Pyramids are among the most impressive structures built by mankind in ancient times. There are still several intact pyramids that we can see today.

Pyramid Facts for Kids
- Pyramid bases are always square.
- They’re mostly made of white limestone.
- They faced exactly due north
- They were once the largest structures in the world
- To help discourage tomb robbers, tombs and pyramids were cursed.
Why did the Ancient Egyptians build pyramids
The pyramids remind us of ancient Egypt’s celebration of life after death and were constructed as tombs for pharaohs. In the ancient world, death was simply the beginning of a journey to the afterlife.
They believed pharaohs would live forever if they could mummify their bodies. Pharaoh’s tombs were built to protect his body and possessions.
Where were they built?
You’ll find most of the pyramids on the western bank of the Nile.
Why did they build pyramids next to the Nile?
They built the pyramids by the Nile River so the blocks used in the building would be easier to transport. Boats brought the stones closer to the pyramid building site.
What was is the name of the most famous pyramid?
One of the most famous and largest pyramids is the Great Pyramid. Built by Pharaoh Khuf. It’s 140 meters tall and took over two decades to build.
What guards the pyramids?
In Giza, the Sphinx stands in front of all the pyramids. It’s like a lion with a pharaoh’s head.

How do pyramids help us know so much about life in Ancient Egypt?
Egyptologists believe that ancient Egyptians buried their belongings with their tomb walls painted with scenes from their lives. We’ve learned a lot about Ancient Egypt by looking at the objects and paintings in tombs.
By looking at the items in the pyramids, we can figure out how the Egyptians lived.
What is the afterlife?
When they died, the Egyptians believed they would go to another world to live a whole new life. Their families would put all the things they had used when they were alive in their tombs.
Egyptians paid a lot of money to preserve their bodies. Poor Egyptians were buried in the sand, but if you happened to be a rich Egyptian, you were buried in a tomb.
Types of Pyramids
Early pyramids, such as step pyramids, had large ledges every so often that looked like giant steps. These steps are thought to have been built by the pharaoh to climb to the sun god.
Pyramids later in history have sloping sides. All the gods and goddesses were created by the sun god.
How big were the pyramids?
Egypt has 138 pyramids. Some are enormous. The pyramid of Khufu, or the Great Pyramid of Giza, is the largest. Originally, it was over 480 feet tall. The pyramid is estimated to be made of 2.3 million blocks, weighing 5.9 million tons.
The Great Pyramid was the world’s tallest building for more than 4,000 years, standing at 146.5 m (481 ft). It’s now 137 m (449.5 ft) high, having lost 9.5 m (31 ft) from its peak.
How did they build them?
It’s been a mystery how the pyramids were built for many years.
The large blocks were cut up by slaves and then slowly moved up the pyramid on ramps.
Block by block, the pyramid got built. To build the Great Pyramid of Giza, at least 20,000 workers worked over 23 years.
When they became rulers, Pharaohs generally began building their pyramids immediately since they took so long to build.
What did you learn?
What is the first Egyptian Pyramid?
The first Egyptian Pyramid was the Step Pyramid at Saqqara.
The step pyramid which was developed by Imhotep for King Djoser was originally planned to be a massive square tomb that is built over an underground burial chamber but additional extensions made it a six-layered pyramid that is 62 meters in height.
Who was the last great Pyramid builder?
Among the last pyramid builder was Pepy II who ruled the nation from 2278 B.C. to 2184 B.C.
The pyramid built by Pepy II in Saqqara was completed about three decades into his reign.
Following his death, the kingdom and the central government nosedived as Egypt entered the turbulent era known as the First Intermediate Period.
Who created the Bent Pyramid?
The Bent Pyramid was constructed during the time of King Snefru who is the founder of the fourth dynasty.
What are Pyramid Texts?
Pyramid texts are inscriptions that were carved by Ancient Egyptians during the fifth and sixth dynasties.
It is believed that these texts were a pertinent source of information about the Egyptian religion.
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