The Ramesseum

Known to the ancients as the "Mansion of Millions of Years," the Ramesseum is the mortuary temple of Ramesses II (The Great). Although ruined by earthquakes and time, its fallen statues and mudbrick vaults carry a haunting beauty that inspired the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley to write his famous sonnet "Ozymandias." [1]

Quick facts Encyclopedic guide FAQ
West Bank (Central) Ramesses II Ozymandias

Quick facts

A fast snapshot of the Ramesseum—its builder, its purpose, and its literary fame.

Location

West Bank of Luxor, north of the Colossi of Memnon and south of Deir el-Bahari. [1]

Dedicated to

Amun-Ra and the deified Ramesses II. It served as the center for his mortuary cult during his lifetime and after his death. [2]

Construction

Built over 20 years during the 19th Dynasty (c. 1279–1213 BC). Ramesses II spared no expense, using massive blocks of stone. [3]

Unique Feature

The extensive system of mudbrick magazines (storehouses) surrounding the temple, famous for their preserved vaulted roofs. [1]

Highlights

The Fallen Colossus (Ozymandias), the Astronomical Ceiling in the Hypostyle Hall, and the reliefs of the Battle of Kadesh. [1]

Visiting

Open daily. It is often quiet, providing a peaceful experience away from the crowds of the main sites.

Encyclopedic guide

Walk among the ruins of the "King of Kings" and discover the history behind the fallen giant.

The Romantic Ruin

Jean-François Champollion, who deciphered hieroglyphs, visited the Ramesseum in 1829 and declared it "the noblest and purest of Thebes." Although it is more ruined than Medinet Habu, its graceful Osiride columns and the sheer scale of its fallen statuary give it a unique, poetic atmosphere. It is the physical embodiment of the phrase sic transit gloria mundi (thus passes the glory of the world). [1]

View of the Ramesseum with Osiride columns
The surviving Osiride columns of the second court, looking towards the Hypostyle Hall.

Key Features

  • The Fallen Giant: The shattered remains of a seated colossus of Ramesses II. It originally weighed over 1,000 tons—the heaviest statue ever transported in Egypt. [2]
  • Mudbrick Vaults: Surrounding the temple are dozens of long, vaulted storehouses. These ancient "magazines" stored grain, oil, and wine, functioning as the bank of the era. [1]
  • Hypostyle Hall: Though the roof is mostly gone, 29 of the original 48 sandstone columns still stand, showing the elegance of the design. [3]

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to common questions about visiting the Ramesseum.

The name was coined by Jean-François Champollion in the 19th century. The ancient Egyptians called it "The Mansion of Millions of Years of User-Maat-Ra Setepenra that Unites with Thebes-the-City in the Domain of Amun." Champollion's name is much shorter! [1]
No. Shelley wrote "Ozymandias" in 1818 based on descriptions from travelers and the arrival of the "Younger Memnon" statue in London. He never saw the site in person, which makes his capture of its atmosphere even more remarkable. [3]
The fallen colossus has several wedge-shaped holes in its shoulder and torso. These were made by later people (possibly Romans or medieval quarriers) trying to cut the statue into smaller blocks to reuse the valuable granite. They failed to break it completely. [2]

Sources & further reading

References supporting the historical data, architectural details, and dates presented in this guide.

  1. Leblanc, Christian. The Ramesseum: A Temple of Millions of Years. (CNRS / MAFTO).
  2. Wilkinson, Richard H. The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson, 2000.
  3. Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities (Egypt), The Ramesseum. View
  4. Diodorus Siculus. Bibliotheca historica (Description of the Tomb of Osymandias).

Note on visiting: Opening hours and ticket prices are subject to change by the Ministry of Tourism. Please check official sources prior to your visit.

Last updated: February 17, 2026