On June 21 (local time), Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration signed a MOU with Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo to cooperate on the restoration of the pylon of the Ramesseum—the largest temple complex built by Ramses II in Luxor.
The Supreme Council of Antiquities, a vice-ministerial-level body overseeing Egypt’s cultural heritage affairs, formally requested Korea’s participation in the restoration project during a high-level bilateral meeting held at the Karnak Temple on June 20. Korea agreed to restore the monumental pylon and conduct conservation work at the site, as well as participate in excavations at the nearby Temple of Thutmose IV.
The Ramesseum, located on the west bank of the Nile, is best known for the colossal 17-meter seated statue of Ramses II, now in ruins. Ramses II was a visionary leader who oversaw Egypt’s final golden age through expansive building projects and military campaigns, including the famed Battle of Kadesh. The scale of temples constructed during his reign is seen as a measure of Egypt’s prosperity at the time. The Ramesseum, the largest among them, has been under excavation and partial restoration since 1990 with the support of France’s CNRS. Notable reliefs on the temple walls depict scenes from the Battle of Kadesh, the Syrian campaigns, and religious festivals.
Building on its expertise in major conservation projects—such as the restoration of the Mireuksa Temple Site in Iksan—and leveraging human resources from the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage along with cutting-edge ICT technologies, Korea will undertake the dismantling, reconstruction, and site rehabilitation of the Ramesseum’s main pylon.
The project also includes new research and excavation at the Temple of Thutmose IV, an 18th Dynasty Pharaoh known for forging peaceful diplomatic relations with the Mitanni kingdom. Discovered in 1903, the temple remains largely unexcavated.
In addition, Korea will assist in digitally documenting and archiving key Egyptian cultural collections held at six major institutions, including the Egyptian Museum, Coptic Museum, Museum of Islamic Art, and archaeological research centers. Cooperation will also extend to combating illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts, scholarly exchange, and support for World Heritage inscriptions. Notably, Egypt has already expressed its support for Korea’s Gaya Tumuli nomination ahead of the upcoming UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in June.
