Luxor - Temple of Luxor - Great Court of Ramesses II

Beyond the pylon is the Great Court of Ramesses II, 187ft/57m long by 167ft/51m wide. Owing to the presence of the mosque at the northeast corner it has not been completely exposed. It was originally surrounded on all four sides by colonnades, with a total of 74 papyrus columns, with bud capitals and smooth shafts. At the northwest corner is the chapel, decorated with reliefs, which was built by Tuthmosis III and usurped by Ramesses II. Along the front of the chapel was a small colonnade of four elegant papyrus clustercolumns of red granite. It has three chambers, which housed the sacred barques of Amun (center), Mut (to the left) and Khons (to the right). The walls of the court are covered with reliefs and inscriptions representations of offerings, hymns to the gods, scenes showing conquered nations, etc. mostly dating from the reign of Ramesses II. The relief on the southwest wall shows the fapade of the temple and the pylon with its flagstaffs, colossal statues and obelisks; from the right approaches a procession headed by the Princes and followed by garlanded sacrificial animals (continuation on west wall). In the west wall is a doorway leading out of the court, in front of which are two statues of Ramesses II (upper parts missing).