Colossi of Memnon

The Colossi of Memnon, towering at 18 meters each, are two massive seated statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III that have stood on Luxor’s west bank since 1350 BC. Originally positioned at the entrance of Amenhotep III’s vast mortuary temple—once the largest in Egypt—the statues were crafted from quartzite sandstone transported from quarries near Cairo. Despite centuries of damage from floods and earthquakes, the colossi remain iconic symbols of ancient Egyptian grandeur. In the Greco-Roman era, one statue became famous for producing a “singing” sound at dawn, believed by travelers to be the voice of Memnon, a hero of the Trojan War. Today, they mark the gateway to the Theban necropolis and are admired as enduring masterpieces of pharaonic artistry.