10 fascinating facts about the Egyptian pyramids you may not know

Most people just know that the Egyptian pyramids are large, impressive structures built a long time ago in Ancient Egypt. It is also common knowledge that the pyramids served as monumental burial places where the pharaohs, the ancient Egyptian kings, were buried. But in fact, there are many more interesting things and little-known curiosities about these fascinating structures. To expand your knowledge of the Egyptian pyramids, check out these 10 exciting facts about the Egyptian pyramids that you may not know.

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1. The three pyramids in the Necropolis of Giza are the most famous Egyptian pyramids, but in fact, about 140 pyramids have been discovered in the area of Ancient Egypt.

2. The oldest Egyptian pyramid is the Djoser pyramid, built in the Sakkara necropolis in the 27th century BC.

3. Estimates of the number of workers involved in the construction of the pyramids vary significantly, but it could be 100,000.

4. All Egyptian pyramids were built on the western bank of the Nile River, which, as the place of the setting sun, was associated with the kingdom of the dead in Egyptian mythology.

5. While experts generally agree with the hypothesis that the pyramids were built from huge stones cut with copper chisels from stone quarries, the methods used to move and place stones remain the subject of further discussion and speculation.

6. What also seems obvious is the fact that the methods used to build the pyramid have evolved over time; the later pyramids were built differently from the earlier ones.

7. The pyramids were originally covered with a white polished limestone casing. These stones reflected sunlight and made the pyramids shine like a jewel.

8. The stones covering the entire pyramid could have been visible from the mountains in Israel and perhaps even from the moon.

9. The pyramid of Cheops was built facing the true north. In fact, it is most accurately aligned north of any structure in the world. Despite the fact that the pyramid was created millennia ago, it is still directed in this direction with minimal error. However, this is because the North Pole is shifting in time, which means that the pyramid was once accurate.

10. On average, each pyramid would be built in 200 years, which means that often not one, but several pyramids were built at the same time