In the 19th Dynasty, Seti I and his son Ramesses II began to restore Abedjou to its former glory. But Seti did more than that. He began to build what is maybe the most beautiful temple to all gods and all former kings of Egypt and he placed it by the processional path, between the temple of Wesir and 'his tomb'.
The temple precinct is situated by a former canal which once connected to the Nile. We climb a grand staricase leading up to the platform and face the great temple buildings.
In front of this temple he erected a memorial chapel to his own father, Ramesses I. On its walls are exquisite reliefs showing the Royal family offering to the gods.
1: First Pylons. 2: First Courtyard. 3: Second Courtyard. 4: First Hypostyle Hall.
5: Second Hypostyle Hall. 6: Shrine of Seti I. 7: Shrine of Ptah.
8: Shrine of Re-Harachte. 9: Shrine of Amun-Re. 10: Shrine of Wesir.
11. Shrine of Aset. 12: Shrine of Heru. 13: Hall of Nefertem and Ptah-Sokaris.
14: Hall of Kings. 15:Sanctuary of Wesir.
Looking into one of the chapels
The great temple is dedicated not only to Wesir, Aset and Heru, but also to Amun of Waset (Gr: Thebes), Ptah of Men-Nefer (Gr: Memphis) and Re of Iunu (Gr: Heliopolis). The reliefs therein are very well preserved and of highest quality. They give us valuable information about the daily rituals.
We pass the First Courtyard (2) and see the portal to the second one across the great temple place. On a memory plaque it is said that these pillars 'reached all the way to the sky'. The pillars of the First Hypostyle hall (4) have been formed as seven openings into seven chapels (6-12) dedicated on the right side to Wesir, Aset and Heru, and on the left side to Ptah of Men-Nefer, (Gr: Memphis) Re of Iunu (Gr: Heliopolis) and to king Seti himself. The sanctuary in the middle is dedicated to Amun-Re (9) and the triad of Waset (Gr: Theban).
Chapel of Amun-Re: Veiled statue of Amun-Re carried on its
Barque in Festival Procession
Behind these there are two hypostyle halls, (15) each with three chapels for Wesir, Aset and Heru, the three deities of Abedjou.
The King-List
From the second of these halls you can enter a long corridor, Hall of Kings, (14) which on its western wall has a long record of all the rulers from the 1st dynasty up to the rule of Seti I. This list includes 76 kings, from Menes to Seti himself, and has contributed greatly to the understanding of Egyptian chronology
This corridor leads you to two more rooms which hold chapels for the triad of Men-Nefer (Gr: Memphis)and sanctuaries where processional barks and ritual utensils were kept. Outside of the temple were widespread magasines and storehouses.
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