Ancient Egyptian sphinx Sculpture

Journey back to 14th-century BCE Egypt. Two majestic sphinxes guard the temple complex of Pharaoh Amenhotep III in Thebes. These aren’t just any sphinxes. They are the Ancient Egyptian sphinxes, now gracing the banks of the Neva River in Saint Petersburg. How did these colossal sculptures traverse time and continents? The story begins in the 1820s. Excavations in Thebes unearth these magnificent remnants of ancient Egypt. The sphinxes, carved from pink granite, weigh 23 tons each. Their faces, portraits of Amenhotep III himself. Their headdresses, a symbol of his rule over Upper and Lower Egypt. Fast forward to the 1830s. Egyptomania grips Europe. Andrei Muravyov, a Russian writer and traveler, spots the sphinxes in Alexandria, intended for sale. He immediately recognizes their significance and urges their acquisition for Russia. A bureaucratic tangle ensues. The sphinxes are briefly sold to France, only to become available again due to the French Revolution of 1830. Emperor Nicholas I seizes the opportunity. In 1832, the Ancient Egyptian sphinxes begin their sea voyage to Saint Petersburg aboard the “Buena Speranta,” meaning “Good Hope.” Two years later, the sphinxes find their new home. They are placed on a granite pier designed by Konstantin Thon, specifically for them, across from the Academy of Arts on the Universitetskaya Embankment. Bronze lamps and griffins adorn the pier, enhancing the sphinxes’ grandeur. Hieroglyphs cover their surfaces, telling the story of Amenhotep III, the “Golden Gore,” “Taurus of kings,” and “son of Ra.” Today, the Ancient Egyptian sphinxes stand as silent witnesses to the flow of time and the enduring allure of ancient Egypt. They offer a glimpse into a world of pharaohs, temples, and powerful symbolism, right here in the heart of Saint Petersburg. Look closely at their weathered features. Imagine the journey they undertook, from the scorching sands of Egypt to the banks of the Neva. They are a testament to human fascination with the past, a tangible link to a civilization that flourished thousands of years ago.