Khafre

Hello! My name is Khafre, and I was a pharaoh in ancient Egypt more than four thousand years ago. You might know my father, Khufu. He built the biggest pyramid of all, the Great Pyramid of Giza. I grew up watching this amazing structure rise from the desert sand. I was born around the year 2603 BCE. Being a prince was a big responsibility. I learned how to read and write in hieroglyphs, the picture-writing of my people. I also learned about our gods, like Ra, the sun god, and how a pharaoh’s job was to keep peace and order, which we called ma'at, in our kingdom along the Nile River.

After my father and my half-brother Djedefre ruled, it was my turn to be king. I became pharaoh around the year 2558 BCE. Being pharaoh was the most important job in Egypt. My people believed I was a living god, a connection between them and the heavens. It was my duty to make sure the Nile River flooded each year so our farms could grow food. I led ceremonies to honor the gods and made sure our kingdom was strong and safe. I had a large family, and my main wife was Queen Meresankh III. Together, we ruled over a powerful and amazing kingdom during a time historians now call the Old Kingdom.

Like my father, I wanted to build a home for my spirit for the afterlife. I chose a spot right next to his Great Pyramid at Giza. My pyramid is the second-tallest one there. It might look a little taller than my father's from a distance, but that's a trick! I built mine on slightly higher ground. For many years, thousands of skilled workers cut giant stone blocks and moved them into place. When it was finished, my pyramid was covered in shiny, white limestone that gleamed in the sun. Most of that is gone now, but a small part of the original covering still sits at the very top, like a cap.

Near my pyramid stands a magnificent statue that you have probably seen in pictures. It is the Great Sphinx! It has the body of a powerful lion and the head of a human. We carved it from a single, huge piece of limestone that was already on the ground at Giza. For thousands of years, people have wondered about this mysterious statue. Most experts today believe that the face of the Sphinx is my own face. It was created to be a royal symbol of strength and wisdom, and to stand guard over my pyramid and my temple for all of eternity.

My time as pharaoh came to an end around the year 2532 BCE. I lived a full life leading my people and building monuments that would last forever. Today, thousands of years later, people from all over the world travel to Egypt to see what we built. They look up at my pyramid and stand before the Great Sphinx, and they remember me. A beautiful statue of me, carved from a hard, dark stone, was found in my temple. It shows me sitting on my throne, protected by the god Horus. Through these amazing things, my story and the story of ancient Egypt live on.