The Pyramids of Giza

I am very interested in the pyramids of Egypt because they are such a mystery to me. The pyramids of Giza are the most spectacular and well known pyramids in the world. The Great Pyramid is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. There are three pyramids in the Giza Plateau including the Great pyramid, the pyramid of Khafre, and the pyramid of Menkaure. Also, the Sphinx is located in the Giza Plateau. All three pyramids were built during the Third and Fourth Dynasty; the structures were the monumental effort of the king and his sons. Five thousand years ago Giza, situated on the Nile's west bank, became the royal necropolis, or burial place, for Memphis, the pharaoh's capital city. Today, Giza is a suburb of rapidly growing Cairo, the largest city in Africa and the fifth largest in the world.
King Khufu, who is also known by the Greek name "Cheops," was the father of pyramid building at Giza. He ruled from 2589 - 2566 B.C. and was the son of King Sneferu and Queen Hetpeheres. On the Giza Plateau, Khufu’s builders oriented his pyramid almost perfectly north. The largest pyramid ever built, it incorporates about 2.3 million stone blocks, weighing an average of 2.5 to 15 tons each.
Khafre, who was the son of Khufu, was also known as Rakhaef or Chephren. He ruled from 2520 - 2494 B.C. and is responsible for the second largest pyramid complex at Giza, which includes the Sphinx, a Mortuary Temple, and a Valley Temple. The most distinctive feature of Khafre's Pyramid is the topmost layer of smooth stones that are the only remaining casing stones on a Giza Pyramid. He was perhaps the greatest maker of statues of the Pyramid Age.
Menkaure, also known as Mycerinus, ruled from 2490 - 2472 B.C. He was king of the smallest of the three pyramids at Giza, and is believed to be Khufu's grandson. Menkaure built himself a pyramid one-tenth the size of Khafre's. And unlike the other Great Pyramids, whose walls were made of limestone, Menkaure's pyramid was sheathed in granite on the bottom levels and in the burial chamber—it was a costlier, more difficult stone to work with. Menkaure died unexpectedly, and work on his pyramid complex was abandoned. Menkaure's heir, Shepseskaf, likely later completed the complex using mud brick.
There will be more to come on the pyramids of Egypt but for more information you can visit
http://www.nationalgeographic.com as well as http://www.pbs.org.