Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt — مصر (Northeast Africa)

Pylon of Ramesses II

Photographed by James Hulse, October 10, 2024

1. Pylon of Ramesses II Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Luxor Temple, Ipt Rsyt, the 'Southern Opet' and Place of the First Occasion (Creation) was largely the product of two kings, Ramesses II (1290-1224 BC) and Amenhotep III (1391-1353 BC). Like most Egyptian temples, Luxor Temple grew from back to front as larger and more beautiful courts and entryways were added to the core sanctuary. Ramesses II's great pylon entryway to the complex, with its gigantic flagstaffs, twin obelisks (the right one now in the Place de la Concorde in Paris) and colossal guardian statues, was the final great addition to the temple structure in the New Kingdom.

The pylon form was a three-dimensional representation of the hieroglyph akhet, the mountains of the horizon, between which the sun rose and set each day. When one passed between the two towers, one left the dimension of physical time and entered the timeless dimension of the gods. Tall flagpoles were set into the slots on the front of the pylons, each a single cedar tree from Lebanon over 30 meters in height held in place by a bronze clamp set into the high window above. The fronts of both pylons were carved with the largest version of Ramesses II's Kadesh battle narrative ever executed, with the battle against the Syrian island fortress of Kadesh from Ramesses II's fifth regnal year depicted on the east (left) tower, and the camp scene and attack by the Hittite forces on the west (right) tower. This confrontation between the Egyptian and Hittite empires resulted in the first recorded peace treaty between those two great nations. Like most of the carved decoration in the great temples in Luxor, all of these reliefs were originally bright with color against a brilliant white background, now scoured away by wind, sand, rain, and time. The seated and standing colossal granodiorite statues of Ramesses II were quarried in Aswan and considered to be gods in their own right. The far right standing colossus was originally inscribed for Amenhotep III.

Above: Representation of the pylons in the time of Ramesses II from Luxor Temple's first court, southwestern wall.
Below: Historic photos showing the Ramesses II pylons (left in 1885: CNRS-CFEETK / Fonds H. Chevrier).

Arabic:

صرح رمسيس الثاني
معبد الأقصر، إبت رسيت ، " الأوبت الجنوبي " و مقر الخلق الأول كان من نتاج ملكين هما رمسيس الثانى (حوالي ۱۲۹۰ - ١٢٢٤ قبل الميلاد ) و أمنحوتب الثالث (حوالي ( ١٣٩ - ١٣٥٣ ق.م) . و مثل أغلب المعابد المصرية قد توسع معبد الأقصر من الخلف إلى الأمام بإضافة صالات أكبر حجما و أكثر فخامة وبوابات تؤدى إلى قدس الأقداس . كانت الإضافة الأخيرة الضخمة إلى المعبد خلال عصر الدولة الحديثة بوابة الصرح الضخم لرمسيس الثاني المؤدية إلى داخل المعبد مع ساريات أعلام عملاقة و تماثيل ضخمة حارسه و مسلتين ) تزين المسلة اليمني الآن ميدان الكونكورد بباريس).

الصرح عبارة عن تمثيل ثلاثي الأبعاد للعلامة الهيروغليفية " أخت " ، التي تصور جبليي الأفق حيث تشرق الشمس و تغرب بينهما كل يوم . و عند المرور بين برجي الصرح فإن الشخص يغادر البعد الحقيقي للزمن و يدخل إلى البعد اللازمنى الخاص بالآلهة . و قد اقيمت ساريات الأعلام العالية فى مجازات في واجهة الصرح ، حيث ثبتت أعمدة من خشب شجر

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الأرز المجلوب من لبنان ارتفاع) كل عمود أكثر من ۳۰ متر) في تجاويف طوليه بواسطة خوابير من البرونز ثبتت في شباك أعلى برج الصرح . و قد نقشت واجهة برجى الصرح بأكبر نسخة نفذت على الإطلاق يروى أحداث معركة قادش بين رمسيس الثاني والحيثيين، و على البرج الشرقى ( الأيسر ) نقشت أحداث المعركة ضد حصن الجزيرة السورية قادش في السنة الخامسة لحكم رمسيس الثانى ، و على البرج الغربي (الأيمن) نرى منظر المعسكر و هجوم القوات الحيثية و قد نتج عن هذه المواجهه بين المصريين و الحيثيين توقيع أول معاهدة سلام بين الدولتين الكبيرتين. مثل أغلب النقوش المنحوتة فى معابد الأقصر الضخمة، كانت جميع هذه النقوش ملونة على خلفية بيضاء تبرز النقوش و لكنها تلاشت بفعل الرياح و الرمال والأمطار و عوامل الزمن .

جلبت أحجار التماثيل الضخمة التي اعتبرت آلهة في حد ذاتها من أسوان من محاجر الجرانوديوريت، و هي تمثل رمسيس الثاني واقفا و جالسا . كان التمثال الواقف في أقصى اليمين منقوشا في الأصل لأمنحوتب الثالث .

الصور - أعلى : تصوير لبرجي الصرح إبان عصر رمسيس الثاني في الفناء الأول لمعبد الأقصر، الجدار الجنوبي الغربي .

أسفل : صور قديمة تظهر صرح رمسيس الثاني.

Erected by Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, Egyptian Supreme Council of Anticulties, Luxor Temple Precinct, the University of Chicago and USAID.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Anthropology & Archaeology. A significant historical year for this entry is 1885.

Location. 25° 42.03′ N, 32° 38.377′ E. Marker is in Luxor, Luxor Governorate. It is at the intersection of Kornish Al Nile and Al Mataha on Kornish Al Nile. The marker is located at the front entrance of the Luxor Temple. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Kornish Al Nile, Luxor, Luxor Governorate 13625-01, Egypt. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Africa,

specifically in North Africa,

in the Middle East,

on the Red Sea,

and in a coastal Mediterranean country.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Byzantine Empire,

the Ottoman Empire,

a British colony,

and the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Luxor Temple / معبد الأقصر (here, next to this marker); Ramesses II Court (within shouting distance of this marker); Nectanebo I (within shouting distance of this marker); Pinedjem I

Pylon of Ramesses II Marker (left marker) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, October 10, 2024

2. Pylon of Ramesses II Marker (left marker)

(within shouting distance of this marker); Ramses II (within shouting distance of this marker); Tutankhamun (within shouting distance of this marker); Amenhotep III (within shouting distance of this marker); Hatshepsut (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Luxor.

The view of the Pylon of Ramesses II and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, October 10, 2024

3. The view of the Pylon of Ramesses II and Marker

Pylon of Ramesses II image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, October 10, 2024

4. Pylon of Ramesses II

Pylon of Ramesses II - the entrance to the Luxor Temple image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, October 10, 2024

5. Pylon of Ramesses II - the entrance to the Luxor Temple

Credits. This page was last revised on November 17, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 168 times since then and 128 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 17, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.