Pyramids of Giza

For thousands of years, my days have begun the same way. First, a warm golden light tickles my highest point. Then, the sun climbs into a brilliant blue sky, baking the endless sea of sand that surrounds me. I am a mountain made of stone, a giant triangle reaching for the clouds, and the sun has been my constant companion since I was born. I am not alone here on this dusty plateau. Beside me stand my two smaller sisters, also pointing to the sky, and nearby, our silent, watchful friend keeps guard. He has the body of a lion and the face of a king, and you might know him as the Great Sphinx. We have watched the world change together, season after season, century after century. My stones hold stories of a time long, long ago. My name is the Great Pyramid of Giza, and I am a whisper from the ancient world.

I wasn't built just to be beautiful or tall. I was built with a very important purpose, a grand mission for a king. Around 4,500 years ago, a powerful pharaoh named Khufu ruled this land. He and his people, the ancient Egyptians, believed that life was just the first part of a much longer journey. They believed that when a king’s time on Earth was over, his spirit would travel to the stars to live forever. But for that journey, he needed a safe and magnificent place for his body to rest. So, I was created to be his eternal house, a palace that would protect him on his forever-journey. Building me was a challenge like no other. There were no cranes or trucks back then. Instead, thousands of skilled workers gathered to bring me to life. They traveled to faraway quarries to cut enormous blocks of stone, some as heavy as elephants. They then skillfully moved these giant blocks onto boats and floated them down the mighty Nile River. With incredible strength and teamwork, they pulled the stones up ramps and fitted them together with such amazing precision that you couldn't even slide a piece of paper between them. It took them about twenty years, but their hard work created a monument built to last for eternity.

When I was finally finished around the year 2560 BC, I didn't look the way I do today. I wasn't a sandy, brownish color. My builders covered me in a dazzling coat of smooth, polished white limestone. When the powerful Egyptian sun shone on me, I gleamed like a giant jewel. I was a brilliant white beacon that could be seen from miles and miles away, a star that had fallen to Earth. For centuries, I watched the world from my shining perch. I saw caravans of camels loaded with spices cross the desert. I watched civilizations rise and fall along the banks of the Nile. Great thinkers and travelers from faraway lands, like the ancient Greeks, made long journeys just to stand at my base and gaze up in awe. They would write stories about me, telling people all over the world about the giant, shining triangle in the Egyptian sand.

Of all the amazing structures built in the ancient world, only I remain. I am the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing tall. My gleaming white coat is gone now, worn away by time and weather, but my strong stone heart endures. I am a giant puzzle that archaeologists and scientists are still studying. They explore my hidden chambers and study the marks left by my builders, trying to unlock all my secrets and learn more about the clever people who created me. Looking back, I see I have stood through time to remind people of their own strength and creativity. I am proof that when people work together with a big dream, they can achieve things that seem impossible. I hope that when you look at me, you feel inspired to build your own amazing things and to never, ever stop wondering about the past.