Attraction Details
Overview
Great Pyramid of Khufu
The Pyramid of Khufu The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids on the Giza plateau and the only surviving monument of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Built around 2589–2566 BCE during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops in Greek), it originally stood 146.5 meters tall — a record it held as the world’s tallest man-made structure for 3,800 years. Today, after the loss of its outer casing stones, it stands at 138.8 meters.
The precision of the construction is extraordinary: the base is level to within 2.1 cm across its 230-meter sides, the sides are oriented to the cardinal directions with an accuracy of 0.05 degrees, and the four base sides deviate from perfect equal length by no more than 4.4 cm. The pyramid was built from approximately 2.3 million stone blocks averaging 2.5 tonnes, with some internal granite ceiling beams exceeding 80 tonnes.
The interior consists of three main chambers — the subterranean chamber cut into the bedrock, the Queen’s Chamber in the pyramid’s core, and the King’s Chamber of red Aswan granite — connected by ascending and descending corridors and the Grand Gallery, a corbelled ascending passageway 8.7 meters tall and 46.7 meters long. Ventilation shafts extend from both the Queen’s and King’s chambers toward the pyramid’s exterior faces.
History & Significance
Khufu was the second pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty and ruled for approximately 23–27 years. His pyramid was the largest construction project in human history to that point and represented the administrative, logistical, and technical peak of the Old Kingdom state. Evidence from the workers’ village at Giza and from administrative papyri found at Wadi al-Jarf — the world’s oldest papyri, dating to Khufu’s reign — confirm that the workforce comprised tens of thousands of skilled and rotating conscripted laborers, organized into named teams and well supplied.
The pyramid has three known chambers and was entered by Arab caliph Al-Ma’mun around 820 CE, who tunneled through the core to find the interior passages. The King’s Chamber contained only the lidless red granite sarcophagus, which is too large to have been brought through the passageways and must have been placed during construction. The chamber was certainly robbed in antiquity — the exact timing is unknown.
In 2017, scientists using muon radiography detected a previously unknown large void above the Grand Gallery — approximately 30 meters long — designated the ‘Big Void.’ Its purpose and whether it contains any chambers or artifacts remains under investigation.
What to See
Grand Gallery
A 46.7-meter corbelled ascending passageway rising 8.7 meters in height — one of the most impressive interior spaces in any ancient monument, accessible via interior ticket.
King's Chamber
The burial chamber of red Aswan granite, containing the lidless sarcophagus that was set in place during construction; ceiling relieving chambers above it prevent collapse.
Descending Passage
The original entrance passage, cutting at 26 degrees through the pyramid's core to the subterranean chamber in the bedrock below.
Solar Boat Museum
Adjacent to the pyramid, this museum houses a fully reconstructed 43-meter cedarwood funerary boat buried in a sealed pit on the pyramid's south face.
Pyramid Exterior Base
Walking the base perimeter gives a direct sense of the structure's scale; remnant casing stones are visible at the base corners.
Photo Gallery
Visitor Information
Daily 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM; interior ticket sales begin at the site gate from opening
⛔ Closed: NeverNo dress restrictions
Photography is free
Limited accessibility
💡 Visitor Tips
Location & Map
🚕 How to Get There
Located on the Giza plateau, 13 km southwest of central Cairo; accessible by taxi, Uber, or organized tour. The Great Pyramid is at the northern end of the plateau, closest to the main eastern entrance.
Quick Facts
