A colossal statue of an ancient pharaoh has risen again after it was toppled in an earthquake 3,200 years ago.

Archaeologists unveiled the restored monument of Amenhotep III - who ruled Egypt between 1386 and 1349 BC - in the famed temple city of Luxor.

The statue shows the pharaoh in a striding pose and was re-erected at the northern gate of the king's funerary temple on the west bank of the Nile.

A colossal statue (pictured) of an ancient pharaoh has risen again after it was toppled in an earthquake 3,200 years ago. The statue shows the pharaoh in a striding pose and was re-erected at the northern gate of the king's funerary temple on the west bank of the Nile

The temple is already famous for its existing 3,400-year-old Memnon colossi - twin statues of Amenhotep III whose reign archaeologists say marked the political and cultural zenith of ancient Egyptian civilisation.

The 43ft (2.92-metre) statue, unveiled on Sunday, stands west of an existing effigy of the king, also depicting him walking, which was unveiled in March.

'These are, up to now, the highest standing effigies of an Egyptian king in striding attitude,' said German-Armenian archaeologist Hourig Sourouzian, who heads the project to conserve the temple.

The world-famous twin Memnon colossi are 68ft (21 metres) tall but show the pharaoh seated.

Impressive: An Egyptian policeman walks past a group of tourists and journalists standing in front of a newly displayed statue of pharaoh Amenhotep III in Egypt's temple city of Luxor. This statue was unveiled in March

Royalty: Egyptian archaeological workers stand next to a statue of pharaoh Amenhotep III. The king inherited an empire that stretched from the Euphrates to Sudan

The restored statue now stands again for the first time since its collapse 3,200 years ago, Dr Sourouzian told AFP from Luxor.

WHO WAS AMENHOTEP III? Pharaoh Amenhotep III inherited an empire that stretched from the Euphrates to Sudan. The 18th dynasty ruler became king aged around 12, with his mother as regent. He is believed to have ruled Egypt between 1386 and 1349 BC. He chose the daughter of a provincial official as his royal wife, and throughout his reign Queen Tiy featured alongside the king. The king's palace at Malkata was close to his funerary temple - the largest ever built with its original location marked by the two 'Colossi of Memnon' statues. Amenhotep III died in around 1354 BC and was succeeded by his son Amenhotep IV, widely known as Akhenaten. Advertisement

Consisting of 89 large pieces and numerous small fragments and reassembled since November, the monolith weighs 110 tonnes.

It had lain broken in pieces after the earthquake in 1200 BC, Dr Sourouzian said.

The statue shows the king wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt, and each hand holding a papyrus roll inscribed with his name, like the one standing next to it that was unveiled earlier this year.

His belt, holding a dagger with a falcon-head handle, is fastened with a rectangular clasp bearing the names of the king.

Work to conserve the Amenhotep III temple is entirely funded through private and international donations.

Pharaoh Amenhotep III inherited an empire that stretched from the Euphrates to Sudan, archaeologists say.

The 18th dynasty ruler became king aged around 12, with his mother as regent.

Amenhotep III died in around 1354 BC and was succeeded by his son Amenhotep IV, widely known as Akhenaten.

Luxor, a city of some 500,000 people on the banks of the Nile in southern Egypt, is an open-air museum of intricate temples and pharaonic tombs.

The temple is already famous for its existing 3,400-year-old Memnon colossi - twin statues of Amenhotep III whose reign archaeologists say marked the political and cultural zenith of ancient Egyptian civilisation

Twins: The world-famous twin Memnon colossi are 68ft (21 metres) tall, but show the pharaoh seated