Temple of Abu Simbel
When your cruise ship stops at Aswan, you will have the opportunity to take one of the ‘must do’ excursions in Egypt. Abu Simbel is an archaeological site of two massive rock temples located 190 miles southwest of Aswan near the border which separates Egypt and Sudan.. These magnificent twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Ramesess II in the 13th century BC as a monument to himself and Queen Nefertari.
In the 1960s, the entire complex was relocated to avoid being submerged as Lake Nasser was created as a result of the construction of the Aswan Dam. Despite its location, Abu Simbel is one of Egypt’s top tourist attractions and this is excursion is highly recommended.
The dual Temples of Abu Simbel were built by Ramesses II. One was built in honor of Ramesses II and the other, Nefertari, his most beloved wife. They were dedicated to Ptah, Amun-Re, Re-Her-Akhtey, the state’s gods, along with Ramessess II, who was also considered to be deity.
As mentioned above, there are two temples in the Temples of Abu Simbel complex. The temple dedicated to Ramesesses II is also referred to as The Sun Temple of Remessess II. Nefertari’s temple is also known as the Temple of Hathor. Hathor was the wed to the Sun God.
The front of the primary temple is approximately 108 feet high and 125 feet wide. It is made up of four huge statues that are over 60 feet high. Each of them is seated and one wears a double crown. The double crown represents lower and upper Egypt.
Two times a year, when the sun rises, its beams shine on the face of King Ramesses. The two days are his birthday and the day of his coronation.
Ramesses II built six rock temples. The Abu Simbel Temples are considered to be the best of them all. They are thought of as masterpieces of the ancient, Egyptian world. This is particularly impressive considering that Egypt is full of awesome monuments, pyramids and ruins.
The Abu Simbel Temples faced impending destruction before UNISCO and the government of Egypt stepped in. The temples were at risk of being submerged by water from Lake Nasser after the Aswan High dam was built. They were moved to higher land , to a location where there was no longer the threat of submersion.
Prior to being moved, the temples were re-discovered after they had been covered by sand. After being re-discovered, a team of experts helped to restore them. It costs approximately $40 million to do so.
The Temples of Abu Simbel Temples are one of Egypt’s main attractions. The construction and design of the temples continue to be a marvel and incredibly impressive.
