Abu Simbel Temples

The Abu Simbel Temples (AbuSimbelTemples) are a major tourist highlight of Aswan, located 280 kilometers south of the city. Built between 1300 and 1233 BC, they were constructed by Ramses II, one of ancient Egypt’s greatest pharaohs, and are among the most well-preserved monuments of the New Kingdom era. The temples stand 30 meters high, 36 meters wide, and extend 60 meters deep, with four massive seated statues of Ramses at the entrance, each 20 meters tall. Smaller statues of his mother, wife, and children flank the larger figures, all remarkably lifelike and remarkably well-preserved despite over 3,000 years of erosion. Their significance gained global attention more than 30 years ago when the construction of the Aswan High Dam threatened to submerge these ancient Nubian relics under Lake Nasser. UNESCO issued an international appeal to save Nubia, and 51 countries responded. From 1960 to 1980, experts carried out over 40 large-scale preservation efforts: teams of archaeologists from 24 countries surveyed the areas at risk of flooding; 22 temples were carefully measured, dismantled stone by stone, and relocated to safer ground before being reconstructed to resemble their original forms. The temples’ designers, over 3,000 years ago, applied precise astronomical, celestial, and geographical knowledge to ensure that twice a year—on February 21 (Ramses II’s birthday) and October 21 (the anniversary of the temple’s founding)—the rising sun would illuminate the inner sanctum, casting its golden rays through the 60-meter-long corridor and shining directly onto the statues of Ramses II at the far end, while leaving other colossal statues in shadow. This phenomenon is known as the Sun Festival. To preserve this marvel, UNESCO launched a fundraising campaign and enlisted leading scientists and engineers to use advanced technology to move the Abu Simbel Temples 60 meters higher to prevent them from being flooded. Despite all efforts, the timing of the Sun Festival shifted by one day. Other major temples were reconstructed at four carefully chosen sites: the Roman-era temples of Kalabsha, Qertassi, and Beit el-Wali, adorned with reliefs depicting African life, now stand near the High Dam; the temples of Dakka, Maharraqa, and Wadi es-Sebua were grouped together at Wadi es-Sebua; the ancient Temple of Amada and the small chapel of Derr, dating back to the 15th century BC during the reigns of Thutmose III and Amenhotep II—the oldest temples in Nubia—were relocated to Amada; and the Abu Oda altar and Psamtik I chapel were moved to the west bank of the Nile across from Abu Simbel.