"All Hail Ramesses! " a Temple of Abu Simbel Travel Page by NilePrincess

The majestic temples of Abu Simbel are awe-inspiringly breathtaking.

The rock temples of Abu Simbel were originally built in the 13th century BC both as lasting monuments to Pharoah Ramesses II and his favorite wife, Nefertari and as a show of might to intimidate the neighboring Nubians. When the Aswan dam was built, the temples were in danger of being submerged. In 1959 an international UNESCO project was started to save the Monuments of Nubia and between 1964 and 1968, at the cost of some US$40million, both temples were cut into blocks, moved to higher ground and reassembled. It boggles the mind that these colossal monuments are not in their original place.

By road, tourists must go via convoys which leave at 4am and 11am. Most people do the 4am. It's a very early start but people usually just go back to sleep once the convoy pulls off. The convoy is not the slow-paced, orderly ride one envisions but a mad dash across the desert, with most drivers itching to one-up the guy infront of them. Being asleep for this is not a bad idea. :-)

Upon arrival, most groups head to the Temple of Ramesses, which is the larger and more visually impressive temple. To beat the crowds, do the reverse and visit the Temple of Nefertari first.

After that, head to the Temple of Ramesses. The temple is uniquely built so that, twice a year, shafts of light from the rising sun directly illuminate King Ramesses' statues located on the back wall of the innermost sanctum. This occurs of Feb 21, King Ramesses' birthday, and October 22, the date of his coronation. The occasions have been turned into festivals. The one in October is immensely popular.

There is a daily sound and light show which gets rave reviews, and many people stay overnight to enjoy it.

Pharoah Ramesses II is known as the greatest king that ever lived. He ruled Egypt for 67years. The mummy of this great Pharoah is on display in the Royal Mummy Room of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Temple Cost:
New Cost of entry as of November 2008 - 90LE
Students - 45LE
Entry cost includes both temples and a group guide.