Egyptian pyramids

One of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World and the only one that still exists, the great Pyramid of Giza rises in the Middle East as a symbol of power and majesty. Constructed as tombs for the pharaohs, it is still unclear for many whether they were built by aliens or, on the contrary, they are a clear example of what old civilizations were really capable of. What is clear is that thousands of years after its construction, they keep amazing people around the globe. Continue reading to find more interesting facts about the Egyptian pyramids.

Egyptian pyramids: Ancient History

Known as one of the most remarkable creations of classical antiquity, the Egyptian Pyramids have been considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Such distinction was based on popular books among the Hellenic travelers that included the most wonderful works located around Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean sea. It is important to highlight the importance of the Egyptian pyramids since they are the only wonder that remains of the old list of seven.

During the Early Dynasty Period, those with sufficient means were buried in mastabas (bench-like structures). However, it wasn’t until the architect Imhotep conceived the notion of stacking mastabas on top of each other when the Egyptologists found the first evidence of pyramids as we know them now. The result was the Pyramid of Djoser, which was designed to serve as a gigantic stairway by which the soul of the deceased pharaoh could ascend to the heavens. This pyramid is said to be more than 4,000 years old! It is also considered one of the oldest monument on Earth.

The most famous Egyptian pyramids are those located in the periphery of Cairo, at Giza. The Great Pyramid of Cheops is considered as one of the largest structures ever built and the only one of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence.

Proving how magnificent the Egyptian pyramids are, it is important to highlight that they were the tallest man-made structure in the world with 147 meters during more than 3,800 years! Many still wonder how Egyptians could move stones weighted at 40 tons with such rudimentary tools!

Egyptian pyramids: Ancient History

Thousands of years later and the Egyptian pyramids still amaze all the tourists that come to Cairo to gaze at them. They are simply stunning!

In order to see the pyramids, the easiest and most convenient way would be hiring a guide or a tour since most of them offer transportation from your hotel in Cairo to Giza. Luckily for me, I had two of my colleagues helping us moving around and bargaining over the price. A little piece of advice, as in most of the tourist places all over the globe, if they see that you are not local, the price will increase considerably (sigh) An example, the entrance ticket cost us around 20USD (not too much right?)… For Egyptians it only costs 1USD! So you better start practicing Arabic if you wanna save money 😉

The trip from our hotel to Giza lasted around 45min. Once we arrived and bought the tickets the real adventure began!

PS: if your bladder is not too big I would recommend you to stop at the washroom at the entrance of the box office.

And yes, I’ve said adventure because it totally was! The very same Indiana Jones would have been proud of us!

At first, we entered one of the small pyramids, said to be where one of the architects was buried. After descending through really small stairs and once we were at the bottom of the tomb, suddenly the lights went off!

No kidding! There we were, my mate Sameh and me, trying to remain calm while the ladies who were also visiting the tomb started to scream and became hysterical! A few minutes later and thanks to the flash of our iPhones we could exit the pyramid and enjoy the fresh air again.

What comes next was even more epic! Once more, there we were, Azrina, Essam, Sameh and me, at the entrance of the Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as the Pyramid of Cheops), waiting until 1 PM for the lights circuit to start working. “Sorry the system is not functioning well, you can go in without lights” – the security said. Again? – we thought. Despite going through the same situation a few hours before, the grandiosity of the Great Pyramid was a bit overwhelming. Just imagine, easily one of the oldest, most fascinating, unique and intriguing monuments of human history… Not knowing where to go but continuing forward… Like the Red Woman in Game of Thrones would say “the night is dark and full of terrors“.

After visiting the chamber and what used to be the pharaoh’s tomb we decided to embrace our “tourist mode” and went for the most typical thing we could do in the Egyptian Pyramids, what was it? A camel ride! For less than 25USD we enjoyed a 40min expedition around Giza, a truly worth it and unbeatable memory to remember.

That was all folks! Hope you liked my mini and super fast trip to the Egyptian Pyramids! If you have any question or would like to know something else, do not hesitate to contact me through Instagram or Facebook! Peace!