"Beautiful Abu Simbel" Top 5 Page for this destination Aswan Things to Do Tip by Court94403

Located on the western bank of Lake Nasser, between the 1st Nile Cataract in Aswan and the 6th Nile Cataract in Sudan. Abu Simbel was built during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II. King Ramses II was King of Upper and Lower Egypt. The Temple of Abu Simbel was commissioned by King Ramses II in his 10th year as King by his Viceroy in Nubia. Two temples were built; Abu Simbel and a temple in tribute to his wife Nefertari. Nefertari's Temple of Hathor. (also known as The Small Temple) Ramses II built a total of seven temples but none were as personal to him as Abu Simbel and Nefertari's Temple of Hathor.

Both completed around the 24th year of King Ramses reign. It took approximately 20 years to build. Abu Simbel was at one time in danger of becoming completely inundated with waters from the Nile. In 1964, UNESCO and the United Nations at the request of the Egyptian government to help finance the relocation of the temple further south.
In 1964, Abu Simbel was cut and numbered into over 1,000 pieces and re- assembled at it's current location.

In the sanctuary of Abu Simbel along with a statue of King Ramses II sit 3 statues of the gods Ptah, Amun Ra and Ra-Horakthy. Inside the temple the ceiling is painted with figures of King Ramses holding the royal crook and flail. the walls are carved with the King worshipping the gods, and celebrating his military triumphs. The actual position of the temple is arranged so that twice a year, on the day of King Ramses's Coronation in February and on his birthday in October, at sunrise, the rays of sun directly light up the entrance of the Hypostle Hall and Sanctuary. The god Ptah is the only statue that remains in the dark during this occurance. Ptah is the god connected with the Underworld.

Directly to the left of the temple of Ramses is the Nefretari's Temple of Hathor

Abu Simbel is 3 hours south of Aswan by car or bus and 30 minutes by plane.

Open daily
Price: 80.00 L.E. (13.85 USD)