Nefertari with her husband Ramesses II
Never before has a queen been depicted alongside her husband and in the same scale on a temple facade. The reason behind this is the sharp intelligence of Queen Nefertari, who was the planner of most of Ramesses II's successful campaigns. She ran the military sites alongside King Ramesses II.
Nefertari (c. 1300—1250 BC) was the chief royal consort (or chief wife) of Ramesses the Great. Nefertari means the beautiful companion, and the name is translated with different meanings: “beloved and unparalleled” or “beautiful among the beauties of the world.” Or it resembles the star that appears at the beginning of a new year. Nefertari is one of the most famous Egyptian queens, such as Cleopatra, Nefertiti and Hatshepsut. Ramesses the Great lavishly decorated the Shrine of Nefertari QV66, the largest and most prominent in the Valley of the Queens.
The facade of the temple shows Nefertari on each side of the entrance standing between two colossal 10-metre-tall statues of Ramesses, with smaller images of royal children at their feet. This smaller monument is dedicated to the goddess Hathor. The second rock-cut temple at Abu Simbel is located near the north of the Great Temple and is similar in plan but on a smaller scale.
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