Menkaure

Hello. My name is Menkaure, and I was a pharaoh in ancient Egypt. A pharaoh is like a king, and I lived a very, very long time ago. My family was very famous. My grandfather was the great pharaoh Khufu, and my father was the pharaoh Khafre. We were a family of builders who wanted to create things that would last forever.

My job as pharaoh was very important. I had to lead my people and make sure everyone was safe and happy. In Egypt, we also believed it was important to honor our gods. We showed our love for the gods by building amazing monuments that would stand for thousands of years. My grandfather, Khufu, and my father, Khafre, built magnificent pyramids at a special place called Giza. Their pyramids were the biggest ones in all of Egypt, and they reached high into the sky.

Around the year 2532 BCE, I began my own big project. I wanted to build a pyramid, too. I decided to build it at Giza, right next to the ones my father and grandfather built. My pyramid was the smallest of the three, but it was very special. For the bottom layers, I used a beautiful, strong stone called red granite, which made it look different and very strong. My artists also carved wonderful statues of me. If you visit a museum today, you might see one of the statues they made of me so long ago.

My time as pharaoh came to an end around the year 2503 BCE. I lived a full life, and I am proud of what I left behind. Even though so many years have passed, the pyramid I built is still standing, completing the famous trio of great pyramids at Giza. I am remembered as the pharaoh who finished this amazing group of monuments that visitors from all over the world still come to see.