Carved out of solid rock, this most famous of the temples erected by Rameses II survived thanks to Egyptologist Christiane Desroches Noblecourt and UNESCO, which covered the costs of moving it out of the reach of the waters during construction of the Aswan Dam. Its monumental façade is impressive, with four seated colossi of the Pharaoh, wearing a nemes and false beard. Inside, note the bas-reliefs depicting the militay conquests of Rameses II (Battle of Qadesh )