Tallest Man-Made Architectural Triumphs From Our Ancient World

[Peter1469]

Tallest Man-Made Architectural Triumphs From Our Ancient World

I have only been to #1

1) Pyramid of Khufu, Egypt (built circa 2570 BC) – 481 ft or 146.6 m high


Also aptly known as the Great Pyramid of Egypt, the over 4,500 years old Pyramid of Khufu is the oldest and the tallest man-made structure in this list. As a matter of fact, it held the record for the tallest architectural specimen even created by humankind for over 3,800 years (until toppled by the old St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1240 AD). Interestingly, beyond just the height (currently specified at 455 ft, due to soil erosion), it is the gargantuan volume of the pyramid that has baffled many a historian and engineer over the years. To that end, the monumental giant has a base area of around 570,000 sq ft, and a gargantuan volume of 88 million cubic ft (or 2.5 million cubic m) that accounts for an extraordinary 5.9 million tons of mass. This extraordinary scope was achieved by the use of 2.3 million stone blocks (ranging from 2 to 30 tons) – that equates to an average of 800 tons of stones being installed each day, with 12 stones being painstakingly yet precisely arranged every hour!

Mysteriously enough, in spite of such grandiose credentials, archaeologists have never been able to find any mortuary remains of Pharaoh Khufu (or Cheops in Greek), or any other kingly remains inside the massive structure. In fact, the only surviving portraiture of Khufu – the second Pharaoh from the Fourth Dynasty, pertains to a tiny 3-inch ivory figurine that was discovered separately from the pyramid in early 20th century.

Tourist climb that thing and the tourist police just laugh if you fall and kill yourself.
See the other 9 at the link.