Abu Simbel consists of a pair of Rock Temples built for the Pharaoh Ramesses II.
The Great Temple of Ramesses consists of four seated colossal statues of the Pharaoh carved into the mountain, forming one of the most spectacular temple facades in the world. It is aligned so the sun's rays at dawn travel through the mountain and illuminate Ramesses' sanctuary twice a year - on October 22 and February 22. Unfortunately we were there on the 17th October, so just missed out on one these "special" days.
Over thousands of years the temple was covered by sand and forgotten by the outside world. Early in the 19th century the explorer Belzoni excavated the site. If you get a chance to read up about Belzoni (Italian by birth, a giant of a man who became a circus strongman in the UK, then a self taught engineer, entrepreneur, archaeologist and explorer who died trying to find Timbuktu), then do so as he was a very colourful character making Indiana Jones look very timid!
These seated statues give off an immense aura of power.
The purpose of building the temple at Egypt's southern border with Nubia (i.e. Sudan) was to impress Egypt's southern neighbours, and also to reinforce the status of Egyptian religion in the region.
Unfortunately I could not take any photographs inside the massive temple complex carved into the rock.
A close-up of the great man himself.
The protective God Horus in the form of a Hawk at the Pharaoh's feet. By his legs are the smaller statues of his favourite wife, Nefertari.
I couldn't help thinking that Ramesses was going to raise his foot & squash this tourist in full Monty Python style!
The second temple, the Temple of Nefertari, is dedicated to the goddess Hathor, personified as Ramesses' most beloved wife, Nefertari. Ramesses who had some 200 wives and concubines in total also had sexual habits that are outlawed throughout the civilised world nowadays! Meanwhile, back to the monuments.....
These temples are generally considered the grandest and most beautiful in Egypt.
Due to the building of the Nasser Dam, the original location of these temples became submerged. Between 1964 and 1968, the entire site was cut into large blocks, dismantled and reassembled in a new location – 65 m higher and 200 m back from the river, in what was one of the greatest feats of archaeological engineering ever.
Unfortunately, the impact of the towering temple facades overlooking a narrow part of the Nile, is lost for ever, as they now overlook a massive lake. However they are still one of the most memorable monuments you are ever likely to see.
