Egypt restores 3,000-year-old Colossi of Memnon destroyed by ancient earthquake
The statues were originally built in 1350 BC
December 17, 2025
Egypt has restored one of the most important landmarks of ancient Egyptian civilization that was destroyed due to an earthquake 3,000 years ago. The monuments were restored, reassembled and raised to their original positions on Sunday.
Authorities revealed that the renovation process took more than two decades to complete.
Two giant alabaster statues, each measuring 50 feet in height, in the historic city of Upper Egypt are officially known as the Colossi of Memnon and they now stand tall representing the Pharaoh Amenhotep III.
For context, Amenhotep III was the powerful pharaoh who ruled ancient Egypt and was worshipped as a living god from 1391 to 1353 BC.
The statues were originally built in 1350 BC from the quartzite sandstone near Cairo and transported from quarries near Cairo to Luxor, nearly 420 miles south.
An archaeologist at Flinders University in Australia, Michael Habicht, said, “Amenhotep III was one of the richest men to ever live in this world,” adding, “He promoted peace and lived in a time of greatest economic prosperity.”
He added that the letters from the period show other regions begging the pharaoh to send gold to them as gold was abundant in Egypt at the time.
Amenhotep III is thought to have died between the ages of 40 and 50.
