More than 3,000 years after they were damaged by an earthquake, two of Egypt‘s most breathtaking monuments have been handsomely restored.
The Colossi of Memnon are two giant alabaster statues on the other side of the Nile from Luxor, the historic city in Upper Egypt.
Each measuring nearly 50 feet in height, they represent Amenhotep III, the powerful pharaoh who ruled ancient Egypt from 1391 to 1353 BC.
On Sunday, authorities pulled back the curtain on the repaired statues, described as ‘one of the most important landmarks of the Egyptian civilization’.
They have been restored, reassembled and raised to their original place as part of a renovation project that’s lasted around two decades.
Amenhotep III ruled ancient Egypt at the height of its powers, was worshipped as a living god, and was the grandfather of Tutankhamun.
Michael Habicht, an archaeologist at Flinders University in Australia, said he ‘promoted peace and lived in a time of the greatest economic prosperity’.
‘He might well have been one of the richest men that ever lived, at least in his epoch,’ he said.
The giant alabaster statues, known as the Colossi of Memnon, were reassembled in a renovation project that lasted about two decades
Each measuring nearly 50 feet in height, they represent Amenhotep III, the powerful pharaoh who ruled ancient Egypt about 3,400 years ago
The Colossi of Memnon were originally built in 1350 BC, made from blocks of quartzite sandstone quarried near modern-day Cairo and transported 420 miles.
Both statues depict Amenhotep III seated with hands resting on his thighs, with their faces looking eastward toward the Nile and the rising sun.
They wear the striped ‘nemes’ headdress surmounted by the double crowns and the pleated royal kilt, which symbolizes the pharaoh’s divine rule.
Two other small statues on the pharaoh’s feet depict his wife, Tiye, while more than 100 inscriptions cover the Colossi in Greek and Latin.
In about 1200 BC, the colossi were damaged by a strong earthquake that also destroyed Amenhotep III’s nearby funerary temple.
The statues were fragmented and partly quarried away, with their pedestals dispersed.
Some of their blocks were reused in Luxor’s Karnak temple, but archaeologists brought them back to rebuild the colossi, according to the Antiquities Ministry.
The colossi are of great significance to Luxor, a city known for its ancient temples and other antiquities and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
The Colossi of Memnon were originally built in 1350 BC, made from blocks of quartzite sandstone quarried near modern-day Cairo and transported 420 miles
In late 1990s, an Egyptian German mission, chaired by German Egyptologist Hourig Sourouzian, began working in the temple area, including the assembly and renovation of the colossi
Pictured, visitors take photos with the two giant reassembled alabaster statues of Pharoah Amenhotep III, in the southern city of Luxor, Egypt, Sunday, December 14, 2025
They´re also an attempt to ‘revive how this funerary temple of king Amenhotep III looked like a long time ago’, said Mohamed Ismail, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Amenhotep III, one of the most prominent pharaohs, ruled during the 500 years of the New Kingdom, which was the most prosperous time for ancient Egypt.
The pharaoh, whose mummy is showcased at a Cairo museum, ruled between 1390-1353 BC, a peaceful period known for its prosperity, prosperity and grandeur.
‘Diplomatic letters by foreign potentates begged him to send them some gold as a present, “as gold shall be abundant in Egypt as sand”,’ Dr Habicht said.
‘It’s the usual over-exaggeration for such a letter, but nevertheless hints towards extreme wealth.’
According to the academic, the pharaoh may also have been something of a womanizer, importing hundreds of foreign women to be part of his harem.
‘He was apparently very interested in women; he imported hundreds of foreign harem ladies and collected them as other people collect postal stamps,’ he said.
Amenhotep III’s reign was also known for great construction, including his mortuary temple, where the Colossi of Memnon are located, and another temple, Soleb, in Nubia.
Amenhotep III, one of the most prominent pharaohs, ruled during the 500 years of the New Kingdom, which was the most prosperous time for ancient Egypt
Unlike other monumental sculptures of ancient Egypt, the colossi were partly compiled with pieces sculpted separately, which were fixed into each statue´s main monolithic alabaster core, the ministry said
He is thought to have died between the ages of 40 and 50, leaving his successor (son Akhenaten IV) a kingdom at the height of its power and wealth.
Amenhotep IV would rebel against the powerful Amun priesthood, installing the sun god Aten as the top Egyptian deity.
He changed his name to Akhenaten – meaning ‘beneficial to Aten’ – and even moved his capital away from Thebes – the ‘city of Amun’ – to a new city honouring the sun god, Akhetaten.
But his son, Tutankhaten, would restore the cult of Amun to prominence, changing his name to Tutankhamun – meaning ‘the living image of Amun’.
Tutankhamun would become one of history’s most famous pharaohs thanks to the discovery of his tomb in 1922, which was largely intact and contained many of its original artifacts.