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The middle pyramid

Khafre

The pyramid that still wears a cap of casing stones, and the one whose valley temple stands near the Great Sphinx.

The pyramid of Khafre under a blue sky, with a distinct band of smoother casing stones remaining at the summit
The pyramid of Khafre, 18 July 2016, still wearing a cap of outer limestone casing at the top.Photo: Vincent Brown · CC BY 2.0 · Commons

The middle pyramid was built for Khafre (Greek: Chephren), the fourth of the eight kings of the 4th dynasty.⁠1 Britannica measures Khafre’s pyramid at 707.75 feet (216 metres) on each side, originally 471 feet (143 metres) high, and says it retains the outer limestone casing only at its topmost portion.⁠1

Close view of the remaining smooth limestone casing at the apex of Khafre’s pyramid
Remaining casing stone at the top of Khafre’s pyramid, 26 December 2016.Photo: Vincent Brown · CC BY 2.0 · Commons

The Great Sphinx, south of the Great Pyramid near Khafre’s valley temple, is carved out of limestone with the facial features of a man and the body of a recumbent lion, about 240 feet (73 metres) long and 66 feet (20 metres) high.⁠1

All three pyramids were plundered in ancient and medieval times: the grave goods are missing, and the kings’ bodies have never been found.⁠1

Continue to the Great Sphinx, or back to the three pyramids.

Sources on this page

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Pyramids of Giza (editors’ main article; checked 15 November 2026)