Abu Simbel Temple: Unlock The Treasures

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel, located in Nubia near Egypt’s southern border, is one of the most impressive monuments in Egypt. King Ramesses II (the Great) of the Nineteenth Dynasty carved the temple into the living rock around 1264 BC. The temple is famous for the four huge, seated statues that stand at the front of the building. One of these statues fell due to an ancient earthquake, and the broken pieces can still be seen on the ground.

The temples of Abu Simbel are some of the most mysterious and awe-inspiring monuments in the world. Located on the west bank of the Nile River in southern Egypt, these two massive temples were built by the pharaoh Ramesses II over 3,000 years ago to commemorate his victory in a great battle. The temples have stood the test of time and still attract visitors from around the world who come to marvel at their grandeur and try to unravel their secrets.

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel, located in the Upper Egyptian region of Nubia, was carved out of a solid rock cliff by Ramses II in the 13th century BC. It is believed that it was constructed to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh and his subsequent coronation. The Abu Simbel temple complex consists of two temples dedicated to the gods Ptah and Re-Harakhte, as well as a chapel dedicated to Queen Nefertari.

The smaller temple is dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Ramses II’s beloved wife, Queen Nefertari. The walls of the temple feature various scenes depicting battles and other important events in the life of Ramses II.

In 1964, an unprecedented effort was made to save the monuments from the rising waters of the Nile River as part of the construction of the Aswan High Dam. The Egyptian government enlisted the help of UNESCO and other international organizations in order to carefully relocate the temples to their current location, approximately 65 meters higher and 200 meters further back from the river bank.

During his rule, Ramesses II started a huge building project across Egypt and Nubia, which was under Egyptian control. Nubia was very important to Egypt because it was a major source of gold and other valuable goods. So, he built many large temples there to show the Nubians Egypt’s power and to influence their culture with Egyptian ways.

The most famous temples are the ones cut into the rock near the modern village of Abu Simbel, at the Second Nile Cataract, which marks the border between Lower and Upper Nubia. There are two temples: the Great Temple, built for Ramesses II himself, and the Small Temple, built for his main wife, Queen Nefertari.

The construction of the temple complex began around 1264 BC and took about 20 years to complete, finishing around 1244 BC. It was called the Temple of Ramesses, Loved by Amun.

Over time, the temples were no longer used, and the Great Temple was mostly buried by a sand dune. By the 6th century BC, the sand had already covered the statues of the main temple up to their knees. The temple stayed unknown to Europeans until March 1813, when the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt discovered the small temple and the top part of the main temple’s decoration.

When we reached the top of the mountain, I left my guide and the camels, and went down a very steep crack covered in sand to see the temple of Ebsambal, which I had heard many amazing stories about. There’s no road to this temple right now… It stands about twenty feet above the water, carved entirely into the almost vertical rock face of the mountain, and is in perfect condition.

In front of the entrance, there are six large statues of young people, three on each side, placed in narrow spaces and facing the river. They are all the same size, standing with one foot in front of the other, and are surrounded by smaller figures.

After thinking I had seen all the ancient things at Ebsambal, I was about to climb back up the mountain the way I came down. But, by chance, I turned more south and found what is left of four huge statues carved into the rock, about two hundred yards from the temple. They stand in a deep space in the mountain, but sadly, they are mostly buried under the sand, which blows down here in large amounts.

The whole head, and part of the chest and arms, of one of the statues are still visible above the surface. Of the statue next to it, almost nothing can be seen the head is broken off, and the body is covered with sand up to the shoulders. For the other two statues, only the tops of their heads are visible. It’s hard to tell if these statues are sitting or standing. Their backs are attached to a piece of rock that sticks out from the main body, which could be part of a chair, or just a column for support.

In 1815, British politician and explorer William John Bankes, with only servants and guides, traveled from Cairo up the Nile to the Second Cataract. On his journey, he visited Abu Simbel but couldn’t enter the Great Temple. He promised to come back with enough resources to explore the site properly.

In early 1816, the French ex-consul Bernardino Drovetti tried to dig at Abu Simbel. He left 300 piastres with the local sheikh to pay for digging out the temple entrance, then continued his journey upriver to Wadi Halfa. When he came back, the sheikh returned the money, explaining that the local Nubians didn’t understand the value of the small metal coins, so no work had been done.

The complex has two temples. The larger one is dedicated to Ra-Horakhty, Ptah, and Amun, the three main gods of Egypt at the time. It features four big statues of Ramesses II on its front. The smaller temple is dedicated to the goddess Hathor, shown as Nefertari, Ramesses’s favorite wife. The temple is now open to visitors.

Great Temple

The Great Temple at Abu Simbel took about twenty years to build and was finished around the 24th year of Ramesses the Great’s reign (about 1265 BC). It was dedicated to the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah, as well as to Ramesses himself, who was considered a god. It is widely regarded as the grandest and most beautiful temple built during Ramesses II’s reign, and one of the most stunning in Egypt.

Entrance

The entrance to the temple is surrounded by four huge statues, each 20 meters (66 feet) tall, showing Ramesses II sitting on a throne and wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The statue to the left of the entrance was damaged by an earthquake, causing its head and torso to fall off. These pieces weren’t put back on the statue during the move but were placed at its feet where they were originally found. Next to Ramesses’s legs, there are several smaller statues, none taller than his knees.

These include statues of his main wife, Nefertari Meritmut; his mother, Mut-Tuy; his first two sons, Amun-her-khepeshef and Ramesses B; and his first six daughters: Bintanath, Baketmut, Nefertari, Meritamen, Nebettawy, and Isetnofret.

The façade behind the huge statues is 33 meters (108 feet) tall and 38 meters (125 feet) wide. It has a frieze showing twenty-two baboons worshipping the rising sun with their arms raised. There is also a stone inscription that records the marriage of Ramesses to the daughter of King Ḫattušili III, which helped make peace between Egypt and the Hittites.

Above the entrance door, there are carved images showing the king worshipping Ra Horakhty, the falcon-headed god. A statue of Ra stands in a large niche. Ra holds the hieroglyph for “user” and a feather in his right hand, and Maat, the goddess of truth and justice, in his left hand. This represents Ramesses II’s throne name, User-Maat-Re.

Interior

The inside of the temple follows the usual triangular layout of ancient Egyptian temples, with rooms getting smaller from the entrance to the main sanctuary. The temple is complex and unusual because it has many side rooms. The hypostyle hall (or pronaos) is 18 meters (59 feet) long and 16.7 meters (55 feet) wide, and it is supported by eight large pillars shaped like Osiris, the god of fertility, agriculture, life after death, and rebirth.

These pillars show the connection between the pharaoh and Osiris, symbolizing the pharaoh’s eternal nature. The huge statues along the left wall wear the white crown of Upper Egypt, while those on the opposite wall wear the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt.

The carvings on the walls of the pronaos show scenes from the battles Ramesses fought in. Many of the carvings focus on the Battle of Kadesh, which took place on the Orontes River in modern-day Syria, where the Egyptian king fought against the Hittites. The most famous carving shows the king on his chariot shooting arrows at his fleeing enemies, who are being captured. Other scenes show Egyptian victories in Libya and Nubia.

From the hypostyle hall, you enter the second pillared hall, which has four pillars decorated with beautiful scenes showing offerings to the gods. There are images of Ramesses and Nefertari with the sacred boats of Amun and Ra-Horakhty.

This hall leads to a side room, where the entrance to the sanctuary is located. On a black wall here, there are rock-carved sculptures of four seated figures: Ra-Horakhty, the deified king Ramesses, and the gods Amun Ra and Ptah. These gods were the most important deities at the time, with their main temples in Heliopolis, Thebes, and Memphis.

Solar alignment

It is thought that the ancient Egyptian architects designed the temple so that on October 22 and February 22, the sun’s rays would enter the sanctuary and light up the statues on the back wall, except for the statue of Ptah, the god of the dead, who always stayed in the dark. People visit Abu Simbel on these days to see this event.

These dates are thought to be the king’s birthday and his coronation day, but there is no direct proof of this. However, it’s reasonable to believe that these dates were connected to an important event.

In fact, based on calculations from the rising of the star Sirius (Sothis) and inscriptions found by archaeologists, October 22 is likely to be the correct date. This image of the king was empowered by the sun’s energy, allowing the deified Ramesses the Great to take his place beside the gods Amun-Ra and Ra-Horakhty.

Due to the movement of the Tropic of Cancer caused by Earth’s axial precession over the past 3,000 years, the event’s date would have been different when the temple was originally built. Additionally, since the temple was moved from its original location, the current alignment may not be as accurate as it was when it was first constructed.

Small Temple

The Temple of Hathor and Nefertari, also known as the Small Temple, is located about 100 meters (330 feet) northeast of the larger temple of Ramesses II. It was dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Ramesses II’s main wife, Nefertari. This was only the second time in ancient Egyptian history that a temple was built for a queen, the first being when Akhenaten dedicated a temple to his queen, Nefertiti.

The rock-cut façade is decorated with two groups of giant statues, separated by a large entrance. These statues, slightly over 10 meters (33 feet) tall, depict the king and his queen. On either side of the entrance, there are two statues of the king, one wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt (on the south side) and the other wearing the double crown (on the north side), both flanked by statues of the queen.

Interestingly, this is one of the few cases in Egyptian art where the king and his queen are depicted as equal in size. Usually, the queen’s statues were shown next to the pharaoh, but they were never taller than his knees. Ramesses visited Abu Simbel with his wife in the 24th year of his reign. Like in the Great Temple, there are small statues of their children placed next to them.

On the south side (to the left when facing the entrance), the figures, from left to right, include princes Meryatum and Meryre, princesses Meritamen and Henuttawy, and princes Pareherwenemef and Amun-her-khepeshef. On the north side, the figures appear in the opposite order. The design of the Small Temple is a simpler version of the Great Temple’s layout.

The two temples at Abu Simbel have inspired speculation and awe for thousands of years. Despite extensive archeological research, the original purpose of these magnificent monuments remains unclear.

One popular theory is that the temples were used to honor a local ruler who unified the region. It is believed that the statues of Ramses II at the entrance of the Great Temple may have been intended to proclaim his power and authority. The smaller temple, dedicated to Hathor, goddess of music and love, might have been meant to celebrate the Queen Nefertari.

The temples may have also served a political purpose, as it was believed that by building such impressive monuments in a prominent location, Egypt could stake its claim over this area and ward off any would-be invaders.

Finally, many people believe that the grandeur and size of the Abu Simbel temples were intended to symbolize Ramses II’s great power and wealth. Scholars have long speculated that the temples were meant to demonstrate that Ramses II was the equal or superior of the gods themselves.

The mystery surrounding the true purpose of the Abu Simbel temples continues to captivate and fascinate scholars and visitors alike.

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Abu Simbel glory has become an iconic symbol of Egypt’s ancient past. It is one of the most visited sites in Egypt, drawing visitors from all over the world. The temples are seen as a reminder of Egypt’s ancient glory, and stand as a testament to the power of Ramesses II and the Ancient Egyptians. The temples are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are widely regarded as a masterpiece of engineering and architecture.

They have been featured in various films and television shows, and are seen as an important part of Egyptian culture. To this day, Abu Simbel remains an incredible place to visit, offering a unique glimpse into the past of Ancient Egypt.

In 1959, a global fundraising campaign was launched to save the monuments of Nubia. The ancient sites in the southernmost part of Egypt were at risk due to the rising waters of the Nile caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam. The water from the new reservoir would raise the level at Abu Simbel by up to 60 meters (200 feet). If submerged, the water would weaken the sandstone used to build the temples, making it less durable.

In early 1962, several plans were suggested by different organizations and individuals on how to preserve the temples.

One proposal to protect the temples, suggested by Irish film producer William MacQuitty, was to leave the temples in place and build a dam around them. This dam would contain clear, filtered water at the same level as the muddy Nile water outside. Visitors would be able to view the temples from curved observation galleries on three levels. MacQuitty imagined that in the future, atomic power would replace the dam, lowering the water level and returning the temples to their original condition.

Since they believed raising the temples ignored the potential erosion of sandstone by desert winds, architects Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew, along with civil engineer Ove Arup, developed the idea into a formal proposal. However, the plan turned out to be unworkable: because sandstone is porous, the water would eventually cause the temples to break down.

The two Temples of Abu Simbel in Egypt are some of the most mysterious monuments of antiquity. These temples, which were carved out of a mountain in the 13th century BC by Ramses II, are located on the western bank of the Nile River, approximately 200 miles south of Aswan. The first temple is dedicated to Ramses himself, and the second temple is dedicated to his beloved wife, Nefertari.

The Temples of Abu Simbel consist of two massive structures carved into the side of a mountain. The larger of the two temples is dedicated to Ramses and measures approximately 65 meters in height and 35 meters in width. It consists of four huge statues of Ramses seated in a columned hall with walls decorated with images of gods, goddesses, and scenes from ancient battles. The smaller temple is dedicated to Nefertari and is much less elaborate. It stands around 30 meters tall and is adorned with reliefs depicting Nefertari being presented to the gods.

The Temples of Abu Simbel are an amazing example of ancient Egyptian architecture. The size and complexity of these structures make them a truly impressive sight, and they have been a source of wonderment for centuries.

The two majestic temples at Abu Simbel were built around 1250 BC by Pharaoh Ramses II as a monument to his greatness. After thousands of years, they were threatened with destruction by the rising waters of the Nile River. In the 1960s, a large-scale relocation process was undertaken to save the temple complex.

The relocation process took place over a four-year period, beginning in 1964 and ending in 1968. It involved carefully dismantling each of the two temples, along with their interiors, sculptures, and decorations. Everything was then moved nearly 200 meters higher and further away from the Nile River, where it was reassembled.

The project required immense engineering prowess and was completed with an incredible level of precision; the various pieces were put back together so perfectly that it’s impossible to tell they had been moved at all. This feat of engineering was a huge success and has been credited with saving Abu Simbel from certain destruction.

Today, the temples of Abu Simbel remain standing as a testament to the incredible accomplishment of its relocation. The complex is now a major tourist attraction and continues to be a source of fascination for archaeologists and historians.

Egypt is a land of wonders and ancient history. Its unique culture, beautiful landscapes, and fascinating monuments make it an ideal destination for travelers looking to explore the world. To experience the best of Egypt, taking a guided tour to Upper Egypt is the way to go.

With our Egypt travel packages and Nile cruises, you can enjoy the stunning views of the Nile Valley and explore ancient sites like Luxor and Karnak Temple. Our experienced guides will provide you with interesting facts about each site, as well as an insight into local life. So join us on an unforgettable journey through Upper Egypt!

Tour Name	Duration
4 Days Cairo and Abu simbel Tour Package	4 Days – 3 Nights
5 Days Cairo, Aswan and Abu Simbel Tour Package	5 Days – 4 Nights
Cairo , Luxor and Abu Simbel 5 Days Tour Package	5 Days – 4 Nights
Abu Simbel Day Tour From Aswan	1 Day – 10 Hours
9 Days tour package Cairo, Luxor and Aswan	9 Days – 8 Nights

What is Abu Simbel Temple?

Abu Simbel is a historic archaeological site in Egypt, known for its two massive rock temples carved out of a mountainside. It’s located near the border with Sudan and was originally built during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II in the 13th century BC.

Who built the temples of Abu Simbel?

Pharaoh Ramses II commissioned the construction of the temples. The larger temple is dedicated to Ramses himself, while the smaller one honors his wife, Queen Nefertari.

Why were the temples relocated?

The temples were moved in the 1960s to save them from rising waters caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River. An international team of engineers and archaeologists worked to carefully dismantle and reassemble the temples on higher ground.

How were the temples relocated?

The relocation involved cutting the temples into large blocks, which were then lifted to a prepared site 65 meters higher and 200 meters back from the river. This massive relocation project was completed between 1964 and 1968.

What makes the Abu Simbel temples unique?

The grandeur and craftsmanship of the temples are astounding, especially the four colossal statues of Ramses II at the entrance of the larger temple. Moreover, the temples are constructed in such a way that twice a year, sunlight illuminates the statues inside the temple’s sanctuary.

When is the best time to visit Abu Simbel?

The best time to visit is during the cooler months from October to April. The temperatures are mild, making the experience more enjoyable. Also, during the sun festival in February and October, visitors can witness the phenomenon of sunlight illuminating the inner statues.

How can visitors reach Abu Simbel?

Abu Simbel can be accessed by air, road, or boat from Aswan. The most common way is by taking a short flight or a bus tour from Aswan, which is about 280 kilometers away.

Are there guided tours available?

Yes, many guided tours are available from Aswan. These tours provide insightful commentary to enhance your understanding of the historical and cultural significance of the temples.

What should visitors keep in mind?

When visiting, you’re advised to stay hydrated and wear comfortable clothing, as it can get quite hot. Photography is allowed, but it’s good to remember that these are ancient and sacred spaces, deserving respect and care.