Luxor West Bank · Amenhotep III · 18th Dynasty · Ancient Thebes
Stand before two enormous seated statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, each about 18 meters high, and discover the vanished mortuary temple they once guarded. This short West Bank stop connects New Kingdom royal power, Queen Tiye, the Temple of Millions of Years, the famous “singing” northern colossus, Greek and Roman tourism, earthquakes, archaeology and modern conservation.
Explore Alexandria’s modern center of knowledge through its sea-facing architecture, vast reading hall, museums, exhibitions, manuscripts and science spaces. Then connect the visit logically with the Graeco-Roman Museum, Kom El Shoqafa, Qaitbay Citadel and the Corniche.
Quick Travel Answer
Yes. The visit is relatively short, but the historical importance is enormous. The statues are surviving entrance monuments of Amenhotep III’s vast mortuary temple and are easy to include in almost any Luxor West Bank itinerary.
The strongest visit explains what is no longer standing: the lost Temple of Millions of Years, royal sculpture, festival architecture and the later Greek and Roman story of the “singing” northern colossus.
Read the Statues in Context
Look beyond the two giant figures to the lost temple, royal family imagery, throne symbolism, the singing-colossus legend and the archaeological landscape behind them.
GIANT STATUESThe two seated figures represent royal scale and create one of Luxor’s most iconic West Bank photo stops.
LOST TEMPLEThe statues once guarded Amenhotep III’s enormous mortuary temple, giving this short stop much deeper meaning than a quick photograph.
SUNRISESoft early light makes the statues, surrounding fields and desert backdrop more atmospheric and is one of the best times for photography.
ROYAL TOMBSThe Colossi work naturally as a gateway before or after the Valley of the Kings, connecting Amenhotep III’s monumental landscape with Luxor’s royal necropolis.
DEIR EL-BAHARIHatshepsut Temple and the Colossi together create a strong West Bank monuments route, contrasting a preserved mortuary temple with Amenhotep III’s largely vanished complex.
SUNRISE ADD-ONA sunrise balloon flight can pair beautifully with a ground-level West Bank route, giving a wide aerial view before visiting the Colossi and nearby monuments.
Internal Link Map
Connect the statues with royal tombs, mortuary temples, the West Bank planning hub and bookable Luxor routes.
The strongest first-time sequence.
Go beyond the classic route.
Turn the short stop into a complete guided day.
Build Luxor into a wider Egypt journey.
Choose by Time and Interest
The statues work best as a short contextual stop inside a larger Luxor West Bank day.
Planning note: the supplied guide recommends around 20–40 minutes for most visitors. Access around the active Amenhotep III temple conservation area can vary; follow current site signs and official restrictions.
Continue Across Ancient Thebes
Use nearby sites to compare hidden royal burials, monumental mortuary temples and the lives of the people who built them.
Compare hidden royal burial chambers with the public mortuary temple landscape represented by the Colossi.
Open Valley of the KingsCompare the preserved cliffside terraces with Amenhotep III’s largely vanished floodplain temple.
Open Hatshepsut TempleMeet the community of skilled royal tomb builders who lived on the West Bank.
Open Deir el-MedinaCompare tomb valleys, temples and short contextual stops before building your day.
Open the West Bank GuideBalance East Bank temples, West Bank archaeology, heat and transport.
Plan LuxorChoose the right guided route for your available hours and archaeology interests.
Compare Luxor ToursFrom a Short Stop to a Complete Egypt Journey
Use these pages when the statues belong inside a West Bank half day, a complete Luxor day or a wider Egypt itinerary.
Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon.
Open the Half-Day TourCompare West Bank, East Bank and complete Luxor sightseeing routes.
Compare Luxor Day ToursCombine the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Memnon and Karnak on a private flight day.
View Cairo to Luxor by PlaneChoose the right number of days and group monuments by bank.
Open the Luxor GuideExtend Luxor into Cairo, Aswan, a Nile cruise, Alexandria or the Red Sea.
Compare Egypt PackagesAdjust guide language, pickup, tomb depth, walking pace and additional destinations.
Build a Tailor-Made TripAuthoritative and Planning Sources
The supplied article uses Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities for Amenhotep III temple history and conservation context. UNESCO records Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis as a World Heritage property. Egypt Tours Club’s live Colossi and West Bank pages connect that history to practical route planning.
Access arrangements, excavation boundaries, opening conditions and photography rules can change. Follow current official signage and local instructions.
Company and Operator
Keep the traveler-facing brand and the licensed operating company clearly distinguished.
Egypt Tours Club is the traveler-facing travel brand operated by Vagus Travel Co. It provides destination information, private tours, day trips, multi-day packages and tailor-made trip planning.
Vagus Travel Co. is listed with the Egyptian Travel Agents Association as a Category A travel company with Tourism License No. 988, established in 1996, with its registered address at 13 Abu El Hol St., Al Ahram, Giza.
Useful Travel Answers
Direct answers about Amenhotep III, the Memnon name, the singing statue, the lost mortuary temple, archaeology, UNESCO context and practical visit length.
They stand on the West Bank of Luxor at the entrance to the ancient mortuary temple of Amenhotep III.
They represent Pharaoh Amenhotep III of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty.
They date to Amenhotep III’s reign, approximately 1390–1352 BC.
Each statue is approximately 18 meters high.
Greek and Roman visitors associated the northern statue with Memnon, a mythological Ethiopian hero whose mother was Eos, goddess of dawn.
Ancient writers reported that the damaged northern colossus made a sound around sunrise.
A likely natural explanation involves temperature changes and moisture interacting with cracks in the stone, although the exact mechanism cannot be proven with certainty.
Ancient accounts connect the end of the phenomenon with repairs carried out during the reign of Roman Emperor Septimius Severus.
They stood at the entrance to the mortuary temple, or Temple of Millions of Years, of Amenhotep III.
Earthquake damage was a major factor, while flooding, later stone reuse and centuries of deterioration also contributed.
Yes. Archaeological and conservation work continues to reconstruct the lost temple landscape.
Discoveries include royal sphinxes, Sekhmet statues, Horus statue fragments, decorated walls, column bases and processional architecture.
Tiye was Amenhotep III’s Great Royal Wife and one of the most prominent queens of the 18th Dynasty.
They belong to the wider Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis World Heritage landscape.
Around 20–40 minutes is suitable for most visitors.
The Valley of the Kings is the most common next stop. Medinet Habu is especially useful for understanding a well-preserved royal mortuary temple.
Private Luxor West Bank Planning
Share your travel date, Luxor hotel or Nile cruise pickup, available hours, group size and tomb interests. Egypt Tours Club can place the Colossi naturally with the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Deir el-Medina, Medinet Habu and other realistic West Bank stops.
