Pyramid of Menkaure | The Smallest of the Pyramids of Giza

Who was the Pharaoh Menkaure?

Menkaure was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh and the fifth ruler of the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom. The son of the pharaoh Khafre and Queen Khamerernebty I, he succeeded his father to the throne. While the length of Menkaure's reign is uncertain, it is thought to have begun around 2530 BC. 
He is also known by the Greek name Mykerinos, and is most famous for his tomb, the Pyramid of Menkaure at Giza.
Menkaure is thought to have had at least two wives, Queen Khamerernebty II and Queen Rekhetre. Several of his half-brothers, including Nebemakhet, Duaenre, and Nikaure served as viziers during his reign.

Building the Pyramid of Menkaure

The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three main pyramids at Giza. Its square base measures 103 meters (339 feet) along each side, and it stands at a height of 62 meters (215 feet). 
The unfinished nature of the granite blocks indicates that Menkaure died before the structure was finished. It’s likely that the pyramid was completed around 2510 BC, by Shepseskaf,  Menkaure’s successor. 
The pyramid was built using millions of blocks of limestone and granite. The pyramid builders included between 5,000 to 20,000 workers and their families who were all housed on the Giza plateau.

Address: Giza Necropolis, Al Giza Desert, Giza Governorate, Egypt
Find on Map
The Giza Necropolis is on the outskirts of the city of Cairo, around 15 km away from the city center. The Pyramid of Menkaure is located within the Giza Necropolis. It is the smallest and southernmost pyramid in the Giza complex.
Nearest landmarks: Egyptian Museum and Khan el-Khalili Bazaar

History of Menkaure’s Pyramid

The Pyramid of Menkaure was built between 2532 and 2515 BC. However, its walls and Menkaure’s mortuary and valley temples were not completed until after the pharaoh’s death.
It is the smallest of the three main Pyramids of Giza, at just 62m tall, but has one of the most complex and best-preserved structures. The excavated remains of Menkaure’s Funerary Temple revealed some of the most stunning sculptures from all of Egyptian history. 
During the 12th century, the Sultan of Egypt made an attempt to demolish the Pyramids of Giza, beginning with Menkaure’s. While he was ultimately unsuccessful, his workers managed to leave an unsightly gash on the north face of the pyramid.

Excavations of the Pyramid of Menkaure

The first excavations of Menkaure’s Pyramid in the modern era began in 1817,  supervised by Giovanni Belzoni. But it was not until 1837 that the first big discovery was made when Egyptologist Howard Vyse found two sarcophagi inside the pyramid. Sadly the one likely belonging to Menkaure was lost at sea in 1838 on the way to England. The other sarcophagus, which was made of wood and heavily decorated, can be found in the British Museum. 
At the beginning of the twentieth century, George Reisner excavated the largely ignored Valley Temple where he found a large number of beautifully carved statues of Menkaure flanked by the goddess Hathor and Bat, which proclaimed his authority as king.

Inside the Pyramid

Menkaure’s pyramid chambers are divided into three distinct levels, more complex than those of his father Khafre. They include a chamber carved with decorative panels and another with six large niches, as well as a vast burial chamber lined with massive granite blocks.
It was in the burial chamber that Vyse discovered two coffins, a large 8-foot-long black stone sarcophagus carved with niched panels (now at the the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea), and the remains of a wooden coffin bearing the name of Menkaure (now displayed in the British Museum).

Menkaure’s Queens

South of the Pyramid of Menkaure are three more small Queens’ Pyramids. While it remains unclear who is buried there, these pyramids may have been the resting places of the king's wife Khamerernebty II, and possibly his half-sister, Shepsetkau. 
Another of Menkaure’s wives, Rekhetre, is buried in the Central Field of the Giza Necropolis.
Near the valley temple of Menkaure, is the tomb of Khentkaus, Menkaure’s daughter. It is much larger than the other Queen’s pyramids and has its own boat pit, valley temple, and living quarters for priests.