• Please support our journalism through affiliate links. Affiliate Disclosure
  • Written by our human editors, structured with the help of AI.

Review & FAQ:

  • What are the Colossi of Memnon?
    • Across the Nile River from the city of Luxor are the Colossi of Memnon, two huge statues of stone that represent Pharaoh Amenhotep III, an ancient Egyptian ruler from around 1400 BC.
  • What remains of the temple the statues once guarded?
    • They are almost all that remains of the temple they once guarded, which was the largest and most extravagant in all of Egypt at the time.
  • Why is one of the Colossi of Memnon damaged?
    • About 2,000 years ago, an earthquake cracked and damaged one of the statues.
  • Why is one of the statues called "Memnon"?
    • When dew forms in the cracks and dries in the hot morning sun, the statue emits a strange, melodic sound that caused early visitors from Greece and Rome to name the statue “Memnon” after a legendary hero of the Trojan War.

Colossi of Memnon, Al Bairat, Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt Phone: +20-11-48-13-06-16

Colossi of Memnon
© Courtesy of Dmitry V. Petrenko - Fotolia.com

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Plan Your Trip

Get Ready to Go!

Need some more help?


Go to travel reservations.