Colossi of Memnon

You are now standing in front of the Colossi of Memnon – two of the most impressive monuments on the West Bank of Luxor. More than 3,400 years ago, these colossal statues guarded the entrance to the enormous mortuary temple of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Each statue is carved from a single block of sandstone and rises almost 20 meters above the ground. The stone was taken from the vast sandstone quarries of Gebel el Silsila, about 170 kilometers south of Thebes. There, the gigantic blocks were first loosened from the mountain before being dragged down to the riverbank on sledges lubricated with water or oil. During the annual floods of the Nile, the blocks were loaded onto huge barges and transported northward with the current. It was an engineering feat that required precise timing, hundreds of workers, and a logistics that still amazes modern archaeologists. The pharaoh sits on his throne, facing east and the sunrise, as a symbol of rebirth and eternal life. Although the temple behind them has long since disappeared, these two guardians still stand. They bear the marks of time – earthquakes, floods and erosion – but also a calm and dignity that has made them one of Egypt’s most iconic landmarks. Take a moment to walk around the statues. See the smaller figures at the pharaoh’s feet, symbols of family and divine legitimacy. Also note the deep cracks and repairs that tell the story of thousands of years of natural forces and human admiration.