Ancient site · Giza
Pyramid of Menkaure
The smallest of the three great pyramids of Giza, flanked by small queens' pyramids and distinguished by a granite-clad lower section.
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The story
The pyramid is thought to have been built as the tomb of King Menkaure of the Fourth Dynasty, son of Khafre. It is the smallest of the three main pyramids, with roughly a tenth of the volume of Khufu's. The king chose to face its lower courses with granite brought down the Nile from Aswan, while the rest is limestone. It belongs to a complex of a mortuary temple and a valley temple joined by a causeway, with three small pyramids on its southern side. Signs of unfinished work show that the king died during construction, leaving his successor Shepseskaf to complete it.
Good to know
- Its volume is roughly one tenth of that of Khufu's pyramid.
- Its lower section was clad in granite brought from Aswan.
- Three small pyramids for queens lie on its southern side.