Two Egyptian sphinxes are on the Neva Embankment next to the Academy of Fine Arts. Made during the reign of Amenhotep III, they are almost 3,500 years old. French archeologists found them when excavating Thebes in early 19th century. Then they were bought by the Russian explorer Norov and brought to St. Petersburg in 1832. For centuries, the sphinxes were buried under thick layer of sand.

February 21, 2004