To what four compass points are the sides of the Great Pyramid aligned?
Answer
north, south, east, west
The sides of the Great Pyramid are aligned to north, south, east, and west. More precisely, they face the four geographic cardinal directions rather than magnetic compass bearings.
The alignment is remarkably accurate: the pyramid’s sides deviate from true cardinal directions by only a small fraction of a degree. This precision shows that its builders used careful surveying methods, although the exact method remains uncertain.
Proposed explanations include tracking the Sun’s shadow, observing circumpolar stars, or using the simultaneous transit of stars such as Mizar and Kochab. The pyramid’s base was also squared with extraordinary care, reinforcing that its orientation was deliberate.
A common mix-up is to describe the sides as pointing northeast or northwest. Those are intermediate directions; the Great Pyramid’s sides correspond to the principal north–south and east–west axes.