Hotels near Colossi of Memnon

The two seated stone giants of Amenhotep III have stood by the West Bank road for 3,400 years, marking the entrance to a once-vast mortuary temple now mostly ploughed under. Each colossus reaches 18 metres including the base and weighs around 720 tonnes; they were carved from quartzite quarried near modern Cairo and barged 700 km south. The northern figure cracked in a 27 BCE earthquake and afterwards 'sang' at sunrise (probably from temperature changes in the stone), drawing Greek and Roman tourists - graffiti carved into the calf still records their visits. Roman emperor Septimius Severus repaired it around 199 CE and the singing stopped. Entry is free and the colossi sit just off the main road; allow 20-30 minutes for photos and the small information panels.

Pro Tip: The newer excavated colossi 200 metres north of the famous pair are equally photogenic and almost always empty - cross the dirt path and have the second set to yourself.