Why did they build the pyramids?
There are over 100 pyramids in Egypt. They are believed to be built as tombs for the country’s pharaohs. After a pharaoh’s body was mummified, they were laid in a pyramid which was designed to protect them.
Pyramids were built on the western side of the River Nile because it is a hot desert and the heat kept the pharaoh’s body and his belongings dry.
Types of pyramids
Some of the first pyramids ever built were called step pyramids. Archaeologists believe that the steps were built as stairways for the pharaoh to use to climb to the sun god.
One of the most famous pyramids in Egypt is the Great Pyramid of Giza. It was built for a pharaoh named Khufu and is over 140 metres high.
This pyramid is known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It took over 23 years to build. Guarding the pyramid is a sphinx which has the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh.
Most of the buildings in ancient Egypt were made from Nile mud baked in the sun. However, the larger buildings were made from stone, which is why they lasted longer.
