Colossi of Memnon, Luxor, Egypt

The Colossi of Memnon are two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III in Luxor, which stand at the front of the ruined Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III, the largest temple in the Theban Necropolis. They have stood since 1350 BC, and were well known to ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as early modern travelers and Egyptologists. The statues contain 107 Roman-era inscriptions in Greek and Latin, dated to between AD 20 and 250; many of these inscriptions on the northernmost statue make reference to the Greek mythological king Memnon, whom the statue was then, erroneously, thought to represent.

Scholars have debated how the identification of the northern colossus as 'Memnon' is connected to the Greek name for the entire Theban Necropolis as the Memnonium.

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User Reviews

Reena Grace (51 days ago)
Amazing! Definitely worth a visit, go with a good guide to learn about the history! The multilingual inscriptions are fascinating. Sellers can be a little agressive.

razorrau1 (2 months ago)
The Colossi of Memnon is a real massive pair of statues. It is unbelievable how they built these on the size scale that they are. They are very unique sculptures which was a nice stop to viewing them. They're kind of like all by themselves but it is on the way to a lot of other stuff so it was worth the stop to see them!

Radek Horak (2 months ago)
This must have been a nice temple back then, considering the size of the statues still standing and the ruins around. The small parking lot makes this a "take a picture and leave" place, 5-15 minutes visit.

Catalina Silva (3 months ago)
Incredible place. Free, no need to pay an entrance fee as is not possible to walk in as there is another temple on top of this site which is currently being studied.

Manish Gayan (4 months ago)
Behold the magnificent grandeur of two colossal statues of Pharaoh, standing tall and proud! These ancient giants have withstood the ravages of time, and their commanding presence is simply awe-inspiring. They guard the once-majestic Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III, now in ruins but still echoing stories of a glorious past. The best part? You don’t need any tickets to marvel at these incredible monuments! Make sure to stop by for an unforgettable encounter on your journey.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

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