<P> Egyptologists believe the pyramid was built as a tomb for the Fourth Dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu ( often Hellenized as `` Cheops '' ) and was constructed over a 20 - year period . Khufu 's vizier , Hemiunu ( also called Hemon ) is believed by some to be the architect of the Great Pyramid . It is thought that , at construction , the Great Pyramid was originally 280 Egyptian Royal cubits tall ( 146.5 metres ( 480.6 ft ) ) , but with erosion and absence of its pyramidion , its present height is 138.8 metres ( 455.4 ft ) . Each base side was 440 cubits , 230.4 metres ( 755.9 ft ) long . The mass of the pyramid is estimated at 5.9 million tonnes . The volume , including an internal hillock , is roughly 2,500,000 cubic metres ( 88,000,000 cu ft ) . </P>
how long did it take to build the great pyramid of egypt
20 - year period