Egyptian Pyramids



The Pyramids at Egypt are the best known momuments of the world, they stored the Pharaohs' body after he died so his spirit would be able to come back and find his body.
Alothough sandstorms, moisture and tourists have 'ruined' and damaged them they still stand after more than two thousand years of neglect
The first pyramid was built and designed for Pharaoh Djoser. Itb is known as 'the step pyramid' as it has a number of huge steps going up smaller and smaller to the top. It was designed by Djosers' architect Imhotep, (who is known in a film called 'The mummy' and 'the mummy returns' to be a immortal being who wants to rule the world etc)

The second pyramid ever built was for the pharaoh Huni, and it was a step pyramid as well, but his son, the pharaoh Sneferu, turned it into a straight-sided pyramid. The sides eventually came crashing down. Sneferu built the Red Pyramids and the Bent Pyramid, which was built straight and then is "bent" in the middle to make a not-so-steep top. Another very famous pyramid is that of Unas, the Pyramid of Meidum, but it is no longer shapely like it was in ancient times. Radjedef built his pyramid at Abu Roash, but it is ruined. He only ruled for about eight years. Some people think that he reigned between Khufu and Khafre.

The largest of all the pyramids in the world is the Great Pyramid at Giza, built for the fourth dynasty pharaoh, Khufu (son of King Snefuru and Queen Hetephres, and known as the "Father of Pyramid Building"), in 2550 BC. It was once over 481 feet high (it is now about 449 feet high), sits at an angle of 51 degrees, covers over thirteen acres of desert, and consists of over 2,000,000 limestone blocks. The blocks are fit together so snuggly that not even a postcard could fit between them. The Great Pyramid took over twenty years to build, with at least 50,000 men working in the burning sun to build it. The entrance is on the north side of the pyramid. The Egyptian built traps inside the pyramid to protect the dead pharaoh from grave robbers.