What is the original height of the Pyramid of Menkaure?

The original height of the Pyramid of Menkaure was 65.5 meters. It is the smallest of the three principal pyramids at Giza, yet it was still an immense royal monument built for the Fourth-Dynasty pharaoh Menkaure.

The pyramid’s core was made mainly from limestone, while parts of its lower casing used valuable Aswan granite. Its intended outer finish included Tura limestone, giving the completed monument a smoother and brighter appearance than the weathered structure visible today. The pyramid’s original base measured roughly 102 meters on each side.

Menkaure’s pyramid is often confused with the much larger pyramids of Khafre and Khufu. Khafre’s pyramid originally stood about 143.5 meters high, while Khufu’s reached approximately 146.6 meters. Menkaure’s surviving height is lower still because erosion, stone removal and damage have altered the monument over time.

A striking historical detail is that medieval workers attempted to demolish the pyramid on the orders of al-Aziz Uthman, but abandoned the effort after eight months. The vertical scar on its northern face remains evidence of that failed attempt.