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Ramesses II had more mortuary temples built than any other Egyptian king. <ref> Haeny, Gerhard. “New Kingdom ‘Mortuary Temples’ and ‘Mansions of Millions of Years.’” Temples of Ancient Egypt, edited by Byron E. Shaffer (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1997), p. 115 </ref> Among the mortuary temples that Ramesses II had built throughout Egypt were the “Ramesseum” on the west bank of the Nile River near Thebes, an addition to the massive Karnak Temple in Thebes, and the Luxor Temple also in Thebes. Construction of the Luxor Temple began during the reign of Amenhotep III (ruled ca. 1403-1364 BC), but later became known as Ramesses II’s temple due to the large amount of work he did there, which included a pylon and courtyard at the north end and several colossal statues of the king. <ref> Bell, Laney. “The New Kingdom ‘Divine’ Temple: the Example of Luxor.” Temples of Ancient Egypt, edited by Byron E. Shaffer (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1997), pgs. 148-52</ref> The Luxor Temple served as the national shrine for the cult of the deified Ramesses II throughout the remainder of pharaonic history.

Ramesses II’s building activities also extended outside of the confines of Egypt proper. He built a number of mortuary temples between the First and Second Cataracts of the Nile River, which was the traditional boundary that separated Egypt from Nubia. The most impressive of all of the boundary temples was the one that is located near the modern town of Abu Simbel. The temple was cut into a sandstone cliff above the Nile River with four nearly seventy foot high seated statues of Ramesses II proudly keeping guard over all who enter his land. <ref> Robins, Gay. The Art of Ancient Egypt (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2000), p. 181</ref> Ramesses II was clearly prolific in his construction activities, which helped secure his legacy and influenced Egypt, but he was just as prolific in his familial affairs.