Pyramid of Nyuserre

Funerary complex of Nyuserre Ini (Egyptian Mn-swt Nỉ-wsr-rꜥ, 'Enduring are the places of Nyuserre'), sixth king of the Fifth Dynasty and the last king buried at Abusir. Before building his own tomb, Nyuserre completed the unfinished monuments of his father Neferirkare, mother Khentkaus II and brother Neferefre, then wedged his complex into the last free ground — about 300 m square — between Neferirkare's and Sahure's pyramids, co-opting Neferirkare's half-built causeway and valley temple (the causeway's famous bend marks the diversion).

9 m base, once nearly 52 m high) has a seven-step rough-limestone core whose fine Tura casing was robbed, leaving a ruined mound with an unstable substructure dangerous to enter. Its L-shaped mortuary temple — hemmed in by older mastabas — introduced the square antechamber (antichambre carrée) with single column, possible pylon prototypes, and an unexplained square platform that may have held an obelisk pyramidion; a small cult pyramid stands in a separate south-east enclosure.

Cleared by Perring (1838), catalogued as Lepsius XX (1843) and fully excavated by Borchardt (January 1902-April 1904; monograph 1907). Nyuserre's funerary cult may uniquely have survived into the Middle Kingdom — a contested claim.