Abu Simbel temples, A monumental tribute to ancient wisdom and love

Aswan Governorate, Egypt

Giant statues of both pharaohs and deities

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Introduction

Temple of Abu Simbel is located in an ancient cultural site 290 kilometers southwest of Aswan, Egypt. Its name is said to derive from a guide who led Westerners to the site, a little boy's name. The temple is located on the west bank of Lake Nasser and is composed of two giant temples carved from rock. These two temples, the Temple of Abu Simbel and the ruins of Philae Island at its southern end, are part of the Nubian sites and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple consists of a cliff-carved archway gate, a giant statue of Ramses II, front and rear column halls, and a sanctuary. In order to protect this precious ancient building, the temple was moved as a whole to a mountain more than 60 meters above the riverbed in 1966, which was a successful attempt in the conservation of world cultural heritage sites.