Role as Builder
As a pharaoh, the construction of buildings was an important aspect of the Kings role. By building numerous temples the pharaoh demonstrated the power he had in Egypt and also acknowledged the gods and honoured them. By inscribing the pharaoh’s name on many of the erected buildings he also insured his remembrance throughout history and his survival in the afterlife.
Ramesses the II lived for almost seventy years, reigning Egypt for a longer time span than many other pharaohs throughout history. This allowed Ramesses to construct numerous buildings within Thebes, Nubia and Memphis. Ramesses began gaining building experience during his time as heir and co-regency with his father Seti I. Immediately after the death of Seti I Ramesses completed his father’s Temple at Thebes. He then went on to build countless other buildings, recognised for their size and number. Most well-known of his building structures are the Ramesseum, Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, Temples at Luxor and Abydos, New capital – Pi-Ramesses and the Temples at Abu Simbel. Each of these buildings was dedicated to a god, mainly Re-Horakhty, Amen, Nefertari, Himself and Ptah.
To ensure his remembrance and eternal life Ramesses altered the methods of building. His Royal name and cartouche were inscribed severely to insure that they could not be removed by his descendants and emphasised his relationship and honour of the sun god, Ra by letting the maximum amount of daylight enter the temples. The colossal size of Ramesses buildings was significant as no pharaoh had built at such a large scale. Ramesses write on many of the temples that the buildings were an immense scale because they were to survive for eternity.
Unlike other pharaohs Ramesses also in addition to his own building program, usurped many structures built by previous rulers of Egypt. To claim the buildings as his own, Ramesses destroyed the buildings and reconstructed his own using the materials, made additions to the already built constructions and had his cartouche inscribed throughout the buildings. Evidence of this seen in an inscription found within the Hypostyle hall at Karnak.
"Ramesses II, mighty king, making monuments in the house of his father, Amen, Building his house in the eternal works...I have made it for you with a loving heart, as a profitable son does for his father..."
The Hypostyle Hall at Karnak was built by Amenhotep III and continued by Seti I. Ramesses II only made additions to the Hall. Although Ramesses II usurped many buildings, he constructed some of the most substantial structures in history and is recognized as one of the most successful and significant builders of Egypt.
Ramesses the II lived for almost seventy years, reigning Egypt for a longer time span than many other pharaohs throughout history. This allowed Ramesses to construct numerous buildings within Thebes, Nubia and Memphis. Ramesses began gaining building experience during his time as heir and co-regency with his father Seti I. Immediately after the death of Seti I Ramesses completed his father’s Temple at Thebes. He then went on to build countless other buildings, recognised for their size and number. Most well-known of his building structures are the Ramesseum, Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, Temples at Luxor and Abydos, New capital – Pi-Ramesses and the Temples at Abu Simbel. Each of these buildings was dedicated to a god, mainly Re-Horakhty, Amen, Nefertari, Himself and Ptah.
To ensure his remembrance and eternal life Ramesses altered the methods of building. His Royal name and cartouche were inscribed severely to insure that they could not be removed by his descendants and emphasised his relationship and honour of the sun god, Ra by letting the maximum amount of daylight enter the temples. The colossal size of Ramesses buildings was significant as no pharaoh had built at such a large scale. Ramesses write on many of the temples that the buildings were an immense scale because they were to survive for eternity.
Unlike other pharaohs Ramesses also in addition to his own building program, usurped many structures built by previous rulers of Egypt. To claim the buildings as his own, Ramesses destroyed the buildings and reconstructed his own using the materials, made additions to the already built constructions and had his cartouche inscribed throughout the buildings. Evidence of this seen in an inscription found within the Hypostyle hall at Karnak.
"Ramesses II, mighty king, making monuments in the house of his father, Amen, Building his house in the eternal works...I have made it for you with a loving heart, as a profitable son does for his father..."
The Hypostyle Hall at Karnak was built by Amenhotep III and continued by Seti I. Ramesses II only made additions to the Hall. Although Ramesses II usurped many buildings, he constructed some of the most substantial structures in history and is recognized as one of the most successful and significant builders of Egypt.