This 1880 drawing shows the structure of the Temple. More recent excavations have discovered an adjacent palace connected to the 1st Court and another small temple connected to the 3rd court, which is believed to be dedicated to the mother of Ramesses.

Ramesses II is also called Ramesses the Great. He reigned for 67 years and built many monuments, including Abu Simbel.

Details of the Ramesseum are shown below.

The father of Ramesses II was Seti I. His , Ramesses I, is thought to have been chosen by Horemheb as his successor. He was not of the royal family, but like Horemheb came from the ranks of the army. Horemheb reigned many years after he took the throne of Tutankhamun and Ay. Ramesses I reigned only a few years before handing the throne to Seti, however, it was enough to firmly begin the Nineteenth Dynasty, The Ramessid Period.

Ramesses II had many wives and concubines and over 100 children. He is often said to be the Pharaoh of the Biblical Exodus, however there are those who disagree (see the Weblinks and Related Books).

He reigned for sixty-seven years and built hundred of monuments. Two of the most famous are the Ramesseum and Abu Simbel. He also built at Karnak and Abydos and constructed a whole new city in the Delta at Piramesse.

The tomb of his favorite wife, Nefertari, is the most beautiful tomb in the Valley of the Queens. It has recently been restored and there is a daily limit on visitors.

Recently, the multi-room tomb built for the burial of his sons was found in the Valley of the Kings.

We visited the Ramesseum in the early morning, although many recommend that the ruin is at its best near sunset. We had the site all to ourselves as the tour buses were busy elsewhere. In fact, I recommend that strategy for all sites. Go where there are no tour buses parked.

The birds were twittering from their nests in the ruins and the sunlight illuminated the remaining corridors and reliefs.