History And Curiosities Of The Gizah Necropolis
Egypt is a country full of fabulous corners and mysteries. Both its ancient culture and its imposing monuments deserve to be discovered and one in particular stands out among them. The Gizah Necropolis is one of those places that never disappoints those who visit it. Rather the complete opposite. Today we want to tell you all about him.
Gizah , a prodigious construction
The architect of the Great Pyramid, Hemiunu, probably had in mind that his legacy would last for eternity. And, for now, this fantastic necropolis has stood near Cairo for no less than 4000 years.
A wonder of the ancient world
The pyramids of Gizah are the most famous monuments not only in Egypt, but around the world. Not for nothing, the Great Pyramid is considered one of the wonders of the ancient world, a list made up of only seven spectacular works created by humanity thousands of years before the birth of Christ.
Along with Gizah, on that list appeared, among others, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, in present-day Turkey. Places now missing, except Gizah, which was one of the first sites declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.
The figure of Cheops
Cheops is the pharaoh who commissioned the construction of the Necropolis of Gizah. Jufu, Khufu or Cheops, is considered one of the toughest rulers of Ancient Egypt. His tyrant character is one of the few things that are still remembered about him and his 34-year reign.
Scholars point out that he could have been cruel even to his own family to get his promotion to the afterlife. Proof of this was the way in which it is assumed that it obtained the necessary financing for the construction of the complex. He did not hesitate to force his daughter to have relationships with the man who was willing to pay the most for her.
Curiosities around the Great Pyramid of Gizah
The gigantic height of this pyramidal building is striking, 146 meters. It is striking that it is considered the tallest building in the world. It retained this title for several centuries, until the arrival of the modern and prominent skyscrapers. And remember that these recent examples of architecture did not appear until the late nineteenth century.
Another curiosity that should be added is the huge area that its plant occupies. It is often said that the total area occupies no less than the equivalent of a minimum of 20 Olympic swimming pools. In other words, 52,000 m².
It should be added that thousands of slaves took approximately 20 years to build it. During which they were forced to transport and stack a total of almost two and a half million rocks. Added to this is the fact that each of those stones weighed about two tons.
Inside it hides countless passageways, galleries and nooks that in some cases have no exit. In fact, it is believed that there are still many undiscovered. And one more curiosity: although the temperature outside is scorching, inside it remains constant at around 20º.
The Necropolis of Gizah, city of the dead
The arrival at the Necropolis of Gizah is a great impact for the eyes and the senses in general. As soon as we plant a foot in it, we will be transferred to the past. Imagining the enormous presence that the pyramids would have at the time in daily life is natural .
On the plateau, the Great Pyramid stands out, with those overwhelming dimensions we were talking about. Next to her are her younger sisters, the pyramids of Jafra and Menkaura.
The magnificent and enigmatic Great Sphinx also sits in this city entirely dedicated to the dead. In fact, around the buildings we can see mastabas, hypogea and other funerary spaces. The people of Cairo call this character with a human head, “father of terror.” The few devotees of ancient polytheism who still reside there still give him offerings. The same happens with the superstitious.
The Gizah Necropolis is one of those places that lead directly to other times and that always fascinate. A reminder of the splendor of Ancient Egypt, a civilization that still contains countless mysteries.
