Giza, city, capital of Al-Jīzah muḥāfaẓah (governorate) in Upper Egypt, located on the west bank of the Nile River just south-southwest of Cairo. It is a suburb of the national capital, with a distinctive character enriched by several archaeological and cultural sites. 

Great Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre
Great Sphinx (foreground) and the Pyramid of Khafre, near Giza, Egypt.
The district was settled in prehistoric times; Neolithic objects have been found there. Southwest of the city are the three great pyramids of the pharaohs: Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren), and Menkaure (Mykerinos), all 4th dynasty (c. 2575–c. 2465 BCE). Because of their tremendous size and precise construction, they have been visited by travelers for millennia (see Pyramids of Giza).