Pyramid of Khafre

The Pyramid of Khafre is the middle of the three pyramids of Giza and the second tallest of all Egyptian pyramids. It was built around 2520 BCE for Khafre, son of Khufu. At 136.4 metres it is technically slightly lower than the Great Pyramid, but appears taller due to its steeper 53-degree angle and a higher rock base. Near the top it still retains a fragment of its original smooth limestone casing, making it instantly recognisable from a distance. Its complex includes a valley temple of monumental granite blocks and the famous Great Sphinx of Giza, which is thought to depict Khafre himself. Inside, a descending corridor leads to the burial chamber with the original sarcophagus, already empty when Giovanni Belzoni first entered it in 1818. The pyramid is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. Interior visits are permitted on a rotating basis and are usually less crowded than at the Great Pyramid.