
A
pyramid is a
building where the outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three outer surfaces (at least four
faces including the base). The
square pyramid, with square base and four triangular outer surfaces, is a common version. A pyramid's design, with the majority of the weight closer to the ground,
[1] means that less material higher up on the pyramid will be pushing down from above: this distribution of weight allowed early civilizations to create stable monumental structures. For thousands of years, the
largest structures on
Earth were pyramids: first the
Red Pyramid in the
Dashur Necropolis and then the
Great Pyramid of
Khufu, the only one of the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still remaining and still the tallest pyramid of all. The largest pyramid ever built, by volume, is the
Great Pyramid of Cholula, in the Mexican state of
Puebla. This pyramid is still being excavated. he most famous pyramids are the
Egyptian pyramids huge structures built of brick or stone, some of which are among the world's largest constructions. The age of the pyramids reached zenith at Giza in 2575-2150 B.C.
[2] There are 138 pyramids discovered in Egypt as of 2008.
[3][4] The
Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. Until
Lincoln Cathedral was built in 1400 AD, it was the tallest building in the world. The base is over 52,600
square meters in area. However, contrary to widespread belief Sudan has the most pyramids in the world.
[5] It was one of the
Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one of the seven to survive into modern times. The Ancient Egyptians covered their faces with polished white
limestone, though most of the stones used for the purpose have fallen or have been removed and used to build the mosques of Cairo.