Restoration Work Closes Pyramid

The Chephren, one of the three famous pyramids of Giza, has been closed to visitors for an $800,000 restoration project that will include installation of devices to measure humidity, updating of an interior lighting system and repair of interior cracks.

The pyramid, burial chamber of the Pharaoh Chephren, ruler of Egypt from 2589 BC to 2530 BC, lies between the Great Pyramid of Cheops and the much smaller pyramid of Mycerinus on the Plateau of Giza just outside of Cairo.

Officials from the Egyptian Antiquities Authority said the decision to close the pyramid was made after a piece of the burial chamber’s stone ceiling fell off. Work started in October and is expected to take from three to six months. Last month’s earthquake which rocked Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia also added to the cracks in the pyramid.

The number of tourists visiting Chephren rose sharply in 1990 after authorities imposed a fee on visits to Cheops. The increase added to the strain on the fragile interior of the 4,500-year-old tomb. Experts also believe that poor ventilation and the excavation of fine sand in search of hidden chambers have led to the deterioration of the interior surface.