Great Pyramid of Giza

Built for the pharaoh Khufu around 2600 BCE, the Great Pyramid of Giza was about 146.6 metres tall when finished. It held the title of tallest human-made structure for nearly 3,900 years, until the spire of Lincoln Cathedral in England passed it around 1311 CE.

Today the pyramid is about 138 m tall after losing its top and outer casing stones. Dates and heights are approximate. It is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing.

Context

The Great Pyramid was built as a tomb for the Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khufu, and scholars generally date its construction to the 26th century BCE. Its original height is estimated at about 146.6 metres, with a base roughly 230 metres on each side. Because the outer casing stones and capstone are gone, the height is reconstructed from the angle of its sides and remaining measurements.

The structure is estimated to contain millions of stone blocks, many of them quarried nearby. The pyramid's age and purpose are well supported by tomb evidence and inscriptions from workers' camps, but the exact building methods remain debated. A hidden void above the Grand Gallery was reported by an international team in 2017 using cosmic-ray imaging.

Claims that it was the tallest structure 'for 3,900 years' are rounded. Medieval cathedral spires, such as the one at Lincoln, are generally said to have overtaken it in the early 14th century, though the timing and the original spire's height depend on the source, and that spire later collapsed.