Khafre

Khafre, also written as Chephren, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty during the Old Kingdom. He reigned circa 2558–2532 BCE and is commonly regarded as the son of Khufu and the father of Menkaure. Khafre is best known for commissioning the second pyramid at Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre, which is part of a larger complex that includes a mortuary temple, a causeway, and a valley temple.

The Pyramid of Khafre is the second largest of the Giza pyramids. Although slightly smaller than Khufu’s pyramid, Khafre’s structure appears taller from certain viewpoints because it rises from higher bedrock and retains some of its white limestone casing near the apex. The complex reflects standard royal mortuary architecture of the period, with a limestone casing that originally would have given the pyramid a smooth outer surface.

The Giza plateau is also associated with the Great Sphinx, a monumental statue traditionally linked to Khafre and believed to have guarded the complex. Inside Khafre’s valley temple, a famous diorite statue of the king—seated on a throne and wearing the nemes headdress—has become one of the most celebrated examples of Old Kingdom sculpture; a copy is housed in the Louvre.

Khafre’s reign is viewed as a continuation of the era’s pyramid-building and state-organizing achievements at Giza. He was succeeded by his son Menkaure, and his memorial complex remains a central component of the Giza necropolis and a UNESCO World Heritage site.