Ramesseum Temple: Egypt’s Legendary Treasure

Egypt is distinguished by a large number of monuments of great value in shaping history and building civilization, making it an open museum that tells stories of bygone eras. This is because they impress many foreigners with the architecture and the high degree of mastery that the ancient Egyptians possessed, who excelled in the arts of construction and building. 

Among the most famous tourist destinations in Egypt is the city of Luxor, as the ancient capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom era, which houses a third of the ancient monuments, in addition to many picturesque locations. In this article, we will talk in detail about one of the most important Pharaonic temples, known for its grandeur and magnificence, the Ramesseum Temple.

Location of the Ramesseum Temple

The Ramesseum Temple is located in Luxor, one of the most beautiful Egyptian cities in Upper Egypt, famous for its picturesque archaeological landmarks, on the west bank of the Nile River (the artery of life) near the Deir el-Bahari Temple, which is characterized by its unique architectural design.

The city enjoys a wonderful climate, as the weather is moderate most of the year, especially in winter, which makes it an ideal destination to visit throughout the year, which adds more joy and warmth. 

Luxor is considered one of the greatest tourist destinations, attracting millions of tourists annually, and includes many monuments such as the Valley of the Kings, with its famous Pharaonic tombs, Hatshepsut Temple, with its stunning architecture, and the Ramsseum Temple, which is famous for being one of the most beautiful Pharaonic temples, designed with exceptional ingenuity, which was built to be used as a royal tomb, and is therefore called a “Mortuary Temple.”

Who Built the Ramsseum?

The Ramesseum Temple was built by King Ramses II, one of the most famous pharaohs of ancient times, known for his great military achievements. He was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty and ruled the country at a young age (about twenty-five years old) in the thirteenth century BC, between 1291 and 1213 BC. 

He ruled the country for a long period compared to many other rulers, which allowed him to implement huge construction projects, and achieved victories, as he annexed Nubia to his country after several battles, expanding the borders of the Egyptian kingdom, and triumphed in the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites. 

This ended with a peace treaty between them, and he married the Hittite king’s daughter, strengthening diplomatic relations. The king was keen to immortalize his memory by building many temples and statues with a distinctive character, therefore he is called ” the Great Ramses.”

Architecture of the Ramsseum

The Ramesseum Temple demonstrates the superiority of the ancient Egyptians in the field of architecture and the wealth of the kings in that period. The temple was built of mud brick, using Nile silt in construction, which was an available and sustainable building material. 

They built the temple walls of mud brick to adapt to the climatic conditions of the region, and the columns were shaped like papyrus. Inside the temple, there are a group of statues and drawings in the inner rooms, which are considered an important historical record.

The bas-reliefs tell the story of the king’s war planning and the events of the Battle of Kadesh, one of his most important battles, and show some Pharaonic myths, which reveal the beliefs and customs of the ancient Egyptians. There are two towers at the entrance gate, designed to protect the temple and symbolize strength and greatness. The temple is surrounded by a large mud-brick wall, 175 meters wide and 270 meters long, indicating the temple’s vastness and spaciousness.

The Egyptians used the dome method in building the ceilings, which was an innovative architectural style at that time, by building two walls of equal length and designing a semi-circular wall and connecting them together to give the shape of the dome. 

The temple is characterized by a unique interior design; as you move inside, you feel as if the floor is rising and the ceiling is lowering, which is an impressive visual effect. There is a huge granite statue, carved with high skill  reaching a height of seventeen meters and weighing more than ten thousand tons. 

There are four flagpoles on the facade of the temple, which were raised during official occasions and celebrations. Large parts of it have collapsed due to various weather factors over the centuries. Despite this, the remaining parts show that it was a massive edifice, a testament to the greatness of ancient Egyptian civilization.

Ramses II’s Fortress in the Ramesseum Temple

The fortress is considered one of the most important features of the Ramesseum Temple, as it served as the king’s official residence, with a width of 66 meters and a length of 180 meters. The fortress is located on the north side of the first courtyard, which consists of two rows of pillars on the south side. 

This fortress consists of a large number of rooms, dedicated to various purposes, including the king’s chamber, with its luxurious design, and a very large hall with sixteen columns, in addition to a vestibule, a passage connecting the various parts of the fortress, and a statue of the king. Behind the palace are four houses for the ladies, possibly intended for the queen and members of the royal family.

Ramesseum Restoration Project

The Ramesseum Temple has undergone several restoration phases, aiming to preserve it for future generations, as this is a costly endeavor for the state. The Korea University of Traditional Culture was chosen to assist in restoring the temple, due to its expertise in this field, with the help of Egyptian expertise, to ensure the accuracy of the work and precise knowledge of historical details. 

The restoration process is a complex and difficult task requiring great study and care, and it is scheduled to extend from 2023 to 2027. It initially requires extensive study, tracing history, and research in ancient records to learn all the information about the temple’s architecture, construction details, and surrounding areas to preserve the site’s prestige, in addition to maintaining structural stability and creating 3D designs of the temple to accurately identify areas of damage.

After that, a logical plan should be developed by archaeologists, in cooperation with the restoration team, to identify the most damaged areas and how to repair them, taking into account the budget and the type of equipment and tools used in the restoration process to avoid any potential losses and protect the safety of the artifacts. 

It is essential for scientists to conduct a set of research, using the latest scientific techniques, to discover the causes of the temple’s damage and collapse. The restoration must include the exterior building, statues, and archaeological inscriptions on the walls, in addition to the ceilings, columns, and infrastructure to achieve the maximum possible benefit and restore the temple to its original glory. 

Then, tourism in the area is revitalized, introducing visitors to its rich history, by talking about the history of the temple and providing various services to ensure the well-being of tourists, and offering a unique tourist experience.

FAQs

What happened to the Temple of Ramses? 

Over the years, the temple has undergone continuous changes due to natural and human factors, as it was used as a church at one point. The inscriptions on the walls have changed, and some may have been obliterated. It was also exposed to climate and erosion factors, such as heat, wind, and rain, which caused parts of it to collapse.

Some of its statues were destroyed by a strong earthquake that shook the region, leading to the collapse of the facade and erosion of some stone pieces, which affected the temple’s integrity, but it was restored again to return to its beauty and magnificence.

Is the Ramsseum still standing? 

Yes, the temple is still standing today, welcoming visitors from all around the world. A large number of tourists from all over the world come to see this masterpiece and enjoy the grandeur of Pharaonic civilization, along with other monuments in Luxor, the city of eternal monuments.

What is the Ramsseum famous for?

The Ramesseum Temple is famous for being the “Temple of Millions of Years,” a title that reflects its vastness and historical importance. It is characterized by a large number of Pharaonic drawings and inscriptions with special meanings, which tell stories from life in ancient Egypt, in addition to the massive royal statues, over 17 meters tall.