Ramesses II: The Builder
Ramesses II earnt himself the title of 'The Great Pharaoh' through his building of many monuments, temples and colossal statues. He was a prolific builder, and erected more buildings and colossal statues than any other Egyptian king. It was a role that he prided himself in very greatly, apary from that of being a warrior Pharaoh. with his reign lasting over 60 years he had more time to devote to this role than most other kings.
Ramesses II constructed monuments such as Abu Simbel, the mortuary temple Ramesseum, Pi-Ramesses in the Delta, and most notably completed the Temple at Karnak. He also had his cartouch inscribed on many ready built temples so that he could ensure that his name lived on past his death. The inscriptions were deeply carved into the structures to ensure that they could not be easily destroyed or removed by succeeding empires. in addition to this, Ramesses also mad many colossal statues made , whcih depicted him as pharaoh, and helped to soldify his reign and make him more powerful. Most importantly many of the monuments from previous pharaohs were destroyed and the materials were used to build things that represented Ramsses II, his dynasty, and his god-like status
Pi-Ramsses:
This was the new capital that Ramesses II built himself in the northern Delta region. It was referred to then as the 'House of Ramesses Great of Victories', although now it is more commonly called Pi-Ramesse. This city became knwon especially for its beauty and was the central hub for commercial port and military action. The location of Pi-Ramesses made the connections between Egypt and the 'Asiatic Lands' easier. This site was said to have been previously used as a summer house site under the reign of Seti I. In it's prime the city comprised of four main quarters, with suburbs for traders, foreign traders and the oridinary Egyptian public. These extended for many kilometers along the banks of the Nile. It was here that the great temple that was dedicated to Amun-Re was constructed, along with temples and shrines for all of the important gods as well as foreign gods, which were worhsipped, during this age. Evidence of this can be seen in L'Empire des Ramesses, pg. 111 " I have come to Pi-Ramesses and find it beautiful, unlike any other, fashioned after the pattern of Thebes. Re himself founded it...The fields around it are filled with good things...Its ships go out and come back so that supplies are brought every day."
Temple at Karnak:
The temple at Karnak was already constructed when Ramesses II ascended to the throne. The Hypostyle Hall was started by his father Seti I, and then completed by Ramesses. The building itself was 103 meters wide and 52 meters deep. It consisted of 61 single papyrus bud columns, on wach side of a line of talle ones, whcih then formed three central isles, 24 meters high. To this Ramesses II added a wall aroung the entire complex, and then later an inscription on the wall, which not only claimed that as his, but the whole building. The inscription read "Ramesses II, mighty King, making monuments in the house of his father, Amen, building his house in eternal works....It was his majesty who gave the regualtions and led the works on his monuments..... I have made it for you with a loving heart as a profitable son does for his father...".
18th Dynasty Luxor Temple, The Ramesseum and Abydos:
To the Luxor temple Ramesses II added a front pylon, front courtyard and obelsisks. The fourth pylon that he added was basically a statement which claimed he built the whole building.
The Ramesseum is the main mortuary temple of Ramesses, and was loacted on the western bank of the Nile at Thebes. The main shrine was dedicated to Amen and the Temple was known as 'The house of Millions of years of Ramesses II in the Estate of Amun'. It included mnay Buildings, such as a palace for royal ceremonies, a temple to honour his mother, and large brick storerooms. The entire complex was enclosed by a wall which measured 257m by 168m. At the entrance in the east there are various pylons which had mnay inscriptions on it that depict scenes from the battle of Kadesh, the army, the king tramplin the Hittites, and the Kings baggage, and chariots. There was aslo a Hypostyle hall which was similar to that at Karnak. Both had large columns and a large aisle, which has scenes depicting the king in battle. The main function of the Ramesseum was divine worship. This function meant that the Ramesses II identified himself with the god and had a clear idea of the assimilation of the human to the divine. This enabled him to claim god-king status.
At Abydos, Ramesses II completed a temple which was started by his father. It was here that it became evident that the pharaoh was more concerned about quantity rather than quality. Here was where Ramesses also built his own mortuary temple. He dedicates this to his father Osisris, and filled it with every treausre and silver, gold and costly stone possible. Again there were inscriptions that depicted the battle of Kadesh, including the comic relief of the King of Aleppo being hung up side down to drain water from him, after he fell into the Orontes river.
Breasted pg 186 "attempted to impress by overpowering size, without concern for artistic quality".
Abu Simbel Temples:
At Abu Simbel there were several temples built, including two cut into cliffs. These had to later be moved to make way for the Aswan dam in the 1960's. Out of the many temples that were constructed here, the largest was dedicated to Ramesses, Ptah, Amen -Re and Re-Harakhte. Though it is suggested by Breasted that this building ws not in fact built by ramesses, but started by his father Seti I and again finished by Ramesses, and usurped. At the front of the building were four humungous statues of the Pharaoh, Ramesses, each were 20 meters high. In the back shrine of the building are four figures, one of Ptah, Amen, Ramesses and Re-Harakhte. Twice a year the rays of the sun penetrate and light up three of the figures. The only one that isn't lit is the figure of Ptah. He is the only God that does not have any connection to the Sun God.
The smaller temple at Abu Simbel, Ramesses dedicated that to his wife Nefertari, and the Goddess Hathor. here stood two figures of Ramesses, and Nefertari, with come of their children. Here Ramesses himself is the God, Breasted "... he made it as his monument for his living image in the land of Nubia".
At Abu Simbel Ramesses again placed his name on sveral buildings that were built by other Pharaohs, he used material from other sites, that he had knocked down. The reasons he had his name embezeled on everything was so that for years to come his memory and name would last forver.
* To view a short film on the inside of the Temple at Abu Simbel showing the inscriptions, follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXyrDkrQm4o.
Ramesses II constructed monuments such as Abu Simbel, the mortuary temple Ramesseum, Pi-Ramesses in the Delta, and most notably completed the Temple at Karnak. He also had his cartouch inscribed on many ready built temples so that he could ensure that his name lived on past his death. The inscriptions were deeply carved into the structures to ensure that they could not be easily destroyed or removed by succeeding empires. in addition to this, Ramesses also mad many colossal statues made , whcih depicted him as pharaoh, and helped to soldify his reign and make him more powerful. Most importantly many of the monuments from previous pharaohs were destroyed and the materials were used to build things that represented Ramsses II, his dynasty, and his god-like status
Pi-Ramsses:
This was the new capital that Ramesses II built himself in the northern Delta region. It was referred to then as the 'House of Ramesses Great of Victories', although now it is more commonly called Pi-Ramesse. This city became knwon especially for its beauty and was the central hub for commercial port and military action. The location of Pi-Ramesses made the connections between Egypt and the 'Asiatic Lands' easier. This site was said to have been previously used as a summer house site under the reign of Seti I. In it's prime the city comprised of four main quarters, with suburbs for traders, foreign traders and the oridinary Egyptian public. These extended for many kilometers along the banks of the Nile. It was here that the great temple that was dedicated to Amun-Re was constructed, along with temples and shrines for all of the important gods as well as foreign gods, which were worhsipped, during this age. Evidence of this can be seen in L'Empire des Ramesses, pg. 111 " I have come to Pi-Ramesses and find it beautiful, unlike any other, fashioned after the pattern of Thebes. Re himself founded it...The fields around it are filled with good things...Its ships go out and come back so that supplies are brought every day."
Temple at Karnak:
The temple at Karnak was already constructed when Ramesses II ascended to the throne. The Hypostyle Hall was started by his father Seti I, and then completed by Ramesses. The building itself was 103 meters wide and 52 meters deep. It consisted of 61 single papyrus bud columns, on wach side of a line of talle ones, whcih then formed three central isles, 24 meters high. To this Ramesses II added a wall aroung the entire complex, and then later an inscription on the wall, which not only claimed that as his, but the whole building. The inscription read "Ramesses II, mighty King, making monuments in the house of his father, Amen, building his house in eternal works....It was his majesty who gave the regualtions and led the works on his monuments..... I have made it for you with a loving heart as a profitable son does for his father...".
18th Dynasty Luxor Temple, The Ramesseum and Abydos:
To the Luxor temple Ramesses II added a front pylon, front courtyard and obelsisks. The fourth pylon that he added was basically a statement which claimed he built the whole building.
The Ramesseum is the main mortuary temple of Ramesses, and was loacted on the western bank of the Nile at Thebes. The main shrine was dedicated to Amen and the Temple was known as 'The house of Millions of years of Ramesses II in the Estate of Amun'. It included mnay Buildings, such as a palace for royal ceremonies, a temple to honour his mother, and large brick storerooms. The entire complex was enclosed by a wall which measured 257m by 168m. At the entrance in the east there are various pylons which had mnay inscriptions on it that depict scenes from the battle of Kadesh, the army, the king tramplin the Hittites, and the Kings baggage, and chariots. There was aslo a Hypostyle hall which was similar to that at Karnak. Both had large columns and a large aisle, which has scenes depicting the king in battle. The main function of the Ramesseum was divine worship. This function meant that the Ramesses II identified himself with the god and had a clear idea of the assimilation of the human to the divine. This enabled him to claim god-king status.
At Abydos, Ramesses II completed a temple which was started by his father. It was here that it became evident that the pharaoh was more concerned about quantity rather than quality. Here was where Ramesses also built his own mortuary temple. He dedicates this to his father Osisris, and filled it with every treausre and silver, gold and costly stone possible. Again there were inscriptions that depicted the battle of Kadesh, including the comic relief of the King of Aleppo being hung up side down to drain water from him, after he fell into the Orontes river.
Breasted pg 186 "attempted to impress by overpowering size, without concern for artistic quality".
Abu Simbel Temples:
At Abu Simbel there were several temples built, including two cut into cliffs. These had to later be moved to make way for the Aswan dam in the 1960's. Out of the many temples that were constructed here, the largest was dedicated to Ramesses, Ptah, Amen -Re and Re-Harakhte. Though it is suggested by Breasted that this building ws not in fact built by ramesses, but started by his father Seti I and again finished by Ramesses, and usurped. At the front of the building were four humungous statues of the Pharaoh, Ramesses, each were 20 meters high. In the back shrine of the building are four figures, one of Ptah, Amen, Ramesses and Re-Harakhte. Twice a year the rays of the sun penetrate and light up three of the figures. The only one that isn't lit is the figure of Ptah. He is the only God that does not have any connection to the Sun God.
The smaller temple at Abu Simbel, Ramesses dedicated that to his wife Nefertari, and the Goddess Hathor. here stood two figures of Ramesses, and Nefertari, with come of their children. Here Ramesses himself is the God, Breasted "... he made it as his monument for his living image in the land of Nubia".
At Abu Simbel Ramesses again placed his name on sveral buildings that were built by other Pharaohs, he used material from other sites, that he had knocked down. The reasons he had his name embezeled on everything was so that for years to come his memory and name would last forver.
* To view a short film on the inside of the Temple at Abu Simbel showing the inscriptions, follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXyrDkrQm4o.