Colossi of Memnon
تمثالا ممنونThe colossi are the best-known survivors of Amenhotep III’s temple, whose remains extend well beyond the roadside view.
Think of the statues as a doorway into a much larger story. Amenhotep III’s temple was one of the great royal temple complexes of the west bank; excavation and conservation have recovered more of its sculpture and layout.
Published sources · confirm changing details before travel
Already at the site?Keep the visit sequence and details to look for close to hand.
Open the field guide- Type
- Monument
- Bank
- West bank
- Period
- New Kingdom
- Principal deity
- Amun
- Time needed
- 15–30 minutes
- Best time of day
- Any time — it is a roadside stop and most people pass it on the way to somewhere else
- Heat exposure
- Medium · Expect exposed sections. Continuous shade or a seated rest area has not been verified; plan a separate break.
- Walking
- Easy · Check the distance from the vehicle drop-off to the permitted viewing area and back. Seeing the two statues does not establish access to the wider excavated temple; no measured accessible approach is recorded.
- Guide
- Optional
- Ticket
- Price currently unavailable
- Photography
- rules not verified
- Current access
- Current access not verified
Dashed boxes mark information we have not verified. Check essential prices, hours and access arrangements with the official venue before travelling.
Two sentinels. The memory of a temple.
A stylised view of the seated colossi, with a separate diagram of the vanished temple’s footprint. The figures and remains are schematic, not a reconstruction to scale.
Select a number to explore a detail here.
The two seated figures
- SOUTHERN COLOSSUS
- NORTHERN COLOSSUS
Select a number to explore a detail here.
The temple behind them
- TEMPLE REMAINS · STUDY
Select a number to explore a detail here.
Text alternative for this figure
| Look for this | Where |
|---|---|
| 1. The small figures at the king’s legs | Beside the lower legs of each colossus, and on the sides of both thrones |
| 2. Tourist graffiti in Greek and Latin | The lower legs, feet and base of the northern colossus |
| 3. The temple in the field behind them | Look west, past the two statues, into the open ground |
A stylised view of the seated colossi, with a separate diagram of the vanished temple’s footprint. The figures and remains are schematic, not a reconstruction to scale.
Details worth stopping for.
Numbers match the plan above. Each entry says where it is, what you will actually see, and how confident anyone can be about what it means.
- 1
The small figures at the king’s legs
Back to the drawingBeside the lower legs of each colossus, and on the sides of both thrones
Standing female figures that barely reach the king’s shin — his wife Tiye and his mother Mutemwia. On the sides of the thrones, two Nile gods pull the papyrus and the lily together around a central sign, knotting Lower and Upper Egypt into one.
Fact — the figures and their identification. Interpretation — what Tiye’s prominence on royal monuments means.
The difference in scale is the message the sculptor intended. But so is Tiye’s presence at all: Amenhotep III put his wife on his monuments, at this size and in this position, to a degree no king before him had.
- 2
Tourist graffiti in Greek and Latin
Back to the drawingThe lower legs, feet and base of the northern colossus
Inscriptions cut and scratched into the stone — names, official titles, dates, and short poems, including verses composed by a woman named Julia Balbilla for the visit of the emperor Hadrian.
Fact — the inscriptions, their languages and their content. Tradition — that the sound began after an earthquake in 27 BCE and stopped after a Roman repair; both are reported by ancient authors rather than established by evidence on the statue.
These are visitors’ inscriptions — more than a hundred of them — left by people who travelled a very long way to hear a statue make a noise at dawn, and who then wrote their names on it. It is the oldest visitor book in Luxor, and it is worth remembering that they were tourists too.
- 3
The temple in the field behind them
Back to the drawingLook west, past the two statues, into the open ground
Low walls, blocks laid out in rows, re-erected colossi standing further back on the axis, and ranks of black granite statues of a lioness-headed goddess. The flat ground between them is the level the temple floor sat at.
The open ground behind the colossi belongs to the archaeological landscape of Amenhotep III’s temple. View only from authorised areas; excavation areas are not necessarily visitor routes.
Look closely, photograph only where permitted, and keep hands and bags clear of ancient surfaces. Follow barriers and conservation instructions.
Who built and changed this place?
Explore the rulers connected with this site and the work they left here.
The rulers appear in chronological order. Select a name to explore their reign and the monuments connected with it.
Plan your visit.
Tickets
No current official admission price was established in our online check. Confirm any charge with the site before visiting.
Opening hours & timing
- Daily hours
- Opening hours not verified
- Time needed
- 15–30 minutes
- Best time of day
- Any time — it is a roadside stop and most people pass it on the way to somewhere else
Heat & shade
- Heat exposure
- Medium
- Shade
- Low
- Walking
- Easy
- Water on site
- not verified
Expect exposed sections. Continuous shade or a seated rest area has not been verified; plan a separate break.
Photography
- Photography
- rules not verified
Getting there
Directly beside the main west-bank road, a few minutes inland from the ferry landing and on the way to everything else — the Ramesseum, Deir el-Bahari and the Valley of the Kings are all further along the same route. It is the first thing most visitors see on the west bank, and it needs no detour at all.
- Typical taxi fare
- not verified
Do you need a guide?
Ask about Amenhotep III’s wider temple and its excavation history. A short introduction can add context without requiring a guided stop.
Check the access details you need.
Access depends on the whole route: surfaces, thresholds, distance, shade and facilities. We describe these separately, but have not completed an on-site access audit. Confirm the details you need before visiting.
- Ground surface
- Level, immediately beside the road — compacted ground and some loose sand between the road and the statues
- Stairs
- Confirm the current path and kerbs between drop-off and the permitted viewing area.
- Shade
- Expect exposed sections. Continuous shade or a seated rest area has not been verified; plan a separate break.
- Vehicle drop-off
- Current drop-off and any internal transport are unverified. Confirm the location and distance to the entrance before arranging your ride.
- Sensory conditions
- The main viewing area is outdoors near the road. Check the approach and traffic conditions; the open setting does not guarantee a quiet or shaded stop.
- Claustrophobia
- The main viewing area is outdoors. Confirm the current permitted route.
- Distance on foot
- Check the distance from the vehicle drop-off to the permitted viewing area and back. Seeing the two statues does not establish access to the wider excavated temple; no measured accessible approach is recorded.
Confirm before visiting: Step-free entry · Wheelchair route · Seating · Accessible toilet.
Our access descriptions are planning guidance, not an on-site audit. Confirm the route and facilities you need before visiting. Photographs alone cannot establish accessibility.
Would a licensed guide help your visit?
We do not arrange guides or take booking fees. Our guide explains where local knowledge and historical context can add to a visit, and what to ask before hiring someone.
Sources & further reading6
Source review is incomplete. Consultation dates are shown only for checked references.
These references provide the historical background for the page.