Ingles - 5to B/Naturales

The Pyramids of Giza

“Introduction and history - Travelling - Practical Information - Curiosities”

“INTRODUCTION”

The Pyramids of Giza, along with the Sphinx and a handful of

smaller tombs, form one of the most iconic sights in the world. If you
have plans to visit Egypt, then most likely these pyramids are at the
top of your list.In this guide, get all the answers to your questions
about how to visit the Pyramids of Giza. In order to give you the
information you need to know to plan your visit, we visited the Giza
Plateau twice.

“HISTORY”

The Pyramids of Giza were built almost 5,000

years ago, at the beginning of human recorded
history.The Great Pyramid of Giza, also known as
the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops, is
the oldest of the three main pyramids on the Giza
plateau. This pyramid was built around 2570 BC
and it is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World. In fact, it is the only Ancient
Wonder to remain largely intact.For 3,800 years, the Great Pyramid was the tallest building
in the world, until the Lincoln Cathedral was built in 1311 AD in England.When people refer
to the “Pyramids of Giza,” typically they are referring to the three large pyramids that are
located in the Giza complex. These three pyramids include the Great Pyramid and its two
neighbors, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure.The pyramids were built as
tombs for the pharaohs of Egypt. Inside of the pyramid is the “King’s Chamber,” the location
of the sarcophagus.
The Pyramids of Giza are located on the Giza Plateau, which is also referred to as the Giza
Necropolis or the Giza pyramid complex. Nine pyramids, the Great Sphinx, and a collection
of smaller tombs sit on this plateau.The Giza Plateau bumps right up against the sprawling
city of Giza. If you like the idea of booking a hotel room with a unique view, there are
numerous hotels where you can have a room with a view of the Sphinx and/or the Great
Pyramid.

“A little bit of Traveling”

BEST THINGS TO DO AT THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA
-See the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and
Menkaure
-Go inside one of the pyramids
-Visit Panoramic Point
-Take a selfie with the Sphinx
-Visit the Valley Temple
-Watch the Sound and Light Show

“WHERE TO GET THE BEST VIEWS OF THE PYRAMIDS”

There are numerous places around the Giza Plateau to take some gorgeous photos of the
pyramids. On the Giza plateau, here the best places for stunning views of the pyramids:
-In front of the Sphinx
-Panoramic Point
-From the helicopter pad
-On a camel ride

“WHAT TO WEAR”

There are no restrictions as to what to wear

when you visit the pyramids of Giza. Basically,
wear comfortable clothing and a sturdy pair of
walking shoes. Egypt is a conservative country, so
we recommend keeping your shoulders covered
and not wearing very short shorts.

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HOW DO YOU GET TO THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA?

To get to the Pyramids of Giza, your best option is to either take a taxi, uber, join a tour, or
hire a guide and driver. If you booked a hotel with a view of the Pyramids, you can walk
right to the Giza Plateau.

“BEST TIME OF DAY TO VISIT THE PYRAMIDS”

The best time of day to visit the Giza Plateau depends on which season you visit Egypt.

If you will be visiting Egypt during the months of December and January, it is common for
the pyramids to be hazy in the morning. Because of the possibility of hazy skies in the
morning, the best time to visit the pyramids in the winter months is midday and in the
afternoon. If you prefer to go in the morning, when the pyramids are less crowded, you will
have to keep your fingers crossed for clear skies.

If you will be visiting Egypt between February and November, that morning haze is unlikely.

Between March and October, expect hot temperatures. We recommend visiting the Giza
Plateau in the morning to avoid the heat and the crowds.

Fridays and Saturdays tend to be more crowded than the other days of the week. Schools
are closed and many Egyptians visit during this time, making the pyramids of Giza more
crowded.

2023 PRICE LIST FOR THE GIZA PLATEAU

Giza Plateau entrance ticket: EGP 360 per adult, EGP 180 per student (with valid ID)
Entrance ticket to the Great Pyramid: 600 EGP
Entrance ticket to the Pyramid of Menkaure: 150 EGP

PLANNING INFORMATION
Opening hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bathrooms: There are bathrooms near both entrances to the Giza Plateau.
Food: There is a small restaurant near the Sphinx and the Valley Temple.

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WHERE TO STAY?

If you even want to see the pyramids from where you stay, here are three recommended
hotels in Giza with views of the pyramids.

Marriott Mena House: You can see the Great Pyramid from your balcony here and if you
want, you can also sit outside and stare up at the Great Pyramid over a cup of coffee

Pyramids view Inn: This small hotel offers views of the Sphinx and the pyramids. The view
from the roof terrace is incredible and this is a great place to watch the sound and light
show, without joining the crowd.

Great Pyramid Inn: This is yet another hotel that boasts amazing views of the pyramids of
Giza. From the top floor of the terrace you have an awesome view of the pyramids!

“The Religion”

The Egyptians believed in many gods, meaning they were

polytheists. There were a large number of Egyptian deities,
some of the most important gods were: Osiris (the god of the
dead); Isis (his wife, goddess of fertility), Ra (the sun god), Seth
(god of things that are not good, such as droughts and
famine).

(The Egyptians represented their gods in different ways: some

gods, like Isis, were represented in human form
(anthropomorphic), however, the usual thing was to mix the
human body with the head of an animal (anthropo-zoomorphic- form), for example, Anubis
had the head of a jackal.Finally, some gods were represented in animal form (zoomorphic),
for example, Taurt, the hippopotamus god. Each god had his own temple where priests
worshiped them.

An aspect of the religion of the Egyptians that fascinates to this day was their deep and
complex beliefs in the afterlife where the soul of the deceased had to be judged to reach
"Celestial Egypt."

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The souls were sent to a court presided over
by the god Osiris, who had died and
resurrected, which is why his body was
wrapped in bandages (like that of mummies).

Once there, the heart of the deceased was

placed on one of the plates of a scale, while
the goddess of truth Maat placed a feather
on the other plate. If the heart was heavier than the feather it meant that the person had
been very bad in his life and therefore did not deserve to live in heavenly Egypt: he was
thrown into a pit where he would be devoured by Cancerberus (a three-headed demon
dog). ). But if the weight of Maat's feather was equal to that of the heart of the deceased,
this meant that the person had been good and just, which is why he deserved to live in
heavenly Egypt.

“Book of the death and Mummification”

(This papyrus represents the Judgment of the dead, the deceased (on the left) enters the
court along with the god Anubis, in the center the scales where the heart is weighed and
the pen of Maat, the scribe god Thoth records what happens on his clay tablet, while
Judge Osiris sits on his throne)

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In the tombs of the Egyptians there are different versions of "The Book of the Dead", it is a
set of prayers and prayers with which the deceased sought to maintain their innocence and
goodness.
Another aspect that surprises us about the
religion of the Egyptians is the importance
they gave to the bodies of the deceased.
Funeral rites are all the activities that people
carry out to say goodbye to their dead; these
actions are completely different according to
cultures and time. In order for the deceased
to attend this supposed "trial," the Egyptians
had to preserve the body in perfect
condition.
They did this because in the idea of ​the
Egyptians the "Celestial Egypt" was a world
like ours, which is why the dead person
needed his earthly body. To achieve this,
they embalmed the corpses of their
deceased; this was an extremely complete
job that sought to prevent the
decomposition of the body.
The sarcophagi, made of stone or wood, protected the mummies inside.
The embalming process began when experts removed all the viscera from the body and
placed them in jars, the empty cavities were filled with sawdust, cloth and aromatic plants.
The heart was specially prepared and left near the sarcophagus. Finally, the body was
covered with oils and salts and wrapped in many meters of strips of linen cloth.
The mummies were placed in coffins and sarcophagi of stone or wood, and then placed in
tombs.