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If we talk about countries where you can see this miracle of ancient architecture, then the first that comes to mind, of course, is Egypt - it is in this country that you can enjoy the view of the tallest pyramids in the world.

Some tourists are more interested in modern creations of engineers and architects. And others are mysterious structures that are no longer a thousand years old. Now there are quite a few pyramids in the world, and in order to see them, travelers are ready to cross any ocean, drive tens of kilometers through a hot desert, or fly halfway around the world by plane. Many ancient pyramids are partially destroyed, but there are some that have not even been completely excavated yet, but this does not prevent them from heading the list of those places that people would like to take an excursion to first.

The variety of Egyptian pyramids

Egypt is one of the most tempting and colorful places where tourists from all over the world want to go on vacation. When choosing interesting tours from a travel agency, the first thing that comes to people’s minds when they ask themselves the question is, of course, to look at the tallest pyramid in Giza. Although not everyone knows that it is such, as well as the fact that there are much more pyramids in Egypt than we are used to seeing in colorful tourist brochures.

Indeed, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the tallest pyramid in the world is the famous Pyramid of Cheops. It is rightly called one of the seven wonders of the world. And if it seems to you that these measurements are carried out solely by determining the height of these structures, then you are deeply mistaken. Main role In determining the size of the pyramid, its volume plays a role.

The tallest pyramid in Egypt, built by Pharaoh Cheops in 2560 BC, at this moment time has a volume of about 2.5 million cubic meters. The height of this colossal and historically important monument is almost 140 meters, and the length of the pyramid at the base is 230 meters. Perhaps the numbers indicated on paper do not particularly impress you, but believe me, this is simply huge architectural structure of two million huge stone blocks. Any guide that will accompany you on your journey to the Valley of the Kings will tell you about all the hypotheses and historical guesses regarding the stages and method of construction of the Cheops pyramid.

The second largest pyramid on the Giza plateau is the Pyramid of Khafre. Its size is 2.2 million cubic meters. This pyramid is located on a hill, which makes it visually larger than the Cheops pyramid, although in reality this is not the case. Particularly noteworthy of this ancient building is the presence of layers of facing stone, which is very rare for such ancient architectural objects.

But the Giza plateau is far from the only place, where you can touch the source of ancient Egyptian culture. In Dahshur, the so-called Pink Pyramid is still preserved, which, before the construction of the pyramids at Giza, was the tallest in Ancient Egypt. It got its name from the pink hue that the limestone from which it is built takes on when the sun sets. Its height today is 104 meters. It owes its appearance to the reign of Pharaoh Snefer (or Snefer), who was the first to make an attempt, successful, we note, to build a pyramid of the correct shape.

His second creation was the no less famous Bent Pyramid. So unusual name This structure received thanks to a sharply changing angle of inclination from 55 to 43 degrees. There are many hypotheses for such an unusual architectural move, and each has the right to be recognized as correct.

Pyramids of Mexico - traces of lost civilizations

Even a child now knows about the pyramids in Egypt. But in which country can you find similar traces of ancient civilizations? This is where many adults will think too. The correct answer is in Mexico. It is in this country that you can find the pyramids of the ancient peoples - the Aztecs and Mayans, many of which are still hidden by impenetrable jungle, covered with earth or flooded.

One of the tallest pyramids in Mexico is considered to be the Pyramid of the Sun from the ancient Aztec city of Teotihuacan, with an area of ​​200 meters and a height of 60 meters. Or the third on the list of the tallest pyramids on the planet is the Great Pyramid of Cholula, with a volume of 1.8 million cubic meters.

Mexican pyramids are noticeably different from Egyptian ones. In the upper part of the building they have a truncated appearance - a terrace. Scientists believe that the ancient Mayans built their temples on these very terraces. And just as in the story of the ancient Egyptian pyramids, scientists are struggling with the mystery: how in such a miraculous way did the Indians erect these colossal structures with the development of technology at that time. AND main question history and archeology - why and for what purpose? As you can see, there are also many reasons to visit Mexico along with Egypt.

There are modern and ancient pyramids different forms and sizes. To determine which of the pyramids is the largest pyramid, it would probably be correct to compare their heights. For example, the Transamerica Pyramid, with a height of 260 meters (85 feet), would undoubtedly be a strong candidate for the list of largest pyramids.

Many large pyramids, however, have a very large base, but not much greater height. But that doesn't make them smaller. The best indicator for comparison is therefore probably the volume of the pyramid. The volume of the pyramid can be calculated using the following formula:

Base length * Base width * Height * 1/3.

For example, for the Transamerica Pyramid, this is 54 x 54 x 260 x 1/3 = 252,720 m³, and this is not enough to be included in our list of the largest pyramids.

Many people think that using this formula it is not too difficult to determine the largest pyramids in the world. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Many pyramids are not very regular pyramids, they do not have smooth sides, many of them are step pyramids. Another problem is that some of the largest pyramids on Earth have not yet been fully excavated.

8. La Danta, El Mirador (0.9 million m³)

The El Mirador complex is located in the north of the Guatemalan department of Peten, near the Guatemala-Mexico border, 13 km northwest of Nakbe. El Mirador was the main city of the Mayan Empire, which flourished from around the 6th century BC. and until the 1st century AD, reaching a peak population of more than 8,000 inhabitants by the 3rd century BC. After a break in construction of several centuries, construction was restored, further buildings were attempted, but by the end of the 9th century this construction was completely abandoned.
The ruins were discovered in 1926, but little attention was paid to excavations due to the remote location of the site, deep in the jungle of northern Guatemala. Today the site is still largely covered by tropical jungle and the two largest structures in the El Mirador complex: "El Tigre" and "La Danta" are two large hills.

The La Danta complex consists of several platforms. The lowest platform is a 310 x 590 meter (1,017 x 1,936 ft) structure, 7 meters (23 ft) high and containing a number of buildings. The next platform measures approximately 190 x 240 meters (623 x 787 feet) and rises another 7 meters. Above this is another platform about 21 meters high (69 feet), which tops a complex of three pyramids, the tallest of which is 21 meters. The La Danta complex (70 meters or 230 feet) is slightly higher than El Tigre (about 55 meters or 180 feet), although La Danta includes a low natural hill.

According to some La Danta sources, the complex has a total volume of 2,800,000 cubic meters, making it one of the largest structures in the world. The question, however, is how accurate this calculation is, and whether the entire complex can be considered one pyramid. It could be argued that part of the lower platform should be excluded from the calculation as it supports multiple buildings.

7. Pyramid of the Sun (1.2 million m³)

The Pyramid of the Sun is largest building in Teotihuacán and one of the largest pyramids in Central America. But, according to researchers, only a tenth of the complex is now open. It is believed that the original height of the pyramid was about 71 meters (now 64.5 meters), and the perimeter of the base was about 900 meters.

The name of this pyramid comes from the Aztecs who visited the city of Teotihuacan centuries after it was abandoned. The pyramid was built in two stages. During the first phase of construction, around 100 AD. the pyramid was built to almost the size we see today. The second phase of construction completed the pyramid, measuring 225 meters (733 feet) across and 75 meters (246 feet) high.
The Pyramid of the Sun is perhaps not only the most famous, but also the most popular ancient monument in Mesoamerica. During the dry season on weekends, a whole line of people line up near it to get to its top and touch the life-giving flow of energy, which, as many believe, passes through the pyramid.

6. Luxor Hotel (1228 million m³)

The Luxor Hotel Pyramid was one of the first in a decade-long wave of new mega hotels to spring up on the Las Vegas Strip in the 1990s. Luxor Hotel opened in 1993, after just eighteen months of construction, and was renovated in 2006.

The hotel is an Egyptian-style complex consisting of three pyramid buildings and is the second largest in the United States. The top of the thirty-story black glass pyramid lights up every night, making it the world's largest floodlight. At the entrance, guests are greeted by a huge sphinx.

The Luxor Hotel debuted as a complex containing 2,526 rooms, a giant casino district, showroom, restaurants and entertainment centers on the 2nd floor. The rooms are also decorated in Egyptian motifs, with beautiful panoramic views of the city from the windows of the rooms on the upper floors.

With a base 183 meters (600 feet) long and 110 meters (350 feet) high, the Luxor Hotel pyramid is significantly smaller than its famous model, the Great Pyramid of Giza.

5. Bent Pyramid (1237 million m³)

Bent Pyramid is located in Dashur, and is the second pyramid built by Pharaoh Snofru. Bent pyramid created by Pharaoh Snefru of the 4th Dynasty Ancient kingdom, dates back to around 2600 BC.

It is interesting that the pyramid first rises above the desert at an angle of 55 degrees, and then suddenly changes its elevation angle to 43 degrees. One theory is that due to the steepness of the starting angle, the internal chambers and passages became too large, forcing builders to accept a smaller angle. This unique example the first real pyramid, not a step one. It is also unique in that the only burial complex of its kind was created around it.

The base of the pyramid is 188.6 meters (619 feet) and the height is 101.1 meters (332 feet).

4. Red Pyramid (1.69 million m³)

The Northern Pyramid (or Red Pyramid) is one of the largest pyramids in Egypt and ranks third in height among all Egyptian pyramids. This pyramid is located on the territory of the Dahshur necropolis.

Built by Pharaoh Snefru, the Red Pyramid represents the world's first successful attempt at building a truly regular pyramid. If we talk about the name of the pyramid, it is associated with the unique color of the stone blocks from which it was built.
The pyramid has base dimensions of 220 by 220 meters (722 ft) and 104 meters (341 ft) in height. It was the most great pyramid in Egypt before the construction of the pyramids of Giza.

What really makes the Red Pyramid special today is the absence of the crowds that are always present on the Giza Plateau and the relatively unregulated access to the interior.

3. Great Pyramid of Cholula (1.8 million m³)

The Great Pyramid of Cholula is located in Mexico, and appears to be a natural hill topped Catholic Church. This is the church “Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios”, which was built in 1594 on the site of the temple.

It is worth noting that the Pyramid in Cholula is the largest in the whole world in terms of volume, it surpasses even the Pyramid of Cheops. To date most of The pyramids at Cholula are destroyed. Inside the presented pyramid there is simply a huge tunnel, the length of which is almost eight kilometers. All the giant slabs from which this pyramid is built are covered with amazing carvings.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, this pyramid is actually the largest pyramid ever built anywhere in the world, with a total volume of over 4,450 thousand m³. This is based on a size of 450 to 450 meters (1,476 × 1,476 ft) and a height of 66 m (217 ft).

The complex consists of several buildings built on top of each other, dating from the 3rd century BC to the 9th century AD. The pyramid at Chochul is the last stage of construction, which was carried out between 200 and 400 AD. During the colonial period, this pyramid was used as a cure for various diseases.

2. Pyramid of Khafre (2.21 million m³)

The Pyramid of Khafre is the second largest pyramid in Egypt and is located next to the Great Sphinx. These two structures can be considered together, since, most likely, they were built as a single composition. It was built forty years later than the Cheops pyramid. Khafre was the son of Khufu (Cheops), which is why his pyramid is located not far from the Great Pyramid of his father. However, the pyramid of Khafre surpasses the pyramid of Cheops in its inaccessibility. It will take a group of experienced climbers at least an hour to reach its peak.

There are fewer and fewer unsolved mysteries on our planet every year. Constant improvement of technology, collaboration of scientists various areas science reveals to us the secrets and mysteries of history. But the secrets of the pyramids still defy understanding - all discoveries give scientists only tentative answers to many questions. Who built the Egyptian pyramids, what was the construction technology, is there a curse of the pharaohs - these and many other questions still remain without an exact answer.

Description of the Egyptian pyramids

Archaeologists talk about 118 pyramids in Egypt, partially or completely preserved to this day. Their age ranges from 4 to 10 thousand years. One of them - Cheops - is the only surviving “miracle” from the “Seven Wonders of the World”. The complex called the “Great Pyramids of Giza”, which includes and, was also considered as a participant in the “New Seven Wonders of the World” competition, but was withdrawn from participation, since these majestic structures are actually a “wonder of the world” on the ancient list.

These pyramids have become the most visited excursion sites in Egypt. They are perfectly preserved, which cannot be said about many other buildings - time has not been kind to them. And local residents contributed to the destruction of the majestic necropolises, removing the cladding and breaking out stones from the walls to build their houses.

Egyptian pyramids were built by pharaohs who ruled from the 27th century BC. e. and later. They were intended for the repose of rulers. The enormous scale of the tombs (some reaching almost 150 m in height) was supposed to testify to the greatness of the buried pharaohs; things that the ruler loved during his life and that would be useful to him in the afterlife were also placed here.

For construction, stone blocks of various sizes were used, which were hollowed out of the rocks, and later brick began to serve as material for the walls. The stone blocks were ground and adjusted so that a knife blade could not slip between them. The blocks were stacked on top of each other with an offset of several centimeters, which formed a stepped surface of the structure. Almost all Egyptian pyramids have a square base, the sides of which are oriented strictly to the cardinal points.

Since the pyramids performed the same function, that is, they served as the burial place of the pharaohs, their structure and decoration are similar inside. The main component is the burial hall, where the sarcophagus of the ruler was installed. The entrance was not located at ground level, but several meters higher, and was masked with facing slabs. Stairs and passages-corridors led from the entrance to the inner hall, which sometimes narrowed so much that they could only be walked on squatting or crawling.

In most necropolises, burial halls (chambers) are located below ground level. Ventilation was carried out through narrow shaft-channels that penetrated the walls. Rock paintings and ancient religious texts are found on the walls of many pyramids - in fact, from them scientists draw some of the information about the construction and owners of burials.

The main mysteries of the pyramids

The list of unsolved mysteries begins with the shape of the necropolises. Why was the pyramid shape chosen, which is translated from Greek as “polyhedron”? Why were the edges located clearly in the cardinal directions? How were huge stone blocks moved from the excavation site and how were they raised to great heights? Were the buildings built by aliens or people in possession of a magic crystal?

Scientists even argue over the question of who built such tall monumental structures that stood for thousands of years. Some believe that they were built by slaves, who died by the hundreds of thousands during the construction of each. However, new discoveries by archaeologists and anthropologists convince us that the builders were free people who received good food and medical care. They made such conclusions based on the composition of the bones, the structure of the skeletons and the treated injuries of the buried builders.

All deaths and deaths of people involved in the exploration of the Egyptian pyramids were attributed to mystical coincidences, which provoked rumors and talk about the curse of the pharaohs. None scientific evidence no to this. Perhaps the rumors were started to scare away thieves and looters who wanted to find valuables and jewelry in the graves.

Mysterious interesting facts include the short time frame for the construction of the Egyptian pyramids. According to calculations, large necropolises with that level of technology should have been built in no less than a century. How, for example, was the Cheops pyramid built in just 20 years?

Great Pyramids

This is the name of the funeral complex near the city of Giza, consisting of three large pyramids, a huge statue of the Sphinx and small satellite pyramids, probably intended for the wives of rulers.

The original height of the Cheops pyramid was 146 m, the side length was 230 m. It was built in 20 years in the 26th century BC. e. The largest of Egypt's landmarks has not one, but three burial chambers. One of them is below ground level, and two are above the base line. Intertwining corridors lead to the burial chambers. Along them you can go to the chamber of the pharaoh (king), to the queen's chamber and to the lower hall. The Pharaoh's Chamber is a chamber made of pink granite, measuring 10x5 m. It contains a granite sarcophagus without a lid. Not a single report by scientists contained information about the mummies found, so it is unknown whether Cheops was buried here. By the way, the mummy of Cheops was not found in other tombs.

It still remains a mystery whether the Cheops pyramid was used for its intended purpose, and if so, then apparently it was plundered by looters in past centuries. The name of the ruler, by whose order and design this tomb was built, was learned from the drawings and hieroglyphs above the burial chamber. All other Egyptian pyramids, with the exception of Djoser, have a simpler engineering design.

Two other necropolises in Giza, built for the heirs of Cheops, are somewhat more modest in size:

Tourists travel to Giza from all over Egypt, because this city is actually a suburb of Cairo, and all transport interchanges lead to it. Travelers from Russia usually travel to Giza as part of excursion groups from Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada. The trip is long, 6-8 hours one way, so the excursion usually lasts 2 days.

Great structures can only be visited in work time, usually until 5 p.m., in the month of Ramadan - until 3 p.m. It is not recommended for asthmatics, as well as people suffering from claustrophobia, nervous and cardiovascular diseases, to enter inside. You should definitely take it with you on your excursion drinking water and hats. The excursion fee consists of several parts:

1. Entrance to the complex.
2. Entrance inside the pyramid of Cheops or Khafre.
3. Entrance to the Museum of the Solar Boat, on which the body of the pharaoh was transported across the Nile.

With the Egyptian pyramids in the background, many people like to take photos while sitting on camels. You can bargain with camel owners.

Pyramid of Djoser

The first pyramid in the world is located in Saqqara, near Memphis, the former capital Ancient Egypt. Today, the pyramid of Djoser is not as attractive to tourists as the necropolis of Cheops, but at one time it was the largest in the country and the most complex in terms of engineering design.

The funeral complex included chapels, courtyards, storage. The six-step pyramid itself does not have a square base, but a rectangular one, with sides 125x110 m. The height of the structure itself is 60 m, inside it there are 12 burial chambers, where Djoser himself and members of his family were supposedly buried. The pharaoh's mummy was not found during excavations. The entire territory of the complex of 15 hectares was surrounded by stone wall 10 m high. Currently, part of the wall and other buildings have been restored, and the pyramid, whose age is approaching 4700 years, has been preserved quite well.

World Travel

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24.09.15 10:48

Even a child will tell you what makes her famous Egyptian Giza– the mysterious statue of the reclining Sphinx and famous pyramids. The 139-meter pyramid of Cheops (all that remains of the Seven Wonders of the World) was erected dozens of centuries before our era. But there are other pyramids on Earth - large and simply huge, ancient and not so ancient. Even ancient Russian (and Chinese) mounds somewhat resemble the outlines of pyramids. Many people believe that the pyramids have magical properties, thanks to its unique shape. They're probably right! Let's remember the most famous pyramids on the planet.

The most famous pyramids in the world

Small, but a lot!

It may seem that since Egypt and Sudan are neighboring countries, it means that the pyramids of Giza and the pyramids of Meroe have the same “authorship”. This is wrong. Sudanese cultural monuments, buried in the sands, although they are royal tombs, they were erected by residents ancient state Kush in the 7th-6th centuries BC. Almost fifty pyramids - large and small - are the resting places of rulers and their subjects who held high positions under the king. And, of course, the pyramids of Meroe, included in the UNESCO Heritage List, are not at all similar to the Egyptian ones.

Opened at the end of the twentieth century

Canary Islands - it seems that this paradise should have long ago become a Mecca for tourists, however, they also have untrodden paths and mysterious corners. Just a quarter of a century ago great traveler Thor Heyerdahl discovered a sextet of pyramids on one of the islands - Tenerife. Residents of the village of Guimar did not pay attention to these bulky structures, not suspecting that the pyramids were a monument of ancient architecture. Now a park called the “Pyramids of Guimar” has been opened around the giants made of volcanic rocks. Heyerdahl himself expressed the opinion that the ancient islanders (Guanches) built the pyramids. And other scientists discovered: their location and shape are not accidental: the edges of each pyramid from these six are oriented in a special way.

Dedicated to the “dancing god”

The main dome is made in the shape of a pyramid Indian temple Brihadeshvara. Its height is about 60 meters. The construction of this sanctuary, dedicated to Shiva, began at the end of the 10th century and took only 25 years. For such magnificence - just a record time! Despite the fact that crowds of pilgrims and tourists flock here every year, the entrance to the temple treasury is closed - for centuries it has been accumulating offerings from the rich to the “dancing god”.

Half an hour from Mexico City

Pyramid of the Sun - this is what the Aztecs called this 64-meter colossus, who discovered it in the abandoned ancient city of Teotihuacan in early XIII centuries. This attraction is located near Mexico City (just a little over 40 kilometers away), its base is only 3% inferior to the Cheops Pyramid, which puts it in third place (largest) in the list of all known pyramids in the world. The pyramid was subjected to thorough research in the 20th century and it was found that its construction began at the beginning of the 2nd century AD.

In the impenetrable jungle

In Guatemala there is an ancient Mayan city (according to scientists, the largest that once existed), El Mirador. It was inhabited in the 6th century BC and completely abandoned in the 9th century. The ruins of this once majestic metropolis were discovered relatively recently - in 1926 (the fact is that the ruins are located in the impenetrable jungle). The local group of pyramids differs from its “sisters” in that it looks like a huge green mountain, completely covered with vegetation. One pyramid (El Tigre) reaches 51 m in height, the other (La Danta) - 72 m.

Las Vegas gigantomania

There is also a modern one on our list of the most famous pyramids on the planet - this is the Luxor Hotel, impressive in its size (1.228 million cubic meters of volume) and amenities. This sparkling pyramid rises in the Nevada desert - it was built in just a year and a half. The luxurious 110-meter hotel opened its doors to tourists in 1993, when the authorities of Las Vegas became “sick” of gigantomania. If the Sphinx of Las Vegas is larger than the original, then this copy is inferior to its ancient counterpart in terms of parameters. But the hotel is bustling with life: more than 2.5 thousand rooms, a luxurious casino, many halls, restaurants, cafes and a disco club.

They were ordered by the founder of the “pyramid builders” dynasty.

TO ancient pyramids, preserved to this day, includes another egyptian pyramid, built in the 26th century BC in Dahshur. The limestone giant is slightly worn out - its original height reached almost 105 m, now it is 101.1 m. It received its name (Broken Pyramid) for its unusual shape - it is assumed that the builders changed the angle of inclination of the walls after the accident. In addition, this pyramid has two entrances - not only in the north, but also a “spare” one in the west.

The customer of the so-called Pink Pyramid was the same pharaoh who ordered the construction of Broken Pyramid - the great Snefru. It was he who laid the foundation for a dynasty that went down in history as the “builders of the pyramids” (according to the number it was IV). By different sources, he headed the state from a quarter of a century to 29 years. The pink one is the largest in the Dahshur necropolis (sometimes it is also called the Red one). The base of the wonder reaches 220 m, and the height is 104 m (originally it was 109 meters). Due to the fact that the white limestone cladding was removed for other purposes, the underlying layer, which has a pink tint, became visible.

Like a grandiose children's construction set

The first place in the world in terms of volume (but not in height - in this it is inferior to the Cheops pyramid) is occupied by the Great Pyramid of Cholula. Because of amazing 4.45 million cubic meters " internal space“The colossus was included in the Guinness Book of Records. But when they began to conduct a detailed study, they discovered: this is not one pyramid, but a whole ensemble: new parts were gradually attached to the base, as if in a children's construction set. This unusual pyramid stands in the Mexican town of Cholula and resembles a picturesque mountain, on the top of which a temple is perched. It is unknown who is the author of such a powerful architectural miracle; scientists have only found out that these places were inhabited around the 3rd century BC.