As the only survivors of the ancient Greek-listed Seven Wonders of the World, the incredible Pyramids at Giza are the world’s oldest attraction. Known as Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus, the pyramids were already more than 2,000 years old when Herodotus the Greek historian visited them (5th century BC). A highly skilled corps of mathematicians, masons, surveyors and stonecutters did the job of building the Pyramids. 100,000 slaves were used to carry out the backbreaking task of moving and laying the stones of the largest pyramid, Cheops. Even to this day experts cannot agree how this incredible feat of architecture was achieved, given the prehistoric tools available to the Egyptians.
To date 138 pyramids have been discovered in Egypt. Most were built as tombs for the country’s Pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods. All Egyptian pyramids were built on the west bank of the Nile, which as the site of the setting sun was associated with the realm of the dead in Egyptian mythology. The Pyramids contain a maze of confusing passages, which were designed to protect the great Pharaohs in the afterlife, along with their hordes of treasure.