Abu Simbel Temples

Egypt’s most prominent tourist attractions are the Pyramids of Giza and the Temples of Abu Simbel. They run south of Aswan along the southern side of Lake Nasser, making it easy to access the city’s location. During the New Kingdom, when Nubia was most potent, the Egyptian Empire and Nubia were divided by massive temples carved into the rocks. Nubia was located in the south of Egypt.

Ramses II, who was generally regarded as the most powerful pharaoh, authorized the construction of both of these structures despite having distinct names. His other name is Ramses II.

Through their vision, any intelligent observer can determine the extent to which the ruling elite in Egypt controls the nation. The four figures guarding the entrance to the two most significant temples are among the oldest and largest surviving statues from the period of the ancient pharaohs.

Where are the Abu Simbel Temples located?

The Abu Simbel temples are located in the small town of Abu Simbel, on the western side of Lake Nasser and close to the border with Sudan. Abu Simbel is located in the Aswan Governorate in Upper Egypt.

Why were the Abu Simbel Temples built?

The two temples were built to honor the king’s victory at the Battle of Kadesh and honor him and his wife, Nefertari, forever. Temples were built to forever remind the people of this victory.

The Rediscovery of the Abu Simbel Temples:

In 1813, Swiss explorer John Louis Burckhardt was the first to find Abu Simbel’s temples. Before this moment, temples were cut off from the rest of civilizations for a long time. The temples had not been used for a long time, and the desert sands buried everything except the heads of the massive sculptures that stood in front of their gates.

When the sands were removed from the Twin Temples in 1909, they became the most famous sites in southern Egypt. Since then, they have remained the most famous place in the region.

Relocation of the Abu Simbel Temples:

With the construction of the Aswan High Dam, the water level of the Nile is expected to rise. If this happened, the area around the twin temples of Abu Simbel would be flooded, posing a danger to the ruins. Because of this, it was likely that the area around the temples would sink. If the ancient temples at Abu Simbel had been left in place, they would have been flooded by the Nile, so they had to be moved.

In 1968, the Abu Simbel temples were moved to a new location on a desert plateau 64 meters high and 180 meters to the west of where they were before. In 1968, this change of address occurred. Rather than being a simple task, moving temples required a lot of hard work. The temples had to be dismantled into pieces weighing 3 to 20 tons each, then moved to their new location and put back together in the same way they had been before and moved now. The process began more than five years ago.

What are the Abu Simbel Temples Look Like?

At this address, there are two places of worship. The Great Temple was built to honor Ramses II and was the first of its kind. This second temple, called the Small Temple, was created to honor Nefertari, the wife of Queen Ramses II.

Great Temple:

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel was built over twenty years. It was dedicated to the gods Amun, Ra, Horakhty, Ptah, and the great king Ramses. It was also called the Temple of Ramses II. This temple is the largest and most beautiful temple that Ramses II ordered to build. It is often believed to be one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Egypt. Also, most people agree that this is one of the most beautiful temples in Egypt.

In front of the Great Temple are four colossal statues of Ramses II seated on the throne. Each one is 20 meters long. These statues are on both sides of the main door of the great temple. Walking into the main temple, you see a group of hieroglyphs showing Ramses II’s decisive victory at the Battle of Cadiz. These hieroglyphic symbols are intended to remind people of an important time in history.

When people enter the vast temple, they see many halls that are memorials to Ramses and other members of his family who did well in life. Within these vaults are the tombs of Ramses and other significant family members. The last room, called the sanctuary, is kept entirely dark 365 days a year, except for two. This was not done by chance, and it required a deep understanding of science and mathematics, architecture, and astronomy.

Small Temple:

The second temple, known as the Small Temple, was built due to people’s interest in the goddess Hathor. It was built in honor of Ramses II’s favorite wife, Nefertari, although she was much smaller than the one before her. Everyone looks at the pharaoh and his queen, but they get just as much attention. This building is also called the Temple of Hathor and Nefertari.

Two groups of statues, one on each side of the colossal entrance, are carved into the rock at the front of the temple. Each pair of figures on the facade carved into the stone can stand alone.

Alignment of the Sun with the Temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel.

Because of how the main temple was built, the sun could reach deep into the building twice a year and shine on a statue of Ramses and the deities to whom the temple was dedicated.

The ancient people who built the temple ensured that the room would be full of sunshine on his birthday, October 22, and the day he became king, February 22. On these two mornings, the sun rises over the temple aisle and three of the four statues in the temple.

The first three statues show Ramses II, the Egyptian sun god Ra, and a god named Ammon (King of the Gods). Ramses, like any other pharaoh before him, was believed to resemble the gods and, as such, deserved to be worshiped. The fourth statue was left in the dark because it is supposed to represent Ptah, the god of the underworld and darkness. This statue has not been outside for nearly 3,200 years.