Abu Simbel temples
Abu Simbel temples, located south of Aswan along Lake Nasser shore, are the most famous in all of Egypt after the Giza Pyramids. Built by the greatest of the pharaohs, Ramesses II, which made it also known as the Temple of Ramses II or Ramesses II. these huge rock-cut temples marked the southern boundary of the Egyptian Empire with Nubia at the peak of its power during the New Kingdom.
They were meant to convey the power of Egypt’s rulers to anyone who laid eyes upon them. The four statues guarding the doorway to the larger of these temples are the largest sculptures that survive from the ancient Pharaonic era.
Where are the Abu Simbel Temples located?
The Abu Simbel Temples are located at Abu Simbel, a small village of Aswan in Upper Egypt near the border with Sudan on the western bank of Lake Nasser.
Why were the Abu Simbel Temples built?
The twin temples were built to serve as a lasting monument to the king and his queen Nefertari and commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh. The Rediscovery of the Abu Simbel Temples After being lost from civilization for a while, the Abu Simbel Temples were rediscovered in 1813 by Swiss explorer John Lewis Burckhardt.
The temples had long been forgotten and the sands of the desert had covered all but the tops of the heads of the huge statues in front of their entrances the sand was finally cleared away, and these twin temples have become the most famous sites in Egypt’s south.
Relocation of the Abu Simbel Temples
Relocation of the Abu Simbel Temples As a result of the rising waters of the Nile River that were about to result from the construction of the Aswan High Dam, the twin temples of Abu Simbel was under threat. The Temples of Abu Simbel were relocated to rescue the ancient temples from the waters of the Nile. The Abu Simbel Temples were dismantled and relocated in 1968 on the desert plateau, 64 meters high and 180 meters west of their originally built site.
Moving the temples was not a job; it was massive work. It included cutting the temples into pieces weighing 3 to 20 tons and reassembling them precisely as they were at the new site. It took almost five years and finish the relocation.
What does Abu Simbel look like?
There are two temples. The first one is the Great Temple, which is dedicated to Ramesses II himself, and the second temple, the Small, is dedicated to his wife, Queen Nefertari. Great Temple The Great Temple at Abu Simbel took around twenty years to build. Also known as the Temple of Ramses II, dedicated to the gods Amun Ra-Horaakhty, and Ptah, as well as to the Great King Ramesses himself. generally considered the grandest and most beautiful of the temples commissioned during Ramesses II’s reign and one of the most beautiful in Egypt.
The entrance to the Great Temple is flanked by four colossal statues on its façade, 20-meter statues, each one representing Ramesses II seated on a throne. The façade of the main temple is decorated with hieroglyphs that commemorate the great victory of Ramses II at the Battle of Kadesh. Upon entering the great temple. there are a series of rooms, dedicated to Ramses himself and important members of his family.
The final room, the sanctum sanctorum, remains in darkness every day except two days a year This is not done by chance; it requires a broad knowledge of science, mathematics, architecture, and astronomy to achieve this result.
Nefertari temple (goddess Hathor temple)
Nefertari temple, the Small Temple, is dedicated to the goddess Hathor. Although significantly smaller than the first, it was built in honor of Ramses’ favorite wife, Nefertari. The queen appears on an equal footing with the pharaoh. also known as the Temple of Hathor and Nefertari. The rock-cut façade of the temple is decorated with two groups of colossi that are separated by the large gateway Alignment of the Sun with the Temple of Ramses II,
Abu Simbel’s larger temple is aligned with the sun, so twice a year the sun shines in the deepest recesses to illuminate a statue of Ramses and the gods to which the temple is dedicated. The ancient architects positioned the temple so that sunlight reached the room on February 22,
the anniversary of his accession to the throne, and on October 22, his birthday. On these two dates, the sun rises and illuminates the temple corridor and three of the four statues in the sanctuary. The first three statues are of Pharaoh Ramses II, Ra ( the sun god. and Ammon (the king of the gods). Ramses included gods because, like the other pharaohs, he considered himself a god. The fourth statue remains in darkness because it represents Ptah, the god of darkness. This statue has never seen sunlight in more than 3,200 years.
What is the Abu Simbel Sun Festival?
Twice a year, people from around the world gather at the Temples of Abu Simbel to celebrate the ancient Egyptians and all that they accomplished. Aptly named Sun Festival, the central chamber of the temple is illuminated by the sun.
