Page 9 - THE-GREAT-PYRAMIDS-OF-GIZA

8

cover the top third of the pyramid, but the
pyramidion and part of the apex are miss-
ing. entrance was moved midway through

construction.
The temples of Khafre’s complex survive
in much better condition than Khufu’s, this
being specially true to the Valley Temple,
which is substantially preserved.To the east
of the Pyramid sits the mortuary temple.
Though it is now largely in ruins, enough of

The so-called temple of the Sphinx is not
attested to any king, but structural similar-

ities to Khafre’s mortuary temple point to
him as its builder. Opening to a hall with
24 columns, each with its own statue, two
sanctuaries and symmetric design, it is
possible but unsure if this temple had any
it survives to understand the plan. It is larg- symbolism attached to the finished plan.
er than previous temples and is the first to The pyramid has a base length of 215.5 m
include all five standard elements of later (706 ft) and rises up to a height of 136.4
mortuary temples: an entrance hall, a col- metres (448 ft)[2]. It is made of limestone

umned court, five niches for statues of the blocks weighing more than 2 tons each.
pharaoh, five storage chambers, and an The slope of the pyramid rises at a
inner sanctuary. There were over 50 53° 13’ angle, steeper than its
life size statues of Khafre, but these neighbor, the Pyramid of
were removed and recycled, Khufu, which has an
possibly by Ramses II. The t angle of 51°50’24”.
emple was built of
megalithic blocks
(the largest is an
estimated
400 tonnes).

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_of_Khafre