Stand at the base of the Great Pyramid of Khufu and most visitors never turn around. At the southwest end of the plateau stands the third and smallest of the main Giza pyramids, built for Menkaure. It is a few hundred meters southwest of Khafre’s pyramid, and it gets far fewer visitors.
Menkaure was the son of Khafre and grandson of Khufu, and reigned at the end of the Fourth Dynasty, roughly 2532 to 2503 BC. His pyramid is small, but it is unusual in its use of granite, its history of attempted demolition and its lost sarcophagus. For the plateau as a whole, see the Giza plateau overview.
How big is the Pyramid of Menkaure?
The pyramid, originally called Netjer-er-Menkaure, rose about 65.5 meters on a base of roughly 103 to 105 meters per side, with a slope of about 51°20′. Its height today is about 61 meters, and its base area is a fraction of the Great Pyramid’s.
The drop from Khufu to Khafre to Menkaure is dramatic. Explanations are debated; one is that each king built what the state could realistically finish. What Menkaure’s builders gave up in volume they partly made up in material.
Why is the lower part of Menkaure’s pyramid made of granite?
Its lowest sixteen courses, rising to more than 20 meters, were cased in red granite brought from Aswan, more than 800 kilometers up the Nile, while the upper casing was to be limestone. This is what sets it apart from its two neighbors.
The granite was never finished. Only some courses were fully dressed, and much of the rest remains rough, which gives a rare view of how pyramid casing was applied. Menkaure appears to have died before the work was complete, and his successor Shepseskaf finished the complex with cheaper materials.
Some accounts say that part of the granite was later removed in the 19th century under Muhammad Ali, but this is poorly documented and should be treated with caution.
See All Three Pyramids in Context
Menkaure's pyramid only really makes sense standing next to its two larger neighbors, with a guide who can point out what the eye glides past. These Egypt Sun Travel tours cover the full Giza plateau, not just the Great Pyramid.
What happened to the pyramid in 1196?
In 1196, Al-Aziz Uthman, the son of Saladin, ordered the demolition of the Giza pyramids, beginning with the smallest, Menkaure’s. According to the accounts, his workers labored for about eight months, found the task slow and costly, and gave up.
All they achieved was a large vertical gash in the north face, still visible today. The episode shows how solidly the pyramids were built, and is one reason the entrance and north face look damaged.
What are the three queens’ pyramids beside it?
Three small pyramids, G3-a, G3-b and G3-c, stand along the south side of Menkaure’s pyramid. G3-a, the easternmost, was completed as a true pyramid, while the other two were left less finished.
Who was buried in each is uncertain. The full story of these and the other queens’ pyramids at Giza is in our guide to the queens’ pyramids of Giza.
What are the mortuary temple and valley temple?
Menkaure’s mortuary temple, built against the east face, was unfinished at his death. Evidence points to Shepseskaf completing it in mudbrick rather than stone. A causeway once linked it to a valley temple, following the layout first developed at the Step Pyramid of Djoser, described in our Saqqara guide.
George Reisner excavated the valley temple in the early 20th century and recovered a fine group of statues of the king, including triads and dyads, now in museums in Cairo and Boston rather than on site.
What happened to Menkaure’s sarcophagus?
In 1837, Colonel Richard William Howard Vyse found a basalt sarcophagus in the burial chamber, carved in the palace-façade style. It was shipped on the merchant vessel Beatrice, which sailed from Alexandria in 1838 and was lost with all its cargo. No wreck has been confirmed.
A wooden coffin lid bearing Menkaure’s name, found in the same chamber, reached the British Museum. It is not original: its style points to a Saite-period restoration, radiocarbon dating of the wood gave a much later range of about 1212 to 846 BC, and the bones inside were younger still. Dating details remain debated, but none of it dates to Menkaure’s own burial.
Can you go inside the Pyramid of Menkaure?
When the interior is open, a descending passage from the north face leads to the burial chamber. An interior ticket, approximately EGP 280 as of 2026, is sold separately from the plateau ticket.
The passage is narrow and low, and not suited to anyone with mobility problems or claustrophobia. Interior access has at times been restricted for restoration, so confirm at the ticket office.
How to visit Menkaure’s pyramid
Menkaure’s pyramid lies a few hundred meters southwest of Khafre’s, reached on foot or by a short camel or horse ride. Because many groups skip it, it is often quiet, and the view back across the plateau takes in all three pyramids at once.
Go in the morning, wear closed shoes and carry water. The Sphinx, at the other end of the plateau, is covered in our history of the Great Sphinx.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Menkaure’s pyramid from Khafre’s?
A few hundred meters to the southwest, a short walk or camel ride along the plateau. It is not 200 meters from the Great Pyramid, as is sometimes stated; the Great Pyramid is farther away.
Can you go inside the Pyramid of Menkaure?
When open, yes. The entrance is in the north face about 4 meters above the base and leads down to the burial chamber. The interior ticket is sold separately and the pyramid has been closed at times for restoration, so confirm at the ticket office.
What happened to the pyramid in 1196?
Al-Aziz Uthman, son of Saladin, tried to demolish the pyramid. After about eight months the workers had made only a large vertical gash in the north face, which is still visible.
Why is Menkaure’s pyramid so much smaller?
Menkaure built a monument of about 65.5 meters against Khufu’s 146.6. Reasons are debated; one reading is that he built what the state could finish, and he spent material on granite rather than volume.
Where is Menkaure’s sarcophagus?
It was lost at sea in 1838 on the ship Beatrice while being shipped to England, and has never been found. Menkaure’s statues from his valley temple are in museums in Cairo and Boston.
