Collossi Of Memnon

The Colossi of Memnon are two massive, twin stone statues standing proudly on the West Bank of Luxor. Rising about 18 meters above the desert plains, these towering figures have been greeting travelers crossing the Nile River for over 3,400 years.

👑 Who Do They Represent?

Although they are called “Memnon,” these giant statues actually depict Pharaoh Amenhotep III (the grandfather of King Tutankhamun) from the New Kingdom. He is shown sitting on his throne with his hands resting on his knees, facing eastward toward the Nile and the rising sun. At his feet, smaller figures are carved into the stone representing his mother, Mutemwiya, and his chief wife, Queen Tiye.

Originally, these two giants stood as guards at the entrance of Amenhotep III’s Mortuary Temple. His temple was once the largest and most grand complex in ancient Egypt, even bigger than the Karnak Temple. However, because it was built close to the Nile floodplain, centuries of annual floods completely destroyed the mud-brick walls, leaving only these two stone giants standing.

🎵 The Legend of the “Singing” Statues

The name “Memnon” comes from ancient Greek mythology. In the year 27 BC, a powerful earthquake shattered the northern colossus from the waist up. Following this event, a strange phenomenon began to happen: every single morning at sunrise, the broken statue would emit a peculiar, whistling sound—almost like a sad song or a sigh.

Greek and Roman travelers believed this sound was the voice of Memnon, a mythical hero of the Trojan War, crying out to his mother Eos (the goddess of the Dawn) each morning. The statues became the world’s very first tourist attraction, drawing Roman emperors and poets who carved their names into the stone. The “singing” finally stopped in the late 2nd century AD when a Roman emperor repaired the statue, sealing the cracks that caused the wind to make the whistling sound.

🚗 How to Visit

• Location: Conveniently located right on the main road leading to the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut on Luxor’s West Bank.
• Opening Hours: The site is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Since it sits right by the roadside, you can view it at any time.
• Tickets & Entry: Visiting the Colossi of Memnon is completely free! You do not need a ticket to stop, walk around them, and take photos.