| Centre of Attraction | Abu Simbel Temples | |
| City, Country | Abu SimbelEgypt |
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| Nearest Airport | Cairo International AirportAbu Simbel Airport(domestic flights) | |
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Description
Abu Simbel Temples
were built in 1257 BC, Pharaoh Ramses II (1279-1213 BC) had two temples carved out of solid rock at a site on the west bank of the Nile south of Aswan in the land of NubiaGreat Abu Simbel Temples
.The
temples of Abu Simbel
were cut from the rock and shifted to higher ground in the 1960s as the waters of Lake Nasser began to rise following completion of the Aswan High Dam.The
Great Temples of Abu Simbel
is dedicated to Ramesses II and a statue of him is seated with three other gods within the innermost part of the rock-cut temple (the sanctuary). The temple's facade is dominated by four enormous seated statues of the Pharaoh (each over 20 metres or 67 feet high), although one has been damaged since ancient times. The actual interior of theAbu Simbel Temples
is inside the cliff in the form of a man-made cave cut out of the living rock (cf. The Sacred Cave). It consists of a series of halls and rooms extending back a total of 185 feet from the entrance. The most remarkable feature of the site is that theGreat Abu Simbel Temples
is precisely oriented so that twice every year, on 22 February and 22 October, the first rays of the morning sun shine down the entire length of the temple-cave to illuminate the back wall of the innermost shrine and the statues of the four gods seated there.The Small Temple was probably completed ahead of the
