it survived only in ruins. Its base is 800x400m., in its volume (3.2 million square meters), it exceeded the pyramid of Cheops (2.5 million square meters). Like other Indian pyramids, it served as a pedestal for the temple. It was built from unbaked bricks.
Step pyramids on the hills, which served as the basis for temples or altars, were also built in Mesopotamia (ziggurats), in India, on the Pacific islands. On the island of Java, at the end of the 8th century, the temple of Borobodur was built. Terraces, steps, forming spiral tiers, are formed into a majestic pyramid, in the center of which there is a giant stupa, like an inverted bell. There are 72 more stupas and Buddha statues on the terraces. It took more than a million stone blocks to build this temple. The height of the temple-pyramid is 34 cm, the base area is 113 square meters. It is believed that there are pyramids in China and Tibet.
Even in Europe a pyramid was built. She is in Rome. Its height is 12 m., it is lined with marble. Under it, the deceased in 12 BC is buried. Roman praetor Gaius Caesar Epulon Cestius.
Modern architects also use the pyramid design. In Egypt, a monument in the form of a pyramid was erected in honor of President Anwar Sadat.
A trans-American pyramid of glass and steel rises in San Francisco. The entrance to the Louvre in Paris is made in the form of a glass pyramid. The angle of inclination of the plane is the same as in the pyramid of Cheops. In the suburbs of London, a 50-story skyscraper, Canary Wharf, was built, similar to a column supporting a pyramid. In Brazil, the construction of new pyramidal buildings has begun, as scientists suggest that the pyramidal structure has a beneficial effect on human health.
Recently, the main US space agency (NASA) announced that the Viking spacecraft, flying near Mars, took pictures that show the pyramids. The largest of them is 20 times larger than the pyramid of Cheops in Egypt.
So the study of the pyramids can be continued not only here on Earth. Their study will reveal many new things to us.
Information from the site http://www.pyramids.ru/st9.html
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The ancient Egyptians denoted many things with unusual names for us:
- The word "Kemet", which means "Black", they called their country.
- They called the desert the "Red Land", the sea they called the "Great Green".
- They considered only a native Egyptian to be a “man”.
- The expression "he has no heart" meant a stupid person, and "he has a heart" meant a smart one.
- rich and famous people the Egyptians called them "big", and they did not eat, but "kissed" food.
- For common man only such words were suitable: "small", "unfortunate", "weak".
- But the most precious word for the Egyptians was the word "house".
- They called the Pharaoh the Great House, the royal treasury - the Silver House, the temple - the House of God, the school - the House of Life. And the main occupation of every Egyptian was the construction of the House of Eternity for his soul.
The Egyptians believed that after the death of the body, the soul becomes free, like a bird. She sometimes flies up to the heavens where the gods live, but always returns to her home. And if the soul does not have a home, it dies.
The "big" Egyptians during their lifetime built huge Houses of Eternity for their souls - tombs that were decorated with drawings and their own statues. They thought that if the body enclosed in the tomb did decay, the soul would be able to live in the statue. And if the statue is destroyed, then in this case there was a name of its owner carved on a stone in a secret place of the tomb. It could also become a refuge for the soul.
But the body also had to be taken care of and turned into a mummy. The word "mummy" means "that which is preserved with wax or resin." The art of making mummies is called embalming.
The most luxurious tombs were built for living gods - pharaohs. And since the largest Egyptians designated the words "piremus", the tombs of the pharaohs were called pyramids. It was precisely this form, the Egyptians believed, that was the hill rising from the water, from which the god Ptah created the whole world.
First great pyramid built by the architect Imhotep for Pharaoh Djoser. Everyone was so shocked by this majestic building that over time they began to consider Imhotep a god. And the largest pyramid was erected for the pharaoh Cheops. It was built by one hundred thousand people for 20 years.
The Pyramid of Cheops- the oldest of the seven "wonders of the world" and the only one that has survived to this day. Its height is 147 meters, like a house with 50 floors! Each of its "bricks" weighs about two tons - more than an elephant. And in total there are two and a half million such huge stones in the pyramid of Cheops! The seams between the stones are sealed so neatly that even a thin knife blade cannot pass through. Four even faces of the pyramid of Cheops are located exactly in the four parts of the world. But the first pyramids did not have clear edges, they were built in the form of huge steps.
In total, it has come down to our days 60 pyramids. People are still puzzling over how the ancient Egyptians, without cranes, and only using the power of their hands, managed to build such grandiose structures. Maybe with the help of aliens? But be that as it may, not in vain "Everything in the world is afraid of time, but time is also afraid of the Egyptian pyramids."
Is it true why the Egyptian pyramids are considered the first of the 7 wonders of the world? To begin with, it is important to clarify that not all pyramids are included in the list of 7 wonders of the world, but only one, the most majestic Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu). Researchers still cannot fully understand how in such ancient time people could build it. Even now there is an opinion that it was erected not at all by human hands, but by some incomprehensible external force. But since these are only guesses, there is no point in writing a lot about it.
Why is the pyramid of Cheops called a miracle?
There is no exact definition here, but there are many facts that make us agree that it is simply impossible not to call this building a miracle.
- The first is the dimensions of the pyramid. For more than three thousand years in a row, the structure was the tallest on Earth. The size of the base was originally 227.5, height - 146 meters. Over time, the structure collapsed a little, as a result of which the pyramid is now 9 meters lower.
- The second is the materials used for the construction. In total, the pyramid took 2.3 million stone blocks. The weight of one such block is not less than two and a half tons. In addition, it is important to pay attention to the density of the pyramid. The stones are so well fitted to each other that even the thinnest blade cannot slip between them.
- Third - appearance. Initially, the pyramid was covered with such facing material as white limestone. During the day, when the sun illuminated the pyramid, it shone with a bright peach color, which looked like a real miracle, "to which, it seemed, the sun god Ra himself gave his rays." Unfortunately, now it is no longer possible to see this beauty, because after the attack of the Arabs on (1168), the locals used the cladding to restore their houses.
Egypt is not only the most ancient, but also one of the most majestic civilizations that have ever existed on earth.
The third part of the historical monuments of the world is located here. Ancient pyramids and the majestic sphinx, temples and tombs of the pharaohs invariably attract tourists from all over the world. We offer a ride through the wonderful historical sights of Egypt ...Desert wonders.
Tourists ride rented horses and camels to the Pyramids of Giza, a historic landmark near Cairo, Egypt. The pyramids are the only surviving structures of the seven architectural masterpieces that were named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2008.
Great Sphinx.
The Great Sphinx at Giza, a huge half-man, half-lion statue on the west bank of the Nile River, near present-day Cairo, with the Great Pyramid of Cheops of Khafre in the background. The Great Sphinx is one of the largest single stone sculptures on Earth and is believed to have been built by the ancient Egyptians in the 3rd millennium BC, between 2520 BC and 2494 BC.
Mysterious mosques.
The mosques of Sultan Hassan and al-Rifai can be seen in Islamic Cairo, Egypt. The Sultan Hassan Mosque was built between 1356 and 1363 AD, during the reign of the Mamluks. The walls of this mosque, according to historians, were built from stones taken from one of the Great Pyramids in Giza.
A wonderful architectural monument.
The Mohammed Ali Pasha Mosque is located in the Citadel of Cairo and was commissioned by Muhammad Ali Pasha between 1830 and 1848. This Turkish mosque is the largest built in the first half of the 19th century. It was built in memory of Tusun Pasha, the eldest son of Muhammad Ali, who died in 1816.
Protecting history.
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo houses the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world.
Secluded oasis.
A golfer enjoys a game on the golf course at the Oberoi House near the Pyramids of Giza.
Rising from the ruins.
The Meidum Pyramid stands on the edge of the desert at Beni Suif, 70 kilometers south of Cairo, and is the first Egyptian pyramid with an above-ground burial chamber. The erected tomb may represent an attempt to raise the tomb closer to the Sun God. The structure of the pyramid collapses under the influence of time and these fragments surround it at the base.
Magnificent fortress.
Fort Qatbey is a defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean coast in Alexandria, Egypt.
Stories of stories.
The famous Library in Alexandria is one of the main attractions of Egypt.
Cruise on the Nile.
The steamer "Sudan" makes a cruise on the Nile to Aswan in Egypt.
Massive building.
The Temple of Horus at Edfu is the second largest temple in Egypt after the temple at Karnak and is the best preserved. It is dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god.
Architectural wonder.
Tourists inspect the stone columns decorated with hieroglyphs at the Karnak Temple in Luxor. Few places in Egypt are more stunning and lasting than the chaos of walls, obelisks, columns, statues, stelae and decorated stone blocks at the ancient Egyptian temple of Karnak.
Drawings on the walls.
Wall painting adorns the Karnak Temple at Luxor in Egypt. For the past 40 years, the ancient complex of the Karnak temple has been studied and restored by Franco-Egyptian archaeologists with amazing results.
Motionless guards.
Tourists inspect the Colossi of Memnon, two huge stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. The twin figures stand at the Theban Necropolis on the opposite bank of the Nile from the modern city of Luxor.
Tomb of the Noble Lady.
Temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Luxor, Egypt, built of limestone. "First Among the Noble" was the fifth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty in Ancient Egypt and ruled longer than any other woman in the Egyptian dynasty.
Monuments of cultural heritage.
The construction of the temple of Abu Simbel lasted 20 years, from 1244 BC. before 1224 BC This structure is included in the list of World Heritage Sites approved by UNESCO and is known as the Monuments of Nubia, which are located down the river from Abu Simbel to Philae (near Aswan).
Ancient monastery.
According to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, St. Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula is the oldest active Christian monastery in the world.
Absolute contrast.
A tourist stands on one of the huge karst formations created by sandstorms in the White Desert in Farafra, Egypt.
Shaking trip.
Camels look out over the Red Sea at Canyon Beach in Dahab. Camel safaris are a popular activity in South Sinai.
See the Red Sea.
The Red Sea is home to over 1000 species of invertebrates and 200 corals. This is the closest tropical sea to the north. It is very popular among divers and swimmers.
Time to rest.
Tourists relax on the terrace on the main street of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Paradise for shoppers.
Khan al-Khalili Bazaar is the largest shopping area in Cairo.
Rooms with a view.
The Old Cataract Hotel perched on a hilltop overlooking the River Nile in Aswan, Egypt.
Conquering the top.
A man views a panorama of volcanic and wind-blown peaks in the Black Desert.
Address: Egypt, Giza plateau in the suburbs of Cairo
Date of construction: XXVI-XXIII centuries BC. e.
Coordinates: 29°58"41.3"N 31°07"52.1"E
Where the green valley of the Nile gives way to the Libyan desert, in the suburbs of Cairo, on the Giza plateau, the Great Pyramids stand firm. To the gaze of a tourist who arrived in Giza, the pyramids open unexpectedly: like a mirage, they “grow” from the hot sands of the desert.
Great Pyramids of Giza aerial view
IN ancient world the pyramids were considered one of the " 7 wonders of the world", but even today they impress with their immense size, and their secrets will excite the imagination of mankind for a long time to come. The pyramids were admired by the "powerful ones" - Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, etc.
Great Pyramids of Giza. From left to right: Pyramids of Queens, Pyramid of Menkaure, Pyramid of Khafre, Pyramid of Cheops
Wanting to inspire the French army before the famous battle with the Mamluks, Napoleon, standing at the pyramids, exclaimed: “Soldiers, 40 centuries are looking at you from these peaks!” And then Bonaparte calculated: if the pyramid of Cheops was dismantled, then from 2.5 million stone blocks it would be possible to build a 3-meter wall around France.
The Three Great Pyramids, guarded by the Great Sphinx, are part of the huge Giza necropolis. These pyramids were built under the pharaohs of the IV dynasty, which ruled in the Old Kingdom in 2639-2506. BC e. They are surrounded by small pyramids and temples where pharaohs' wives, priests and officials are buried.
The Pyramid of Cheops
Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu)
The largest of the pyramids - the pyramid of Cheops - is the only one of the "7 Wonders of the World" that has survived to this day. For more than 3000 years, before the construction of Lincoln Cathedral in England (1311), the Pyramid of Cheops was the tallest building on Earth. Its original height - 146.6 meters - corresponded to a 50-story skyscraper, but after an earthquake in the XIII century, the Cheops pyramid decreased by 8 meters - it lost its lining and the gilded pyramidon stone that crowned the top.
Pyramid of Cheops and the Solar Boat Museum
The Egyptians took away the polished white limestone facing slabs and used them in the construction of Cairo houses and mosques. The Pyramid of Cheops amazes with its grandeur and titanic labor of people who raised stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons to the sky with the help of primitive devices - ropes and levers. And in the "King's Chamber" granite blocks weigh up to 80 tons. The Arab historian Abdel Latif (XII century) notes that individual blocks are so tightly fitted to each other that it is impossible to stick a knife edge between them.
solar boat
solar boat
Inside the pyramid of Cheops there are burial chambers, and outside, at its foot, stands the Museum of the Solar Boat. On this ship, built of cedar without a single nail, the pharaoh was supposed to go to the afterlife.
Pyramid of Khafre
Pyramid of Khafre (Khafra)
The second largest ancient Egyptian pyramid was erected 40 years later than the first by Pharaoh Khafre, the son of Cheops. Although the pyramid of Khafre is inferior in height (136.4 m) to the tomb of his father, but due to its location on more high point plateau, it made a worthy competition to the Great Pyramid.
At the top of Khafre's pyramid, a white basalt cladding has been partially preserved, resembling a glacier on a mountain.
Pyramid of Menkaure
Pyramid of Menkaure (Menkaure)
The ensemble of the Great Pyramids is completed by the relatively modest tomb of Mykerin, built for the grandson of Cheops. Contrary to the loud nickname "Heru" (high), it reaches only 62 meters in height, but it emphasizes the greatness of the pyramids of Cheops and Khafre.
Great Sphinx
Great Sphinx
At the foot of the Giza plateau rises a monumental sculpture 73 meters long and 20 meters high. It is carved from a monolithic limestone rock in the shape of a sphinx - mythical creature with the head of a man, paws and body of a lion. According to scientists, the facial features of the Great Sphinx are similar to the appearance of Pharaoh Khafre. The gaze of the Sphinx is directed to the east, to the rising sun. According to the beliefs of the Egyptians, the lion was a symbol of the solar deity, and the pharaoh was the viceroy of the sun god Ra on earth, and after death merged with the shining luminary.
Great Sphinx from the rear
The lions stood at the gates of the underworld, so the Sphinx is considered to be the guardian of the necropolis. The face of the statue is badly damaged. Most often you can hear that the nose of the Sphinx was beaten off by the Napoleonic grenadiers. According to another version of the legend, the sculpture was damaged by one shah, a religious fanatic. The reason for the vandalism is simple: Islam forbids making images of people and animals.
The Great Sphinx with the Pyramid of Khafre in the background
Secrets of ancient times: why were the pyramids built?
Until now, disputes about the purpose of the pyramids do not stop. The traditional version says that the mounds towering above the mortal world could be the tombs of the pharaohs, from where their ashes ascended closer to the sky and the sun. Some scientists consider the pyramids to be temples where the sun worshipers performed religious rites; others are scientific laboratories created for astronomical observations. German archaeologists put forward another hypothesis: the pyramids are natural generators of terrestrial energy.
