Ramesses II caught fibbing.
Luxor Temple was built in the heart of ancient Thebes. Walking through the temple really is an exercise in time travel. The deeper you go into the complex, the further back in time you travel, from the newest additions (merely 2,400 years old), through to the most ancient ruins dating back over 4,000 years.
The temple was originally begun during Egypt's Middle Kingdom but really boomed during the prosperous New Kingdom, as successive kings pushed Egypt's borders further and further out, subjugating neighbouring countries and enjoying rivers of trade and tribute.
The ruling line of kings were Thebans and knew that the current good times were by the grace of the principal local god, Amun-Re. The god's temples of Amun at Karnak and Luxor enjoyed unprecedented building activity.
Over hundreds of years, Luxor temple grew larger and larger as successive pharaohs strove to prove their piety and add their legacy to the temple. Much of the temple we see today however, is primarily thanks to two kings, both fabulously wealthy, and both prone to colossal building projects: Amenhotep III and the great Ramesses II.
Amenhotep was the grandfather of the famous pharaoh, Tutankhamun. In his day, his memorial temple on the western side of the Nile, was the greatest temple Egypt had ever seen, dwarfing Luxor Temple.
Just over 70 years later, Ramesses II went on a building spree the likes of which Egypt had never seen. Colossal statues were raised to the sky and his giant temple on the southern frontier at Abu Simbel was hewn from the rock to terrorize any Nubians with plans of invading Egypt.
Inscriptions on the First Pylon at Luxor Temple cite Ramesses II as the builder for the whole complex. The reality is, he is responsible for 'only' the newest part of the temple proper: the grand pylon, obelisk, and the first courtyard.
The Ramesses II Court originally featured four double rows of columns around its four sides, 74 columns in all. In the spaces between the many of the columns were striding statues of Ramesses II, impressing the faithful - and hopefully the gods - with notions of a man of action, stepping forward with purpose and strength.
Pictured is the eastern side of the Ramesses II Court, and three of his colossal statues. Ramesses wasn't responsible for the whole temple as he claimed, but if he was looking on from the heavenly realm today, I suspect he would still feel proud of the awe that his creations still attract, over 3,200 years later.