The first courtyard, on whose northern and southern sides are two porticos; the southern portico has an opening, the so-called "Window of Appearances" connected to the royal palace situated outside.

The dominant theme of the bas-reliefs in the first courtyard is represented by the king's troops annihilating the enemy (the Libyans and the Peoples of the Sea) whom Ramesses fought during the 8th year of his reign.

On the walls are shown not only the vanquished enemies, who can be recognized by an exhibition of parts of their bodies (hands and penises), but also the war booty, duly listed and quantified, together with the hands and sometimes the phalluses which the Pharaoh's soldiers used to cut off the dead bodies of the vanquished enemies to show how many enemies had been slain - and to set the level of reward they they personally deserved.

The top pictures are of the 2nd pylon, the last three pictures are of the 1st pylon.