"Aswan & Abu Simbel" a Aswan Travel Page by VZ-Pam

Abu Simbel is in southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser about 290 km southwest of Aswan. It is a monument of Pharaoh Ramesses II & his queen Nefertari completed about in 1264 BC. The temple was dedicated to the sun gods Amon-Re & Re-Horakhte. The location is very near to Sudanese border & the temple carved out from the rocks.
The temple was moved to its present location in the 1960s with the construction of Aswan High Dam to avoid submersion under the rising waters of the reservoir of Lake Nessar. The original location was about 200 feet below the present site.

These statues are like big advertisement in 3D in the ancient times of Times Square. It advertized the power of Ramesses II to all people in Nubia & Egypt or outsider who came thru this route in the ancient times. People feel so little (like myself) at the feet of Ramesses II (or how about I just reached the level of his toes) & get initimated right on the spot to worship him or the sun god that he dedicated this temple to.
I think his investment is a very good deal because this temple last about 3272 years already and still going strong. People from all over the world still coming to admire its greatness.

The original site of the temple of Abu Simbel. Its 200 feet below the present new location which the UNESCO project tried to avoid drowning of the temple from the rising water from the Aswan Dam from nearby Lake Nessar.