Abu Simbel is a historic site consisting of two massive rock-cut temples in the village of Abu Simbel in Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, near the Sudan border. Positioned on the western bank of Lake Nasser, it is about 230 km (140 mi) southwest of Aswan (approximately 300 km (190 mi) by road).

These twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC. The temples feature huge external rock relief figures of Ramesses II and smaller figures of his wife, Nefertari, and children at his feet. Inside the Great Temple, there are sculptures commemorating Ramesses II's leadership at the Battle of Kadesh.

In 1968, the entire complex was relocated to higher ground to avoid submersion by Lake Nasser, the reservoir created by the Aswan Dam. This relocation was part of the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia. An artificial hill was constructed to house the Abu Simbel Temples under the supervision of Polish archaeologist Kazimierz Michałowski from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology at the University of Warsaw.

The Abu Simbel complex, along with other temples from Nubian sites such as Philae, Amada, and Wadi es-Sebua, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Nubian Monuments.

History

During his rule, Ramesses II initiated a large-scale construction project in Egypt and Nubia, which was under Egyptian control. Nubia was crucial to the Egyptians as it was a source of gold and other valuable trade goods. Consequently, Ramesses II built several impressive temples in Nubia to demonstrate Egypt's power and influence over the region. The most notable temples are the rock-cut temples near the modern village of Abu Simbel, located at the Second Nile Cataract, the boundary between Lower Nubia and Upper Nubia. These temples consist of the Great Temple, dedicated to Ramesses II himself, and the Small Temple, dedicated to his principal wife Queen Nefertari.

The construction of the temple complex began around 1264 BC and continued for approximately 20 years, until 1244 BC. It was originally called the Temple of Ramesses, Beloved by Amun.

Rediscovery

Over time, the temples became abandoned and the Great Temple was eventually mostly covered by a dune. By the 6th century BC, the sand had already covered the statues of the main temple up to their knees. Europeans forgot the temple until March 1813, when the Swiss researcher Johann Ludwig Burckhardt discovered the small temple and the top frieze of the main temple.

Burckhardt shared his discovery with the Italian explorer Giovanni Belzoni, who travelled to the site but was unable to dig out an entry to the temple. Belzoni returned in 1817 and was successful in his attempt to enter the complex. A detailed early description of the temples, along with contemporaneous line drawings, can be found in Edward William Lane's Description of Egypt (1825–1828).

Relocation

In 1959, an international donations campaign was launched to save the monuments of Nubia. The ancient relics were under threat from the rising waters of the Nile due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

One plan to protect the temples involved building a clear freshwater dam around them, keeping the water inside at the same level as the Nile and including underwater viewing chambers. In 1962, architects Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry, along with civil engineer Ove Arup, turned this idea into a proposal. They argued that raising the temples would neglect the erosion of the sandstone by desert winds. Despite being considered elegant, the proposal was ultimately rejected.

The rescue of the Abu Simbel temples began in 1964 with a multinational team of archaeologists, engineers, and skilled heavy equipment operators working under the UNESCO banner. The project cost around $40 million, equivalent to $392.96 million in 2023. Between 1964 and 1968, the entire site was carefully dismantled, lifted, and reassembled in a new location 65 meters higher and 200 meters back from the river. Some structures were even saved from under the waters of Lake Nasser. Today, the temples attract a few hundred tourists daily, with most visitors arriving by road from Aswan, the nearest city, or by plane at the specially constructed Abu Simbel Airport.

The complex comprises two temples. The larger one is dedicated to Ra-Horakhty, Ptah, and Amun, Egypt's three state deities at the time, and features four large statues of Ramesses II on the facade. The smaller temple is dedicated to the goddess Hathor, personified by Nefertari, Ramesses's most beloved wife. The temple is now open to the public.

Abu Simbel Temples

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel, located in Nubia near Egypt’s southern border, is one of the most impressive monuments of Egypt. It was carved into the rock by King Ramesses II (the Great) of the Nineteenth Dynasty around 1264 BC. The temple is best known for the four massive seated statues that dominate its façade. One of these statues collapsed due to an ancient earthquake, and its fragments can still be seen on the ground.

Inside the temple, there are colossal standing statues of the king lining the main hall, leading to the sanctuary where four deities are seated: Amun Ra, Ra Horakhty, Ptah, and a deified version of Ramesses II. The temple was constructed with such precision that on two days a year, the 22nd of February and the 22nd of October, the sun’s rays enter the temple, cross the main hall, and illuminate the innermost statues.

To the north, there is another rock-cut temple known as the Small Temple, which is dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Ramesses II’s Great Royal Wife, Queen Nefertari. On the façade of the Small Temple, her colossi are the same size as those of her husband, a very rare example of such display.

In 1968, the two temples were relocated from their original location after the Aswan High Dam was built, as it threatened to submerge them. The relocation was completed thanks to an international effort led by UNESCO, and the temple was admitted into its list of World Heritage Sites in 1979.