Giza Plateau, west bank of the Nile, Giza Governorate, Egypt; 13 kilometres southwest of central Cairo, Egypt
The Giza pyramid complex is the greatest surviving monument of the ancient world: three major pyramids — the Great Pyramid of Khufu (c. 2560 BCE), the Pyramid of Khafre (c. 2530 BCE), and the Pyramid of Menkaure (c. 2510 BCE) — built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt, together with the Great Sphinx of Khafre, the Valley Temples, causeways, subsidiary pyramids, and the mastaba tombs of officials and family members. The Great Pyramid — 138.8 metres tall today (originally 146.5 metres before its casing stones were removed) — was the tallest man-made structure in the world for 3,800 years, from its completion until the construction of Lincoln Cathedral in 1311 CE. Built from approximately 2.3 million limestone and granite blocks, assembled without the use of the wheel or iron tools, the Great Pyramid's engineering precision — its sides aligned to the cardinal directions with an accuracy of less than one-tenth of one degree — remains a subject of active archaeological investigation.
Great Pyramid of Khufu constructed c. 2560 BCE; Pyramid of Khafre c. 2530 BCE; Pyramid of Menkaure c. 2510 BCE; Great Sphinx c. 2530 BCE; UNESCO World Heritage Site 1979
