Colossi of Memnon

Colossi of Memnon

Introduction The Colossi of Memnon are two massive stone statues standing in the field between the west bank of the Nile and the Valley of the Kings. Originally, they were statues in front of the temple of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, but the temple itself has long since vanished. The statues are 20 meters tall and heavily eroded, with their facial features no longer distinguishable. The seated figures were built by Pharaoh Amenhotep III during the height of the New Kingdom. Behind the statues was originally his mortuary temple, but later pharaohs dismantled the structure and used its stones for their own buildings. By the time of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, the building had been completely destroyed. People believed the statues depicted Memnon from Greek mythology, hence the name "Colossi of Memnon." Earthquakes during the Roman era caused cracks to appear in the statues. When the wind blows, the statues were said to emit a singing sound—an intriguing phenomenon. However, after repairs were made, the statues never sang again. Ticketing/Opening Hours There is no entrance fee to visit the statues, but there is a ticket booth nearby selling combination tickets for the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.

Luxor, Egypt