Temple

Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II)

#8of 10 places to visit in LuxorLuxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt

Also known as House of Millions of Years of Usermaatra-Setepenra

Quick answer

Opening hours: 06:00–17:00 and 06:00–18:00. Entry: EGP 220. Allow 1.5 hrs. Best time: 06:00 - 08:30.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Steve F-E-Cameron / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Opening hours: 06:00–18:00; Daily 06:00-17:00 per the Ministry price list; some operators report 06:00-18:00 in summer (May to September).
Entry fee: EGP 220; Ticket from
Time needed: 1.5 hrs
Best time of day: 06:00 - 08:30
Best months: Oct – Mar
Address: Ramesseum, Al-Qurna, West Bank, Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt (near the Tombs of the Nobles, at the edge of the cultivation)

About Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II)

The Ramesseum charges foreign adults EGP 220 as of 2026 and is the mortuary temple of Ramesses II, on Luxor's west bank. The complex covers about 10 hectares and was built in the 13th century BC, with a 48-column hypostyle hall of which 39 columns still stand. Its fallen colossus of the seated pharaoh weighed about 1,000 tonnes, one of the largest statues ever attempted in ancient Egypt. The Ramesseum is a ruin, so it gives more to visitors who have read about it first, and it takes about 75 minutes. Much of the pylon relief and the seated colossus is broken, and the site is better read as a plan than as a standing building.

Best time of day: 06:00 - 08:30. When the light is soft and the fallen colossus is easy to photograph without groups.

Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II) timings

Opening hours: 06:00–18:00; Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00 and 06:00–18:00; Daily 06:00-17:00 per the Ministry price list; some operators report 06:00-18:00 in summer (May to September).
Closed on: Open every day

Mon–Sun	06:00–17:00 and 06:00–18:00

Opening hours compiled from egymonuments.gov.eg and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II) ticket price

Entry fees for Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II)
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	EGP 220
Concession (student / senior)	EGP 110
Children	Free

Foreign adults pay EGP 220 and foreign students EGP 110 as of 2026, per the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities price list; Egyptian adults pay EGP 20 and Egyptian students EGP 10. Children under 6 are generally free; verify. One travel site quotes about EGP 180 for foreign adults, which conflicts with the ministry list, so verify at the official site or the ticket office. Card payment is standard.

Prices compiled from egymonuments.gov.eg and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II)

Quiet
Moderate

06:00 - 08:30
Early OpeningBest time to go
Soft light and empty courts; the fallen colossus can be photographed without groups.
Quiet
08:30 - 11:30
Tour Groups
Small groups on west-bank circuits stop for 20-30 minutes; the hypostyle hall is the busiest spot.
Moderate
11:30 - 15:00
Midday Heat
Hot and quiet; very little shade outside the hall.
Quiet
15:00 - 17:00
Late Light
Warm, low light on the columns and few visitors; time is short before closing.
Quiet

History of Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II)

The Ramesseum was commissioned by Ramesses II as his 'House of Millions of Years', and work continued for about two decades after the start of his reign. The temple follows the standard New Kingdom plan: two stone pylons, courts, a hypostyle hall and sanctuaries, aligned north-west to south-east. The pylon reliefs depict the Battle of Kadesh, fought around 1274 BC.

The seated colossus of Ramesses II was carved from syenite, weighed about 1,000 tonnes and stood roughly 16-19 metres high, transported some 220 km from its quarry. The statue now lies in pieces. The Ramesseum is the usual link to Shelley's poem 'Ozymandias', a Greek rendering of Ramesses II's throne name Usermaatre. The site was damaged by the annual Nile flood, and early Christians reused part of it as a church. A joint French-Egyptian team has excavated the surrounding area since 1991, finding kitchens, bakeries, a scribal school and administrative buildings.

Rules & etiquette at Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II)

Ramesseum visitors may not climb on the fallen colossus or the columns, and guards enforce this. Drones are banned, and tripods need a permit. Touching the surviving reliefs and the remaining paint is not allowed.

Ramesseum has no formal dress code, but cover shoulders and knees against the sun. The ticket office is at the site entrance and cards are the usual method of payment. Guards inside the hall may show you reliefs or offer to take a photo and expect EGP 20-50; a polite decline is acceptable. Bring water because shade exists only in the hypostyle hall. Watch your footing on uneven sandstone blocks and worn ground.

Tips for visiting Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II)

1
Ramesseum visitors should start at the second court and the fallen colossus, which is the standout, then walk to the hypostyle hall. Read a short primer on Ramesses II before you go, because on-site interpretation is limited and the ruined state makes the layout hard to read.
2
Ramesseum is a short drive from the Tombs of the Nobles at Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, and the pair combine into an easy 2.5-hour circuit. Late morning is quiet because tour groups favour Karnak and the Valley of the Kings. The sandstone gets hot underfoot in summer, so wear closed shoes. The mudbrick storerooms behind the temple show how the Ramesseum functioned as a working estate. Restaurants near the Ramesseum serve simple lunches, but agree the prices before ordering.

How to reach Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II)

The red star is Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II); the numbered pins are the 7 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Ramesseum, Al-Qurna, West Bank, Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt (near the Tombs of the Nobles, at the edge of the cultivation)Directions in Google Maps

From Tombs of the Nobles (Sheikh Abd el-Qurna)
1 km · 5 min by car; 15 min on foot
Roughly EGP 30-80 (estimate; verify)
From Luxor city (east bank)
8 km · 25-40 min
Ferry about EGP 10-20 for foreigners plus roughly EGP 100-250 by taxi (estimate; verify)
From Medinet Habu
3 km · 8 min by car
Roughly EGP 50-120 (estimate; verify)

Nearest airport

From Luxor International Airport (LXR)

about 20 km by road, 30-40 minutes.

Nearest station

From Luxor railway station on the east bank

about 9 km plus a Nile crossing, 30-40 minutes.

Ramesseum (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses II) FAQs

How much does it cost to enter the Ramesseum?

EGP 220 for foreign adults and EGP 110 for foreign students as of 2026. Egyptian adults pay EGP 20. One site quotes EGP 180, so verify at the ticket office.

What is left of the Ramesseum?

Two ruined pylons, parts of the courts, 39 of the original 48 hypostyle columns and the broken colossus of Ramesses II. The rest has been lost to flooding and reuse.

What is the connection between the Ramesseum and Ozymandias?

The Ramesseum is the usual link to Shelley's poem, since Ozymandias is a Greek rendering of Ramesses II's throne name Usermaatre. The fallen colossus is often associated with the poem's shattered statue.

How long does the Ramesseum take?

About 75 minutes. Allow more time if you want to walk the mudbrick storerooms and the excavated area behind the temple.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places