Colossi of Memnon

The two quartzite colossi, each about eighteen metres high, stood at the gateway of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III, which was the largest temple ever built at Thebes and which an earthquake and later quarrying reduced almost to nothing, so for centuries the statues stood alone in the fields. After an earthquake in 27 BC the northern colossus began to emit a sound at dawn, which Greek and Roman visitors travelled to hear and interpreted as Memnon greeting his mother the dawn; they carved their names on the legs, and the noise stopped after a Roman repair. Excavation of the temple behind has been running for years and has raised further colossi and a large group of Sekhmet statues, so the site now has more to see than the two figures alone.

What to look for

• Two eighteen-metre colossi - quartzite figures beside the road.
• Greek and Roman graffiti - visitors' names cut into the legs.
• The temple excavation behind - further colossi raised in recent years.
• Sekhmet statues - a large group recovered from the temple grounds.

When to go

October to April. Thirty minutes, and everyone stops here because the road passes it. Early morning has the best light and the fewest coaches. Sunrise is the traditional hour, in memory of the sound.

Good to know

It is a roadside stop rather than a visit, and vendors work it hard. The famous sound has not been heard for eighteen centuries. The temple excavation behind is fenced and viewed from a distance. There is no shade and no facilities.

Nearby

The Ramesseum and Medinet Habu are close; the ferry to Luxor is east.

Key facts