--- title: Travel: 8 Awe-Inspiring Pyramids From Around the World description: New ideas for your travel bucket list canonical: https://time.com/4013555/world-pyramids/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-08-27T18:11:52.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:42:24.892Z og:title: 8 Awe-Inspiring Pyramids From Around the World og:description: New ideas for your travel bucket list og:url: https://time.com/4013555/world-pyramids/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 8 Awe-Inspiring Pyramids From Around the World twitter:description: New ideas for your travel bucket list twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # 8 Awe-Inspiring Pyramids From Around the World by [Caroline Hallemann / Travel + Leisure](https://time.com/author/travel-leisure/) ## Caroline Hallemann / Travel + Leisure Aug 27, 2015 6:11 PM UTC by [Caroline Hallemann / Travel + Leisure](https://time.com/author/travel-leisure/) ## Caroline Hallemann / Travel + Leisure Aug 27, 2015 6:11 PM UTC Giza, Egypt doesn’t have a monopoly on “great” pyramids. From the mysterious Temple of the Feathered Serpent at Teotihuacan in Mexico to the kitschy Luxor Las Vegas, here are eight of the most striking structures in the world. ### The Pyramids of Giza  B9PGY8 Camels approach the Giza pyramids. Seth K. Hughes—Alamy The only surviving wonder of the ancient world, the Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure pyramids are well-deserving of their “great” designation. Add the site to your bucket list, but tread lightly—tourism is both a blessing and curse for the preservation of these spectacular tombs. ### The Memphis Pyramid  The Pyramid Arena landmark building in Memphis, with the Memphis Downtown skyline in the background and Wolf River in the foreground. iStockphoto Initially called “The Great American Pyramid,” this Memphis monument right on the Mississippi River pays homage to [the city’s Egyptian heritage](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,%5FEgypt). Newly reopened after a 10-year hiatus, the structure now houses [Big Cypress Lodge](http://www.big-cypress.com/), a wilderness-themed hotel complete with an alligator pool. ### Teotihuacan in Mexico  ARCWHH View from Pyramid of the Moon of the Avenue of the Dead, Teotihuacan, north of Mexico City, Mexico Robert Harding Picture Library Ltd/Alamy While the Aztec city of Teotihuacan thrived between the 1st and 7th centuries A.D., the legendary Temple of the Feathered Serpent is still confounding historians and archeologists. Earlier this week, “large quantities” of unexplained liquid mercury were found at the end of the 340-foot-long tunnel underneath the ancient pyramid. ### The Mayan Pyramids of Tikal in Guatemala  AT2C33 Tikal Mayan Ruins Peten Department Guatemala Temple 1 Temple of the Jaguar Ken Welsh—Alamy An easy day trip from Guatemala City, Tikal is a favorite tourist destination, largely due to its five soaring pyramids. Once a thriving city, the ancient Mayan ruins—complete with carved monoliths and ancient ball courts—are now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. ### Luxor Las Vegas  A2N43G Pyramid replica hotel in city, Las Vegas, Luxor Hotel Casino, Luxor Hotel Sphinx, Nevada, USA F1online digitale Bildagentur GmbH/Alamy The [Luxor Las Vegas](http://www.luxor.com/) hotel and casino stands 350 feet tall—less than 100 feet shy of the original Great Pyramid’s height—and features a spotlight pointing up through the apex, which supposedly can be seen from space. ### Pyramid of Cestius in Rome  AWEGAY Pyramid of Cestius and Porta San Paolo, Rome, Italy, Europe imageBROKER/Alamy Likely built as a tomb for a wealthy citizen in 12 BCE, the Pyramid of Cestius illustrates the Roman obsession with Egyption design and culture post-conquering. This infatuation with the Egyptian aesthetic is also thought to be the inspiration for the numerous Roman obelisks that still stand today, from the tower in St. Peter’s Square to _Sallustiano_ above the Spanish Steps. ### Uxmal Pyramid in Mexico  E663K9 The Sorcerer's Pyramid rises out of the jungle at Uxmal, Yucatan, Mexico. Brian Overcast—Alamy Known as the Pyramid of the Magician, this Mayan structure is considered emblematic of the Puuc architectural style, and one of the most important archeological sites in Mexico. ### The Sudanese Pyramids  B54FE6 Pyramids of Meroe, Bagrawiyah, Sudan, Africa. Image shot 2007\. Exact date unknown. Andrew McConnell—Alamy Egypt may have the biggest pyramids, but Meroe, located in modern-day Sudan has the most. Like their Egyptian neighbors, Nubian royals were commemorated in death with steep sandstone pyramids built over their tombs. [_Read the original list HERE._](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/pyramids-around-the-world?xid=PS%5Ftime) _This_ [_article_](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/pyramids-around-the-world?xid=PS%5Ftime) _originally appeared on_ [_Travel + Leisure_](http://www.travelandleisure.com) _More from Travel + Leisure:_ * [World’s Most-Visited Tourist Attractions](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/worlds-most-visited-tourist-attractions?xid=PS%5Ftime) * [The Ultimate _Travel + Leisure_ Bucket List](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/travel-bucket-list?xid=PS%5Ftime) * [19 Comfy, Travel-Friendly Shoes Made For Walkin’](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/best-walking-shoes-for-travel?xid=PS%5Ftime) Travel: 8 Awe-Inspiring Pyramids From Around the World ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4013555/world-pyramids/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4013555/world-pyramids/"},"headline":"8 Awe-Inspiring Pyramids From Around the World","datePublished":"2015-08-27T18:11:52.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:42:24.892Z","description":"New ideas for your travel bucket list","url":"https://time.com/4013555/world-pyramids/","keywords":["Living","Travel"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Caroline Hallemann / Travel + Leisure"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4013555/world-pyramids/","name":"8 Awe-Inspiring Pyramids From Around the World"}}]}] ```