# Colossi of Memnon, Luxor

> The Colossi of Memnon are two seated statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, about 18 m tall, beside the main road on Luxor's West Bank — all that survives of his mortuary temple. There's no ticket and no fee, and you can see them from the roadside at any hour. Allow 15–20 minutes; most West Bank trips stop here first.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/colossi-of-memnon

- City: [Luxor](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor), Egypt
- YesGo score: 50/100 (Yes, go)
- Time on site: 20 min
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: Free, no ticket — the site isn't listed on the official ticketing system
- Hours: No set hours or ticket office; visible from the road at any time
- Time needed: 15–20 minutes, up to half an hour if you study the inscriptions
- Location: West Bank, on the main road to the Valley of the Kings, Kom el-Hettan
- Getting there: Ferry plus a 10-min taxi, or about 25 min by car via the bridge
- Payment: Nothing to pay at the statues; ferries and taxis take Egyptian pounds in cash
- Photos: Allowed and free, from every side
- Coordinates: 25.72056, 32.61056
- Facts checked: 03.11.2026

## Key facts

- **About 18 m** — height of each statue including its stone platform (about 4 m) (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; World History Encyclopedia)
- **Amenhotep III** — the 18th-Dynasty pharaoh the statues actually portray (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; World History Encyclopedia)
- **c. 1350 BC** — when the colossi were set up (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **700–720 tonnes** — estimated weight of each statue (source: Russian Wikipedia (700); English Wikipedia and World History Encyclopedia (720))
- **Quartzite sandstone** — most likely quarried near modern Cairo and hauled overland (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **27 BC** — an earthquake shattered the northern colossus (source: English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **At dawn** — the cracked statue gave off a sound — the geographer Strabo heard it (source: English Wikipedia; World History Encyclopedia)
- **AD 130** — Emperor Hadrian and Sabina visited; Julia Balbilla's poems about it are carved on the statue's leg (source: English Wikipedia; Encyclopedia.com)
- **c. AD 199** — repaired under Septimius Severus — and fell silent (source: Russian Wikipedia; World History Encyclopedia)
- **Tiye and Mutemwiya** — the king's wife and mother, carved small beside his legs (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; World History Encyclopedia)
- **About 35 ha** — the area of Amenhotep III's mortuary temple, the largest at Thebes (source: Russian Wikipedia; World History Encyclopedia)
- **Since 1998** — an Egyptian-German mission led by Hourig Sourouzian has been excavating the temple (source: Daily News Egypt; AP; English Wikipedia)

> **A 15-minute stop, not a trip of its own** The colossi sit right on the road you'll take anyway to the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and Medinet Habu. Don't cross the Nile just for them — but don't drive past either. Come early: they face east, so the morning sun lights their faces before the tour coaches arrive.

## Is it free to visit the Colossi of Memnon?

Yes. There's **no ticket and no fee**: the colossi aren't on the list of sites sold through Egypt's official ticketing system, and there's no ticket office on site. They stand in an open field beside the road, so you simply pull over and walk up.

There are no official opening hours either. Some guides quote 6:00–17:00, but that's unofficial — the statues are visible from the road at any time. You'll only spend money getting here: ferries and West Bank taxis take cash in Egyptian pounds, so carry small notes. Cards work at the ticket desks of the paid temples nearby, not with drivers.

## What are the Colossi of Memnon?

They're two giant seated statues of Pharaoh **Amenhotep III**, set up around 1350 BC at the gateway of his mortuary temple. The temple has almost entirely vanished; the statues have stayed put for well over three thousand years and become the West Bank's best-known silhouette.

Each one rises about **18 metres** with its platform and weighs an estimated 700 tonnes. The king sits with his hands on his knees, facing east towards the Nile and the rising sun. The two stand about 15 metres apart.

Their faces and upper bodies are badly weathered, so from a distance they read as rough blocks. The detail only appears up close: the small figures by the legs, the reliefs on the sides of the thrones and the ancient graffiti on the northern statue.

## Is the Colossi of Memnon worth it?

As a stop on the way, absolutely: it costs nothing, takes a quarter of an hour and the scale is genuinely startling when you stand at the statues' feet. As a destination in its own right, no — there's nothing else here to see, and the paid temples nearby hold far more.

If you have only one West Bank morning, let the [Valley of the Kings](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/valley-of-the-kings) and [Hatshepsut's temple](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/hatshepsut-temple) take the time, and slot the colossi in on the drive. With a second morning, pair them with [Medinet Habu](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/medinet-habu) and the [Ramesseum](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/ramesseum), each about a kilometre away as the crow flies.

## The singing statue

In 27 BC an earthquake shattered the **northern colossus**, and afterwards it began to make a sound shortly after sunrise. The geographer Strabo heard it himself, and word spread across the Roman Empire. Emperors, officials and tourists came to listen.

The likely explanation is physical: as the sun warmed the cracked, dew-damp stone after a cold night, air and moisture escaped through the fissures. Around AD 199, under **Septimius Severus**, the upper part was rebuilt in sandstone blocks — and the statue never sang again. Today it is silent.

## History of the Colossi of Memnon

**Memnon** has nothing to do with the statues. He was a hero of Greek myth, king of the Ethiopians and son of Eos, goddess of the dawn, killed by Achilles at Troy. Greek visitors decided the dawn sound was Memnon greeting his mother, and the name stuck. Locally the statues are called el-Colossat or es-Salamat.

Behind them stood **Amenhotep III's mortuary temple**, which covered some 35 hectares and was the largest at Thebes. Built on the edge of the Nile floodplain, it was wrecked by an earthquake around 1200 BC and later quarried for stone. Since 1998 an Egyptian-German mission led by **Hourig Sourouzian** has been excavating the field behind the colossi; in 2025 two alabaster statues of the king, around 14 metres tall, were re-erected deeper inside the temple.

Roman visitors carved their names and verses on the northern colossus's legs. The best known are by the poet **Julia Balbilla**, who came in AD 130 with Emperor **Hadrian** and his wife Sabina.

## What to see

- **The southern colossus** — carved from a single block and the better preserved; the throne and legs are clear.
- **The northern colossus** — the "singing" one; above the waist it's rebuilt in Roman-era blocks, visible as stepped courses.
- **The small figures** — Queen Tiye and the king's mother Mutemwiya, barely knee-high beside him.
- **Hapi, the Nile god**, on the throne sides, tying together the plants of Upper and Lower Egypt.
- **Greek and Latin graffiti** on the northern statue's legs — walk all the way round.
- **The excavation field** behind, with fallen statues and pylon foundations, fenced off but visible.

## How to get to the Colossi of Memnon

1. Start at Luxor Temple on the Corniche — the public ferry to the West Bank leaves from the landing right beside it.
2. Take the ferry across: the crossing takes a few minutes and costs a few pounds (unofficial).
3. On the West Bank, take a taxi from the landing: the colossi are about 3 km away as the crow flies, roughly 10 minutes. There are no meters, so agree the fare first — ideally for a full West Bank loop with waiting time.
4. No change of transport: a taxi or the inDrive app (cash only) from the centre over the bridge south of town, about 25 minutes.
5. Ask the driver to stop at "Memnon" — the statues are right on the main road and every West Bank driver knows them.
6. Carry on along the same road to Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum, Hatshepsut's temple or the Valley of the Kings.

## Best time to visit

**Early morning** is best. The statues face east, so low sun picks out the faces and reliefs, the heat is bearable and the tour coaches haven't arrived. At midday the light is flat and there's no shade at all.

Late afternoon puts the colossi in shadow, but the Theban hills behind them glow — a good moment if you're passing on the way back to the ferry. A guided West Bank tour usually stops here first thing and explains the reliefs on the spot.

## Before you go

- [ ] Plan the colossi as part of a West Bank loop, not a separate trip
- [ ] Arrive in the morning, while the sun is on the faces
- [ ] Egyptian pounds in cash for the ferry and taxi
- [ ] Fare and the stop at the colossi agreed with the driver
- [ ] Water and a hat — there's no shade

## Colossi vs nearby temples

|  | Colossi of Memnon | Medinet Habu | Ramesseum |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | Two statues of Amenhotep III by the road | Ramesses III's mortuary temple with painted reliefs | Ramesses II's mortuary temple |
| Foreign adult | Free | EGP 220 | EGP 220 |
| Student | Free | EGP 110 | EGP 110 |
| Open | Always — it's a roadside view | From 6:00; last entry 17:00 summer, 16:00 winter | From 6:00; last entry 17:00 summer, 16:00 winter |
| Time needed | 15–20 minutes | 1–1.5 hours | About an hour |

Temple fares and hours from Egypt's official ticketing system (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities). Visit times are YesGo estimates.

## Luxor history: compare and choose

All historic sites in Luxor rated by YesGo.

- [Luxor Temple](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/luxor-temple) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 15 min · EGP 500, students EGP 250
- [Colossi of Memnon](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/colossi-of-memnon) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free, no ticket
- [Karnak Temple](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/karnak-temple) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · EGP 600, students EGP 300
- [Valley of the Kings](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/valley-of-the-kings) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · EGP 750, Tutankhamun extra
- [Temple of Hatshepsut](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/hatshepsut-temple) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · EGP 440, students EGP 220
- [Avenue of Sphinxes](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/avenue-of-sphinxes) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free to view (unofficial)
- [Ramesseum](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/ramesseum) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · EGP 220, students EGP 110
- [Luxor Museum](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/luxor-museum) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · EGP 400, students EGP 200
- [Medinet Habu](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/medinet-habu) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · EGP 220, students EGP 110
- [Valley of the Queens](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/valley-of-the-queens) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · EGP 220, Nefertari closed

## The West Bank in a morning

Valley of the Kings at opening, then Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu and the Colossi of Memnon on the way back to the ferry. Add it to your route — YesGo sets the timings and transfers.

1. [Valley of the Kings](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/valley-of-the-kings) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · EGP 750, Tutankhamun extra
2. [Temple of Hatshepsut](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/hatshepsut-temple) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · EGP 440, students EGP 220
3. [Medinet Habu](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/medinet-habu) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · EGP 220, students EGP 110
4. [Colossi of Memnon](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/colossi-of-memnon) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free, no ticket

## Don't confuse

The Colossi of Memnon are the two quartzite statues by the road. The alabaster statues of Amenhotep III re-erected inside the same temple in 2025 were also called "Colossi of Memnon" in some news reports, but they're different statues. Nor are these the colossi of Ramesses II at the gate of Luxor Temple on the East Bank.

## Tips

- Tell your driver at the start that you want to stop here — most pull over anyway, but some skip it when racing to the Valley of the Kings at opening.
- The easiest moment is on the way back to the ferry: valleys in the morning, colossi at the end, after the groups have gone.
- Walk round the northern colossus — the Roman graffiti on its legs is more interesting than the front view.
- For a shot with both statues and the hills, step back towards the road.
- There's no shade at all; at midday ten minutes is plenty.
- Back on the East Bank in the evening, finish at [Luxor Temple](https://yesgo.io/egypt/luxor/luxor-temple), floodlit and right by the ferry landing.

## Questions

### Is there an entrance fee for the Colossi of Memnon?

No. There's no ticket or ticket office — the statues stand beside the road. You only pay for the ferry and taxi.

### What are the Colossi of Memnon opening hours?

There are no official hours. The statues are in the open by the main road and can be seen at any time; morning light is best.

### How long do you need at the Colossi of Memnon?

15–20 minutes. It's a short stop on a West Bank loop rather than a visit in itself.

### Is the Colossi of Memnon worth visiting?

As a free stop on the way to the Valley of the Kings or Medinet Habu, yes. It isn't worth a separate trip across the Nile.

### How do I get to the Colossi of Memnon from Luxor?

Take the public ferry from beside Luxor Temple, then a taxi for about 10 minutes, or drive from the centre over the bridge in about 25 minutes.

### Who do the Colossi of Memnon depict?

Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Greeks and Romans named them after Memnon, a hero of the Trojan War. His wife Tiye and mother Mutemwiya appear beside his legs.

### Why was the Colossus of Memnon said to sing?

After an earthquake cracked the northern statue in 27 BC, it made a sound shortly after dawn. Repairs around AD 199 under Septimius Severus silenced it.

### How tall are the Colossi of Memnon?

About 18 metres each, including the stone platform of about 4 metres. Each weighs an estimated 700–720 tonnes.

### How old are the Colossi of Memnon?

They were set up around 1350 BC, in the reign of Amenhotep III, 18th Dynasty.

## How we checked

The colossi are not listed on the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' official ticketing system, and guidebooks describe them as open, unfenced and free — so we say free but mark it "verifying", as there's no direct official statement. There are no official hours either; some guides give 6:00–17:00, others say open round the clock, so we say they're visible from the road at any time. Medinet Habu and Ramesseum fares and hours come from the ministry's ticketing system. Sources give different weights (700 and 720 tonnes) and repair dates (AD 196 or 199), so we show a range or "around". Most sources place the quarry near Cairo; World History Encyclopedia also allows the Aswan area. News reports on the 2025 restoration called the alabaster statues "Colossi of Memnon", though by material and position they are different statues. Ferry and journey times come from guidebooks and are marked "verifying"; Uber and Careem aren't confirmed in Luxor. Other historical facts are checked against at least two sources.

## Sources

- Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, official ticketing system Egymonuments: list of sites (the colossi are not on it), Medinet Habu, Ramesseum — fares and hours
- English Wikipedia: Colossi of Memnon; Memnon (mythology); Wikidata Q750209
- Russian Wikipedia: Колоссы Мемнона
- World History Encyclopedia: Colossi of Memnon
- Encyclopedia.com: Balbilla (fl. 130 CE)
- AP (via KSL), Daily News Egypt, Archaeology Wiki — statues of Amenhotep III restored in 2025
- Explore Luxor; The World Travel Guy — free roadside access (unofficial)

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