Colossi of Memnon, Two Large Giants Have Been Well Established For Thousands of Years
Challenging the time since 1350 BC till now and all the natural factors, including a massive earthquake that took place in 27 BC, the two magnificent Colossi of Memnon salute you today from the 18th Dynasty with 20-meter-high, which had sent out sad musical tones to the Romans.
From the time these huge statues were built thousands of years ago to their steadfastness until today, they are considered a miracle.
These pharaohs’ statues were made of quartzite sandstone, the material the pharaohs transported more than 420 miles from an area called now El-Gabal el-Ahmar, located near modern Cairo to the ancient city of Thebes, to leave one of the most tourist attractions in Luxor.
So, what is their story!
Whatever your size, you will be in front of Colossi of Memnon as a dwarf since Amenhotep III had built them to guard his mortuary temple, with each measuring 60 feet tall. But a great happened in 27 BC earthquake caused in destruction of this temple completely. Nothing remains except these two massive pharaohs’ statues and the statues that are on their feet.
While surprising seeing the great Colossi of Memnon, you will notice at the feet of the northern statue a small statue representing the pharaoh with his mother. While in the southern one, there is another statue representing the pharaoh with his wife and one of his daughters.
These statues all standing graciously on the horizon of the magnificent Luxor for thousands of years, to be one of the amazing sightseeing that represents Amenhotep III while he had been sitting in glory on his throne wearing the royal
headdress, and protected by the divine cobra of the Nemes.
On the side of colossi, there is the god Hapi of the Nile, bending together with the papyrus plants and the lotus. Actually, all the visitors of Colossi of Memnon ask a standardized question.
So, you will surely ask the same question when standing in dazzle in front of these remarkable giant pharaohs’ statues. Who had designed them to go through all these years with all these art wonderful artistic aspects!
The secret is the famous architect Amenhotep Ben Hapu. So, building the Colossi of Memnon was in the ruler period of Amenhotep III from 1386 to 1349 BC. The construction of the statues was in 1350 BC. This era is the Old Kingdom that witnessed the architectural work improve tremendously in Egypt.
Colossi of Memnon For The Romans!
On the path of the Roman Emperor “Hadrian” and his wife and the ancient Romans, you can visit the Colossi of Memnon by heading to Theban Necropolis in the west of the Nile River in the modern city of Luxor as they are located about half a kilometer east of the Antiquities Inspectorate on the main road leading to the west bank monument area.
They spent several days next to the statue, and many great historians were keen to register their names on the statue. There are names of eight of the rulers of Egypt in the Roman era on the statues.
This place was a resort for the Romans. It is the spot where they wrote verses and poems about these massive magic structures. Also, they left behind epigrams on the stones.
So, when you walk around the place of the Colossi of Memnon, you will be on a picnic with the ancient Romans. But why were they taking this place where they spent their vacationing?
The answer to this question will lead us to the reason for naming these statues with the Colossi of Memnon.
The Secret Behind the Name of the Colossi of Memnon
When the two statues cracked in ancient times in the era of the Greeks, especially the left statue, voices came from them. As if they were sad singing due to the passage of the air through those cracks.
So the Greeks said that these sounds were the crying of the mother of the hero “Memnon.” He was killed by Achilles during the Trojan War. Hence the name Memnon, and because of these sounds, the two statues were among the most famous landmarks in ancient times, and visitors had come to hear this sad song.
However, Septimius Severus, a Roman emperor, while repairing the statues in 200 AD, inadvertently silenced the song forever. But the truth that these statues belong to Amenhotep III, and the ancient Egyptians named them the ruler of rulers. But the travelers called it the Shammy and Tammy, probably meaning left and right.
Enjoy Your Accommodation with an Impressive Direct View to Colossi of Memnon
- Nebo Memnon Hotel is 100 meters walk from the Colossi of Memnon. You can look directly to the Colossi of Memnon from the rooftop café bar of the hotel and the restaurant. You can enjoy all the tasty traditional dishes in this resturant.
- Villa Kaslan Apartments has located 2.1 km from the Colossi of Memnon. It provides accommodation with a restaurant, a garden, and room service for the convenience of the guests. Wi-Fi and private parking are available at the apartment free of charge.
- Thebes Hotel has located 1 km from Colossi of Memnon. It provides accommodation with an outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, a bar, and a garden. This property has family rooms and a guest terrace.
- Royal Apartments Luxor Located 2.3 km from the Colossi of Memnon. It provides accommodation with free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a shared lounge, and a garden.
- Cleopatra Hotel has a rooftop restaurant offering panoramic views of Luxor and the Colossi of Memnon. This hotel features air-conditioned rooms. Cleopatra Hotel has located 4 km from Hatshepsut Temple on the west bank of the Nile.
