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Pi-Ramsite Temples

Temples - The Buildings - Builders & Buildings

The House of Ramses, Great of Victories

The Legendary Capital of Pharaoh Ramses II

Pi Ramses became the Capital City in the 13th Century, during the 19th Dynasty, New Kingdom Period, and abandoned in approx. 1,060BC. 

Pharaoh seems to have moved the Capital City here for political and defensive reasons as it is located in the Nile Delta so closer to political allies and enemy territory.

Pharaoh Ramses II’s greatest Battle was launched from Pi-Ramses, The Battle of Kadesh. For more information about Pi Ramses, click here.

Which Temples were in Pi-Ramses?

Discovered by interpreting the data found from using Ground Penetrating Radar, Egyptologists believe that the City was laid out on a Grid System of Roads and Canals. At its centre was a substantial Temple, dedicated to the God Amun and featuring Pharaoh in his divine entity. There were 4 other large Temples at the outreaches of the Compass point:

  • North was the Temple of Wadjet;
  • East was the Temple of Astarte;
  • South was the Temple of Set;
  • West was the Temple of Amun which was home to Pharaoh’s Heb Sed Festival’s Commemorative Hall. Click here to learn about the Heb Sed Festival.

Why did people leave Pi-Ramses?

In short, the Nile dried up in its Pelusiac Branch. Without water, the remaining inhabitants had no real option but to move to a new city around 1060BC, in the 20th Dynasty.  That city became a capital in its own right, Tanis. Click here for further information about Tanis.

What is left on the site of Pi-Ramses?

Very little, apart from what is buried under the modern remains in Pi-Ramses. It was not robbed away, it was not stolen, it was moved. The Pharaohs of the 21st Dynasty recognised the value of the buildings and works that Pharaoh Ramses II had taken in Pi-Ramses.  Once they had established their new capital of Tanis, on the Tanitic Branch of the Nile, they moved Temples, Obelisks, Statues and Sphinx; weighing up to 200 tons; and reused the already cut and formed stone, 26km to their new Capital.

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