40 things to do before you’re 40 - Number 2!
Tuesday, February 19th, 2013
2. Visit the Pyramids of Giza
The year is 1310 AD. Italian poet Dante has just completed The Divine Comedy. The University of Cambridge recently turned 100 years old. The Notre Dame cathedral in Paris is nearly finished, showcasing cutting-edge European architecture. But it’s not the tallest building in the world – not even close. So what is?
The Great Pyramid of Giza
For well over 3500 years the 146m high tomb of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu held that title. It’s worth repeating – three thousand five hundred years! Think about it! Popes resign more frequently than that. It’s nearly as long as it feels like to sit through a Twilight movie.
This near-mythical structure is a bonafide jaw-dropper – of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the world, it is the only one which remains.
It sits on the Giza Plateau, adjacent to the Pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure and neighbouring Sphinx, while Cairo’s urban sprawl looms nearby creating a striking juxtaposition of ancient and modern Egypt.
The Pyramids are so vast that you can only discern their huge individual blocks up close – but even modern scholars have struggled to comprehend how the ancient Egyptians managed to build them given the technology at their disposal.
Theories and myths add a rich layer of intrigue to the Pyramids – did Napoleon Bonaparte have a vision of destiny in the King’s Chamber? Are they a reflection of the astronomical Belt of Orion? Were they built by aliens to cover a subterranean city of lizard creatures who will one day rise to become our reptilian overlords? Who knows…
What we do know is that the Great Pyramid and its illustrious siblings are among the most incredible sights in the world. Visit them, gaze at their majesty… and be sure get a photo of yourself ‘walking like an Egyptian’!
Topdeck Top Tip: To get the perfect photo of you kissing the Sphinx or placing a finger on top of a Pyramid, make sure you stay still and get your photographer to move until you’re lined up properly. It’s much easier!
Have you seen the Pyramids of Giza?
Share your favourite Pyramids of Giza or Egypt memories with us!
