The Ramesseum was constructed to be the mortuary temple of Ramses 2. While originally laid out on a grand scale, one error was done concerning its eternal qualities. It was built on a field that was inundated by the Nile's flooding once a year. By the time of construction, the nearby temple of Seti 1 had already started to fall apart.
The layout is quite similar to other temples. It faces the Nile, and has pylons, courts, hypostyle halls and closed and gloomy sanctuaries. There is however one change from the general pattern, with the incorporation of the temple of Tuya, Ramses' mother.
A couple of parts of the temple are more interesting than others. The two fallen colossi of Ramses 2 add drama to the site, while the workmen's quarters are unusually well-preserved. It is not unlikely that other temples had similar profane structures next to the sacred quarters, but in most cases they were removed upon the completion of the temple or destroyed over time by nature and man.
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