Ramesseum
The mortuary temple of Ramses II isn't in the best condition now and may actually be best viewed from a balloon in the early morning. The unique feature of the place, besides its size, that might just make it worth a visit is the actual statue that inspired the 19th-century poet Percy Bysshe Shelley to write the poem later selected by high school teachers the world over as a beginner's exercise in exegesis. The original entrance would have been to the left as you walk in through the modern entrance, between two massive pylons that are worth checking out for their depictions of Ramses II's military triumphs. To the right, more than half the original columns of the hypostyle hall are still erect and, if you follow on beyond, there is a smaller hall with a portion of the original celestial decorations on the roof that are visible.
The mortuary temple of Ramses II isn't in the best condition now and may actually be best viewed from a balloon in the early morning. The unique feature of the place, besides its size, that might just make it worth a visit is the actual statue that inspired the 19th-century poet Percy Bysshe Shelley to write the poem later selected by high school teachers the world over as a beginner's exercise in exegesis. The original entrance would have been to the left as you walk in through the modern entrance, between two massive pylons that are worth checking out for their depictions of Ramses II's military triumphs. To the right, more than half the original columns of the hypostyle hall are still erect and, if you follow on beyond, there is a smaller hall with a portion of the original celestial decorations on the roof that are visible.
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