Abu Simbel Temple

　　The Abu Simbel Temples (AbuSimbelTemples) are a key tourist attraction in Aswan, located 280 kilometers south of Aswan. Built between 1300 and 1233 BCE, they were constructed by Ramses II, one of the greatest pharaohs of ancient Egypt, and are among the most well-preserved monuments of the New Kingdom pharaonic era. The temples stand 30 meters high, 36 meters wide, and extend 60 meters deep. At the entrance are four massive seated statues of Ramses II carved from stone, each 20 meters tall, accompanied by smaller statues of his mother, wife, and children — all remarkably lifelike and remarkably well-preserved despite over 3,000 years of erosion. Their significance came to global attention more than 30 years ago when construction began on the Aswan High Dam, threatening the ancient Nubian monuments with permanent submersion under Lake Nasser. UNESCO issued a worldwide appeal to save Nubia, and 51 countries responded. From 1960 to 1980, experts carried out more than 40 large-scale rescue operations: a team of archaeologists from 24 countries conducted on-site surveys of the areas threatened by the rising lake; 22 temples were relocated after precise orientation and disassembly, then meticulously reconstructed in safe zones. The designers of the temples over 3,000 years ago applied advanced knowledge of astronomy, astrology, and geography to create a phenomenon where, only on Ramses II’s birthday (February 21) and the anniversary of the temple’s founding (October 21), the sun’s rays would shine directly through the temple entrance, penetrate the 60-meter-long inner corridor, and illuminate the entire statue of Ramses II at the far end — while the statues on either side remained in shadow. This extraordinary event became known as the Sun Festival. To preserve this marvel, UNESCO launched a fundraising campaign and enlisted top international scientists and technicians using cutting-edge technology to relocate the Abu Simbel Temples 60 meters higher to keep them above water. Despite all efforts, the Sun Festival shifted by one day. Other major temples were reconstructed at four carefully selected sites: the Roman-era temples of Kalabsha, Kasr Ibrim, and the Beit el-Wali Temple adorned with reliefs depicting African life now stand near the High Dam; the temples of Derr, Maharraqa, and Wadi es-Sebua were grouped together at Wadi es-Sebua; the ancient Temple of Amada and the small chapel of Pennut — Nubia’s oldest temples dating back to the reigns of Thutmose III and Amenhotep II in the 15th century BCE — were moved to Amada; the Abu Oda altar and Psamtik I chapel were relocated to the west bank of the Nile across from Abu Simbel.