Even though the Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest among the Seven Ancient Wonders, it is the only surviving wonder. The Great Pyramid of Giza is located at the city of Giza, a necropolis of ancient Memphis, which is today part of Greater Cairo, Egypt.  "Men fears time, yet time fears pyramid" this Arab proverb describes the importance of the Great Pyramid.
                   It is said that this is the only wonder that doesn't need a description by early historians and poets. When it was built, the Great pyramid was 145.75 m (481 ft) high. Over the years, it lost 10 m (30 ft) off its top. It was ranked to be the tallest structure on earth for more than 43 centuries. It was only to be surpassed in height in the nineteenth century AD. The sloping angle of its sides is 51 degrees and 51 minutes.The horizontal cross section of the pyramid is square at any level, with each side measuring 229 m (751 ft) in length. The maximum error between side lengths is astonishingly less than 0.1%. The structure was made of approxiamtely 2 million blocks of stones. The stones each  weighed more than two tons.

                 The number of blocks were so high that It has been suggested that there are enough blocks in the three pyramids to build a 3 m (10 ft) high, 0.3 m (1 ft) thick wall around France. The area covered by the Great pyramid can accommodate St. Peter's in Rome, the cathedrals of Florence and Milan, and Westminster and St. Paul's in London combined.

                Contrary to the common belief, only the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), not all three great pyramids, is on top of the list of Wonders. The monument was built by the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty around the year 2560 BC to serve as a tomb when he dies. The tradition of pyramid building started in Ancient Egypt as a sophistication of the idea of a mastaba or "platform" covering the royal tomb. Later, several stacked mastabas were used. Early pyramids, such as the Step Pyramid of King Zoser (Djoser) at Saggara by the famous Egyptian architect, Imhotep, illustrate this connection.

                The great pyramid is believed to have been built over a 20 year period. The site was first prepared, and blocks of stone were transported and placed. An outer casing (which disappeared over the years) was then used to smooth the surface. Although it is not known how the blocks were put in place, several theories have been proposed. One theory involves the construction of a straight or spiral ramp that was raised as the construction proceeded. This ramp, coated with mud and water, eased the displacement of the blocks which were pushed (or pulled) into place. A second theory suggests that the blocks were placed using long levers with a short angled foot.

              Throughout their history, the pyramids of Giza have stimulated human imagination. They were referred to as "The Granaries of Joseph" and "The Mountains of Pharaoh". When Napoleon invaded Egypt in 1798, his pride was expressed through his famous quote: "Soldats! Du haut de ces Pyramides, 40 siècles nous contemplent".

              Today, the Great Pyramid is enclosed, together with the other pyramids and the Sphinx, in the touristic region of the Giza Plateau. Also in the area is the museum housing the mysterious Sun boat, only discovered in 1954 near the south side of the pyramid. The boat is believed to have been used to carry the body of Khufu in his last journey on earth before being buried inside the pyramid. It may also serve him as a means of transportation in his afterlife journey according to Ancient Egyptian beliefs.
 
 

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