The Great Pyramids of Egypt are among the world’s most fascinating architectural wonders. Built over 4,500 years ago, they are still an architectural wonder. How did our ancestors manage to build these enormous and complex structures using the technology of the day? Why did the ancient Egyptians dedicate so many resources to creating these monuments? Dive into some of these secrets with 12 surprising facts about the Great Pyramids.
12. Djoser’s Step Pyramid is Egypt’s Oldest
The Step Pyramid of Djoser was the first pyramid built by the ancient Egyptians and is the earliest large stone monument. Earlier tombs of Egyptian kings were smaller mastabas constructed from mud brick. Djoser, with his vizier Imhotep, sourced granite from the far south around Aswan and limestone from the other side of the Nile River. The Step Pyramid’s construction may have been intended to represent a staircase for Djoser to transition from his earthly body to the afterlife.
11. The Red Pyramid Was Egypt’s First True Pyramid
The Red Pyramid of Sneferu at Dahshur was Ancient Egypt’s first true pyramid, with smooth sides rather than steps. It was designed to resemble the sun’s rays. It is the flattest pyramid of Ancient Egypt, with the gentlest slope. This, unfortunately, made it easy for robbers to walk up and steal the white limestone that covered the red stone blocks underneath. It was one of four pyramids built for Sneferu. The pharaoh’s Bent Pyramid is notable for the sudden change in slope angle around halfway up the construction. It seems that the original angle, 54 degrees, was too steep, and they had to adjust to a 43-degree angle.
10. The Three Giza Pyramids Are Aligned
The three great pyramids at Giza, of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, are aligned diagonally. The structures were arranged deliberately so that each of these corners pointed directly to the Temple of Ra at Heliopolis and aligned with the constellation Orion. Pharaohs of the 4th Dynasty believed themselves to be directly descended from the sun god Ra. By angling their pyramids on the Giza plateau perfectly, their tombs became a natural part of the daily life cycle of the sun. The pyramids are guarded by the Great Sphinx, a limestone statue with the head of a man, probably the pharaoh Khafre, and the body of a lion sitting on the rocky plateau.
9. Secret Chambers Were Built for the Pharaoh’s Soul
Just as important to a pharaoh as the imposing pyramid structure was a secret chamber called a Serdab. A Serdab was close to the pharaoh’s mummy, where his Ka statue, the statue holding the king’s life essence after death, was kept. Ancient Egyptians believed that if the pharaoh’s mummy was destroyed, his spirit could live on inside the Ka statue. Given the very real threat of tombs being robbed and looted, the Serdab and Ka statue were hugely important to the pharaoh in maintaining a pleasant and peaceful afterlife.
8. The Pyramid Texts Are the Oldest Known Religious Texts
Two hundred years after the Pyramid of Menkaure was built came the Pyramid of King Unas at Saqqara. The walls of his burial chamber are inscribed with the “Pyramid Texts,” magical spells in hieroglyphic form meant to help King Unas’ soul leave his body and begin its journey to the afterlife. They are the oldest known religious texts in the world. The Pyramid Texts have been hugely influential in helping us understand the roles and responsibilities of the pharaoh. They also provide the first reference to Osiris, the god of the Underworld.
7. Climbing the Great Pyramids Is Forbidden
Tourists and Cairo locals attempt to climb to the top of the Great Pyramid of Khufu more often than you might think. Most are detained on-site before being let go without charge because, under Egyptian law, climbing the Pyramids of Giza is prohibited but not illegal. In 2016, a 16-year-old German tourist was able to climb the pyramid in just over 8 minutes.
6. The Last Egyptian Pyramid Was Made from Mud Bricks
The last royal pyramid of Egypt was built by King Ahmose I at Abydos, far to the south of the more famous pyramids. His pyramid stood around 50 meters high, was part of a traditional large mortuary temple complex, and had very steep sides. The Ahmose pyramid collapsed into rubble as it was made primarily from mud brick, not gigantic limestone blocks like the other pyramids.
5. The Pyramids Were White
The limestone blocks of the pyramids were covered in white, polished limestone that would have given them a perfect pyramid shape. They also reflected the sun like mirrors, causing the pyramids to shine. The casing stones are now mostly gone. They were often stolen, repurposed to build other monuments, or damaged by seismic activity, such as the massive earthquake that struck Cairo in 1308 CE.
4. A Sultan Attempted to Destroy Menkaure’s Pyramid
During the 12th century CE, Al-Aziz Uthman, the second Ayyubid Sultan of Egypt and son of Saladin, made an aborted attempt to demolish the Great Pyramids of the Giza complex. Al-Aziz employed a massive crew of workmen to bring down Menkaure’s temple. However, the cost, time, and sheer physical difficulties meant the job was scrapped within a year. The Sultan’s efforts resulted in only a vertical gouge left in the north face of the smallest great pyramid.
3. Professional Construction Teams Built the Pyramids
The Great Pyramids were built by workers, not slaves, despite claims by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. Entire towns were built alongside the pyramids, where farming families often worked on the pharaoh’s amazing building projects while waiting for crops to grow. In recent years, archaeologists have found evidence that these towns were populated by professional builders and stonemasons, as indicated by their tools.
2. Khufu’s Pyramid had 2.3 million Limestone Blocks
It is believed that in excess of 2.3 million limestone blocks were used in crafting the Great Pyramid of Khufu. The granite blocks transported from distant Aswan weighed as much as 50 tons each. The Pyramid took over 23 years to complete, with calculations suggesting that work crews laid an average of 12 stones every hour during that time frame. It is still unclear how exactly this was achieved with the technology of the day. The original entrance to the Great Pyramid is 17 meters above the ground. Today, tourists enter via the “robber’s tunnel,” created in 820 CE when the Sultan of Cairo’s men broke in to find loot.
1. There Is Much We Still Don’t Know
The more we learn about the pyramids, the more questions appear. Despite many theories – ramps and pulleys, water-aided stone sleds, rolling wooden ramps, and massive causeways – there is no concrete evidence explaining exactly how these giant stones were lifted into place and secured. Researchers have been unable to copy the mortar binding pyramid stones despite understanding what it is made of. Scientists have discovered possible hidden chambers using heat imaging and satellite technology, but so far, they have not figured out what is inside them or their purpose. Much about the Great Egyptian Pyramids remains a mystery.
Update (May 6, 2026): This article was edited for clarity, and a list of three Frequently Asked Questions was added.
