Seven Wonders of the World Egyptian Pyramid at Giza. Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx. Pyramids of Giza opening hours and cost of visiting

Moreover, it is the only one that has survived to this day. A lot of facts have been written about this unique building, and you can read all of them on Wikipedia. We want to outline the general concepts of the pyramid, and interesting facts about it.

First of all, you should know that it is the largest pyramid in Egypt. Previously, its height was about 146 meters, and today it is approximately 138 m. The date of construction begins somewhere around 2600 BC, although this is inaccurate and disputed by many scientists.

Pyramid of Cheops - the first wonder of the world

Today, this amazing building surprises with its size and incredible accuracy of engineering calculations. It seems that the ancient Egyptians perfectly knew the principle of the golden ratio, owned the secret of the number Pi and other scientific knowledge that were discovered much later.

There is an assumption that these stone giants are space observatories. After all, the shape of the location of the pyramids exactly repeats the contours of the Orion.

Others believe that earlier these buildings played the role of the most powerful energy generators. They were originally covered in limestone, and shone on like supernatural beacons.

Inside the first wonder of the world - the pyramids of Cheops, you will find three chambers: underground, "Queen's Chamber" and "Pharaoh's Chamber". You can get inside the artificial mountain through a natural entrance, located at a height of about 15 meters (somewhere like a 5-story house) or through an artificial one, which was broken in 820.

If you have ever been to the Giza Plateau and seen the described facts with your own eyes, then you are unlikely to soon forget the unique wonder of the world - the pyramid of Cheops.

On our website you can find another interesting article about how the largest Egyptian pyramid was opened. I must say that many secrets become clear only upon closer examination.

One of the most ancient and, nevertheless, the brightest Wonders of the World are the Great Pyramids located in Giza (Egypt). The complex of Gisaean buildings is the greatest architectural monument ever created by man. In total, more than a hundred pyramidal structures were found on the territory of Egypt, but most of them did not stand the test of time.

Pyramids of Giza

The Pyramid of Cheops

The largest of the Giza complex, the Cheops pyramid is the largest building structure in the world. Its base is a square with a side of as much as 227.5 meters. It is assumed that the original height of the structure was 146 meters, but several of the upper stones were destroyed, and today the pyramid is 9 meters lower.

Engineering studies have shown that the largest architectural monument of Giza consists of 2.3 million stone blocks, each of which weighs at least 2.5 tons. The total volume of the building is 2.34 million cubic meters. The faces of the pyramid are deployed to the cardinal points, and the entrance inside is from the north.

A distinctive feature of the structure is that every single building block is so well fitted to each other that even now, after several thousand years, it is impossible to stick even the thinnest blade between them. In addition, the researchers found that the mortar with which the structural elements were fastened was superior in strength to any modern material.

The purpose of the pyramids

There are no inscriptions, drawings and decorations in the pyramid of Cheops. Inside the building there are three chambers, in the center of one of which there is a granite sarcophagus. At first it was assumed that the building was a tomb. Long-term studies have either confirmed or refuted this assumption.

But neither the remains of the pharaoh, nor any utensils or things that, according to the tradition of that time, were buried with the deceased, were found. True, there is a high probability that the pyramid was simply plundered. However, some details in the hypothesis about the purpose of the structure do not agree with the version about the tomb.

However, let's leave historians and archaeologists questions about the origin and purpose of building such an amazing complex of buildings, the entrance to which is protected by the Great Sphinx - the largest monolithic sculpture on the planet. For us, the Pyramids of Giza, with which many legends are associated, remain one of the most striking and unusual examples of the height of engineering.

The pyramids at Giza have long been recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Colossal structures keep centuries-old secrets. The secrets of millennia are kept under the gigantic stone massif, which are incomprehensible to our consciousness to this day. These are the greatest monuments of world history.

The three main pyramids - Khufu (Pyramid of Cheops), Khafri (Pyramid of Khafre) and Menkaure (Pyramid of Menkaure) are best preserved and have become famous all over the world. The majestic tombs of the ancient pharaohs inspire respect. Egypt is the land of the pyramids. A total of 118 structures were found, most of which are in ruins. Some have survived a little better, and thanks to them we will learn more and more historical details of the kingdom of Ancient Egypt.

The word "pyramid" comes from the ancient Greek "pyuramis" - fire, because the Greeks believed that the pyramid was shaped like a tongue of flame. Even in geometry textbooks for the 16th century, the pyramid was called the "fiery body". There are versions that the prototype of the pyramid is a mountain of wheat. The ancient Egyptians had a funeral cake that had a pyramidal shape, and a number of scholars refer to the fact that the pyramids, being a symbol of death, could be identified with this cake. The Egyptians themselves called the pyramids "Purama".

The ancient pyramids are unique in that they have an ideal geometric shape. How the architects of the IV dynasty of the Egyptian pharaohs (2613-2439 BC) achieved this is still unclear. The angle of the walls with respect to the horizon is 53°, and the edges are perfectly aligned with respect to the cardinal points.

The pyramid of Cheops is the largest. Its original height was 146 meters. However, they began to build on a 9-meter rock, which is now at its base. Over time, the facing plates of the pyramid crumbled (this happened as a result of a strong earthquake) and the "growth" of the pyramid dropped to 138 meters. The length of each side is exactly 230 meters. According to mathematicians, the pyramid of Cheops consists of approximately 2.5 million stone blocks, each of which weighs 2.5 tons. Another mystery of the builders is how they managed to achieve such a perfect fit of each block. Incredible measurement accuracy comes to the point that the error in the size of the side of the pyramid is thousandths of a centimeter. Even modern technology can't do that. Unfortunately, facing slabs, which were polished pieces of fine-grained sandstone, did not reach us.

Initially, the entrance to the pyramid was on the north side, at the level of the thirteenth step. However, over time it was walled up. Now, in order to get inside, they use a manhole, which was made by ancient marauders.

In the view of many Egyptologists, the pyramid is a monolith, in which there are several large chambers and an extensive system of corridors. But this opinion is refuted by many scientists, who quite reasonably assume the presence of many other rooms, since only 1% of the entire structure is available for research. In addition, the Egyptian authorities themselves are not inclined to reveal all the secrets and mysteries of the great structures of antiquity. All finds pass first of all through their hands, and only then the world community becomes aware of them.

According to Herodotus, more than 100,000 slaves were gathered for the construction of the pyramids. However, having conducted more detailed historical research, modern Egyptologists tend to assume that the people who participated in the construction of the structure were simply serving a kind of "labor service" to the sovereign. This conclusion was made after a detailed study of the camp in which the builders lived. It was located a few kilometers from Giza, it had several bakeries, a smokehouse and even a brewery.

Massive burials of cattle bones were found in the vicinity, which indicates that the builders did not starve, they were taken care of and even monitored their health. The skeletons found indicate that almost every worker during construction received one or another work injury, which was well healed. This speaks of the high level of medicine that existed in Egypt even then. There is an assumption that groups of builders even had a certain competition among themselves.

The mechanism by which the pyramids were built remains a mystery to this day. The most common version was about the systems of blocks and counterweights, with the help of which huge pieces of stone were lifted up. However, it has been proven that such a system really existed, but it began to work after the construction of the main structure, when facing slabs were delivered upstairs.

There is another version that the builders created an embankment along which they lifted the blocks up. However, the version does not stand up to scrutiny. After all, in order for the embankment to be used effectively, its angle of inclination should be no more than 7 degrees. Consequently, the embankment itself had to stretch for two or three kilometers. It would take several years to build such a "ramp". And then it needed to be removed.

The French architect Jean-Pierre Houdin suggested that inside the pyramid itself there was a spiral ramp along which the blocks were pushed up. An ultrasound examination of the structure showed that there are indeed voids inside. Perhaps the inner ramp still exists today. But in order to find it, you will need to drill through the wall of the structure, which, of course, no one will allow an architect to do.

In 2006, a number of scientists, after discovering a human hair in the thickness of one of the blocks, leaned towards the version that the stone blocks were man-made. Perhaps this is an ancient type of concrete, which consists of limestone with salt, ash and lime. In this case, it becomes clear why the blocks fit so well together.

However, the main mystery is the purpose of the pyramids. Maybe these are just huge tombs for conceited pharaohs? Or messages to descendants, where the secret knowledge of ancestors is encrypted?

It is also known that the pyramids were built not only in ancient Egypt. The Tibetan pyramids, for example, are ten times larger than the Egyptian ones. Mayan pyramids are not inferior to them in age. And at the bottom of the Bermuda Triangle, another pyramid was found. Thus, it can be assumed that this is just part of a planetary plan that will soon come to fruition.

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From the editor

“Everything in the world is afraid of time, and time is afraid of the pyramids,” says an Arabic proverb.

To film the great Egyptian pyramids, a year ago, Sergei Semyonov already tried to rent a helicopter in Cairo, but he did not succeed. “Filming is prohibited, since there is a military base nearby” - this is how the reasons for the refusal were explained to Sergey. In addition to the negative result, Sergey also brought one positive news from Egypt: the story of his guide friend about how at night, having paid local guides, an enthusiastic scientist from France with scientific equipment secretly climbed to the top of one of the pyramids and measured the strength of some there are magnetic fields. I must say that the pyramids are fenced with a high fence with motion sensors, and guarded by military submachine gunners and dogs during those hours when access to tourists is closed. From Semenov's story about the scientist, I concluded that in Egypt they have a flexible approach to national security issues, and we still have a chance to fly :)

We had to hurry, because the pyramid of Cheops is the only one of the "seven wonders of the world" that has survived to this day. And after recently watching the movie "Transformers" I concluded that in the next series these pyramids can really be destroyed by militant robots to the ground :)

Frame from the movie "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen"

We gathered our guys on the road and sent them to Egypt. This time we decided to use a radio-controlled model of a helicopter for filming. I must say that judging by the news reports in Cairo at that time there were demonstrations and shooting was carried out, so the guys did not go very willingly. But I called an acquaintance who lived in Cairo, and he reassured me: “We shoot in the city center, and if you live on the outskirts, where there are tourists, then it is completely safe. Just make sure you don't get robbed by taxi drivers :)

So, the guys flew to Egypt to shoot the pyramids. And when a text message came from them: “We took off, but the police detained us,” I was not particularly worried. This is Egypt, and tourists are not offended there, but on the contrary, they are loved. And soon a second text message came: in order to let us go and be allowed to shoot, we had to pay $1,000. And then I answered: “No, sit there and bargain!”.

In the tradition of Eastern culture, it is extremely disrespectful if you immediately agree to the proposed price, and the interlocutor will be grateful to you if you bargain even a little.

And so it happened. But the guys, apparently, were very upset, being surrounded by the military and the police, so the price was reduced purely symbolically and happily agreed to $800.

For this money, they were sold a ticket for the shooting and the police were assigned to escort them for the whole day. And the shooting began.

Well, before passing the floor to Stas Sedov, a direct participant in the events, a pilot of a radio-controlled helicopter, I want to say that Egypt is a peculiar, but still a wonderful country where tourists in general and photographers in particular are loved. My father has been to Egypt 14 times already and is not going to change anything...

“Stop messing around, guys! - Oleg told us one of the autumn days. - You are going to Cairo, you will remove the pyramids.

“What Cairo?! There are revolutions, there are shootings, there are barricades in the streets!” I thought, but only asked aloud: “Uh-uh ... when are we flying?”

In two weeks, I assembled and set up another radio-controlled apparatus, which served as a spare in case the first one broke down. We packed each helicopter in its own suitcase - this is in case the luggage suddenly gets lost. In total, our luggage - two helicopters, repair tools, photographic equipment (3 sets of cameras and lenses) weighed about 80 kg.

And now I'm already admiring the desert landscapes of Egypt, floating outside the window of our liner. “However, what similar cities are outside the window,” remarks sleepy Sergey, but I notice that we have been circling in one place for more than an hour. A few minutes later, the ship's commander announces that the rebels have captured Cairo International Airport, and until the situation is resolved, he will remain in the air. Fun start!

After circling for about an hour, our airbus landed safely. The rebels were already waiting for passengers at the airport. Joke, of course! I did not notice any traces of capture, the usual peaceful life of the international airport. It turned out that it was just a strike of dispatchers demanding higher wages.

After sitting on the plane, we were eager to immediately go to shoot the pyramids, but due to a late arrival, we arrived at the already closed gates. Our guide, a beautiful local girl, was called Hinda, which in Arabic, however, means "100 camels." We agreed with her that we would try to get into the territory early in the morning - shortly before the opening of the museum (we wanted to take a few pictures without the public).

I must say that the work of the museum complex near the pyramids is focused on numerous tourists who are brought there by bus. The complex is open from 8 am to 4 pm, the rest of the time it is a fortified military base, which we did not plan to storm.

In the morning, half an hour before the opening, we were already standing at the gates of the museum, trying in vain to resolve the issue of our early entry into the territory with persuasion and money. Absolutely useless! Contrary to expectations, the security at the entrance was incorruptible. I won't describe how nervous we were waiting for the shoot to begin. Only an hour and a half later we were finally able to get to the first point. And here new difficulties arose.

Almost all the locals who are near the pyramids, one way or another, earn their living from them. And if we knew something about the camel drivers and other colorful personalities, then we knew quite a bit about the protection of the museum. On the spot, it turned out that in addition to uniformed policemen, there are policemen in plainclothes, army representatives in plainclothes, and museum workers near each pyramid. Which of them is more important, I can’t say, but it seemed to me that the guys were from the army.

Hinda offered to immediately go and negotiate with the army, so that later there would be no trouble. We were ready for this, and after a long bargaining between Sergei and a tall man in a white coat and an Arafat, sitting on a camel, we were given the go-ahead to take off. By this moment, I was almost “burned out” from tension, uncertainty and heat - there was absolutely no confidence that we would successfully take off and land just as successfully at a temperature of more than 35 degrees in the shade. However, the technique did not fail, and we quite successfully made the first two sorties.

We moved to another point, took off, and then, it seems, luck turned away from us. One of the disguised employees guarding the pyramids made a call, and a whole group of capture rushed after us, which, in an ultimatum form, demanded to go with them.

We were taken to the administration building of the museum. About 20 people gathered, some in police uniforms with big stars, some from the administration of the museum. It was quite difficult to understand who was in charge in this crowd. At first, the conversation was raised, our guide stood with a pale face and practically did not translate anything for us. In the end, a person from the museum management demanded to see the footage, after which the flash drive with the pictures was seized by him. Having taken the most “valuable” thing from us, the head of the museum immediately changed his tone, the situation was discharged. Everyone began to take turns looking at what kind of miracle device we launched near the pyramids. We realized that now is the time to agree on the conditions of the shooting, which we immediately asked Hindu to do. “5-10 minutes and we will decide everything,” she translated the words of the museum head to us.

These 5-10 minutes resulted in about 4 hours of long and lengthy trading. With departures and arrivals of each of the parties, with some unthinkable demands, calls to the Minister of Culture, the Minister of Police, and someone else. In general, if you have ever been to an Egyptian bazaar, you can imagine this action, multiplying your impressions by 10 times.

We had to go to the police, where we accidentally stumbled upon the prime minister of the country (I'm not kidding), to arrange a police escort for the shooting. Without the police, museum workers refused to coordinate it with us.

By evening, we managed to settle almost all the formalities, and the conversation turned only to the final amount for the shooting. The Egyptian side asked for about a thousand dollars. Everything is official, with paperwork. Of course, they didn’t have a ticket for aerial photography, they offered us to buy a ticket for professional photography, like since we’re flying, it means we’re pros! By the way, you can shoot with ordinary professional cameras without any problems everywhere, except for the insides of the pyramids. After a little bargaining and bringing down the price in the amount of up to $ 800, we officially paid for the coveted piece of paper and police escort.

Helicopter repair before tomorrow's shooting

The next day can be described in one phrase - we plowed like blacks on a plantation!

We were given a "green light" on almost the entire territory of the pyramids. The police protected from annoying onlookers and local extortionists. We were launched to the Sphinx half an hour before the main mass of tourists, for which I was very grateful to the museum management. The only pity is that it was not possible to get on the archaeological platform directly to the feet of the figure. I had to shoot from the sides, visibility was limited, and I was a little worried that I could “fix” the eye of the Sphinx with my helicopter in pursuit of the already broken nose, but everything worked out.

By evening, we worked so well with our accompaniment that we no longer wanted to leave. Only the deputy director of the museum, hurried us: the museum is a secure facility. The last tourists leave it at 16:00. We had to be in time before 16:30, otherwise our escort could have problems ...

On that day, we also wanted to take pictures of the most famous, beautiful and oldest Mohammed Ali Mosque, located in the city, but because of the ongoing demonstrations and riots, the guide flatly refused to go there and discouraged us from doing so. After the museum employee confirmed her words, we decided not to film the mosque.

We were so tired that when we returned to the hotel, which was literally a couple of blocks from the pyramids, we fell asleep instantly, as soon as our heads touched the pillow.

The next day we flew home.

At the entrance to the airport, the security guard who shone through the suitcases , said that in Egypt it is forbidden to carry helicopters in luggage, but after a little bargaining, I got $ 20, and he kindly allowed me to do this. The second helicopter in the next suitcase was greeted quite cordially and cost only $10.

Then Sergey and I sat in a cafe waiting for the plane and flipped through the photos on the laptop, which we got so difficult. And the news reported that yesterday in Cairo, on Tahrir Square, 19 people were killed during clashes ... The amazing country of Egypt. But very tourist friendly. After all, as one of the museum workers said: "In Egypt, there are only two values ​​on which we can make money - tourism and the Suez Canal."

“Everything in the world is afraid of time, and time is afraid of the pyramids,” says an Arabic proverb.

You can also watch a short video about shooting the pyramids.

One of the seven wonders of the world, which has been able to perfectly preserve itself to our time, is the Pyramid of Cheops in Giza. It is believed that the pyramid was built as a tomb for the fourth dynasty of Pharaoh Cheops, after whom it was named. This wonder of the world was built for 20 years, and it was completely ready by 2560 BC.

The gigantic building, which serves as a tomb for the Egyptian nobility, was the largest building in the world for four thousand years - this is an absolute record, which will be very difficult to beat. The height of this pyramid is only 146.5 meters, which with modern technologies will not be difficult to overtake, but it is unlikely to hold out in the lead for 4 millennia.

Today, there are many scientific theories and rumors about how the Cheops pyramid was built: from the intervention of alien creatures to the generally accepted ones, based on the fact that huge boulders from quarries were moved by special structures.

The interior of the pyramid of Cheops is made up of three tombs. The lower chamber is located at the base of the rock, on which the pyramid itself is located, but for some reason it has not been completely rebuilt. Directly above it are the chambers of the Queen and the Pharaoh. The greatest pyramid is the only one in Egypt that has ascending and descending corridor passages. This building is the central key of the complex in Giza, it is surrounded by other pyramids, tombs and temples, but already smaller.

According to the latest estimates, the pyramid of Cheops is approximately 2,300,000 stone bricks. The largest stones among them are slabs weighing 25-80 tons each, which were found in the tomb of the pharaoh. These blocks of the heaviest granite had to be delivered from a quarry located a thousand kilometers from the object. Thus, the construction of the pyramid of Cheops required 8,000 tons of granite and 5,500,000 tons of limestone.

There is an opinion that the geometry was perfect for the ancient Egyptians, the builders of that time were well aware of both the Golden Section and the complex "Pi number", which reflected the proportions of the Cheops pyramid and the angle of inclination. A similar angle of inclination is also seen at the pyramid in Meidum, but this may be a mere accident, since such an inclination has not been repeated anywhere else.

Astronomers, on the other hand, say that the Great Pyramid is nothing more than an astronomical observatory of ancient Egypt, because the ventilation ducts and corridors exactly point to the path to the stars Tuban, Alnitak and Sirius.

Today, the pyramid of Cheops is a wonder of the world and the most visited Egyptian attraction that tourists want to see again and again.