Ramesses II statue, Memphis, Egypt
The colossal statue of Ramesses II
The town of Mit Rahina, south of Cairo has a small museum for only one artifact, but it is a big artifact. A colossal statue of the pharaoh Ramesses II lying on its back. The statue, carved out of limestone, originally stood upright with a height of over 10 metres. In antiquity this now rural area was the Egyptian capital Memphis, from where the pharaoh ruled.
Ramesses the great
Pharaoh Ramesses II, the longest ruling pharaoh in ancient Egypt reigned for 68 years from 1279 - 1213 BC. Besides being a conqueror and winning many battles he left us lot of statues, monuments and buidings like the temples of Abu Simbel and the Ramesseum near Luxor.
Discovery of the statue
The Ramesses II statue that is now in the Mit Rahina Museum was discovered in 1820 by the Italian explorer Giovanni Battista Caviglia. Later that year he also discovered a second Ramesses statue of the same size. This statue was moved to Cairo in the 1950's while its twin stayed behind where it was found.
Places to stay in Cairo
The easiest way to visit the Ramesses II statue is to book a tour from Cairo that will show you around several interesting sites. Cairo has plenty good hotels to choose from.
City View Hotel is located in the centre of Cairo and tips can bee booked by the helpful staff. Good value for money.
Happy days Pyramids Inn, with a view on the pyramids, a unique place to stay.
Find a hotel Cairo
