Ramses II, the greatest of Egypt’s pharaoh ruled for 66 years beginning in 1279 BC. He was best remembered for what he left behind.
He also left more monuments to himself that did any other pharaoh. His grandest monument was the Great Temple at Abu Simbel in southern Egypt. It was built into cliff along the Nile River.
Ramses wanted to restore Egypt’s glory. He regained territory that had been lost after other nations conquered Egypt.
Constructing the temples on a mountain overlooking the Nile took 30 years. At the front of the main temple which is 100 feet tall, there were four 66-foot tall statues of Ramses.
Egyptians worshipped many Gods. Ramses’ temple was dedicated to the sun god. The temple was but to let sunlight reach 160 feet inside the temple to shine on the statues on two days each year, Ramses’s birthday and the day he was crowned king.
Abu Simbel temples
