How Tall Is the Great Pyramid?

For centuries, many have been amazed at its wonder, and today some ask questions like, "How tall is the Great Pyramid?" The Great Pyramid in El Giza, Egypt is believed to have been originally nearly 481 feet tall. Given erosion that has occurred over time, and the lost of the pyramid's top portion, the Great Pyramid of Giza now stands at slightly over 455 feet, still making it the tallest pyramid of its kind in the world.

For nearly 3,800 years, the Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure made by man, and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Even though the Great Pyramid of Egypt has changed over time, it is still one of the only ancient wonders to remain largely as it was originally constructed.

Why The Great Pyramid Was Built

The Great Pyramid of Giza was constructed as a burial chamber for Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu. The Greeks know Khufu as Cheops, so the Great Pyramid is also commonly referred to as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops.

The Great Pyramid is comprised of primarily three chambers, one for Pharaoh, one for his queen, and a third, lower chamber that remains largely unfinished.

How Was The Great Pyramid Built?

The Great Pyramid is believed to weigh nearly 6 million tons and is comprised of over 2.3 million blocks weighing between 2.5 and 15 tons each. Many Egyptologists have studied, and have varying theories about how the pyramid was constructed, but most believe the stones were quarried, and then floated, carried, and/or lifted to the pyramid site. Some of the limestone used was quarried near the Giza site, while other stone, such as granite, was quarried as far away as Aswan, and floated up the Nile nearly 500 miles toward Giza.

To quarry the stone, workers would soak wooden wedges placed in the limestone. As the wedges expanded, they would crack the stone, which could then be cut, shaped, and sent for placement in the pyramid.

To construct the pyramid we see today, nearly 100,000 workers are believed to have labored nearly around the clock for between 14 and 20 years. Even over that many years, the pyramid stones would have needed to be placed quickly and efficiently. According to some estimates, at least 12 stones were laid every hour, 24 hours a day, for nearly 20 years. Nearly 800 tons of stone would have been laid every day over that time period.

Some, like ancient Greek historians, argue the workers who labored on the pyramids were slaves, while noted Egyptologists disagree, suggesting the laborers were skilled workers. Some Egyptologists offer that the organization of the work on the pyramid was nearly as magnificent as the final product, with tens of thousands of workers organized on teams, with overseers and strict production deadlines. No matter how it was precisely constructed, there is no doubt the building of the Great Pyramid was quite a feat indeed.

How Tall is the Great Pyramid?

To answer the question, "how tall is the Great Pyramid?" one must first examine the difference between how tall it was when it was originally constructed, and how tall it is today. When the Great Pyramid was first constructed, it is believed to have included a top portion or capstone. This capstone may have been made of pure gold, and thus may have been one of the first objects of looters. With the capstone in place, the Great Pyramid is believed to have been nearly 481 feet tall, making it the world's largest structure for nearly 4 millennia.

Taking into account the loss of the capstone and nearly 4,000 years of erosion, the answer to "how tall is the Great Pyramid?" changes. Today, the Great Pyramid is over 455 feet tall, which still makes it the largest pyramid in the world.