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Temple · Abu Simbel, Aswan
Great Temple of Abu Simbel
Rock-cut temple ordered by Ramses II, with four colossal seated statues of the pharaoh on the façade, saved from the waters of Lake Nasser and reassembled at a higher location.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Great Temple of Abu Simbel
The Great Temple of Abu Simbel was carved into a rock face on the Nile’s shore in Nubia by order of Ramses II in the 13th century BCE. The façade features four colossal seated statues of the pharaoh, each about 20 meters high; one lost its upper part in an ancient earthquake.
Inside, the main hall has pillars with statues of Ramses as Osiris and reliefs of the Battle of Kadesh. At the rear, the sanctuary contains four seated statues: Ptah, Amun-Ra, the deified Ramses II and Ra-Horakhty. Twice a year the dawn light passes through the doorway and illuminates three of them.
In the 1960s UNESCO organized the rescue of the temple, which would have been submerged by Lake Nasser: it was cut into more than a thousand blocks and reconstructed 65 meters higher, inside an artificial hill.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About one to two hours, together with the Temple of Nefertari.
Best time
At sunrise, when the light hits the façade, or late in the afternoon; at night there is a sound-and-light show.
How to get there
By car, bus or plane from Aswan; the temples are a few minutes from the town of Abu Simbel.
Tip
On Sun Festival days, arrive at dawn: the queue to enter begins before sunrise.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Great Temple of Abu Simbel
When does sunlight enter the Abu Simbel temple?
Around February 22 and October 22, at sunrise.
Was the Abu Simbel temple moved?
Yes. In the 1960s it was cut into blocks and rebuilt 65 meters higher to avoid Lake Nasser.
How tall are the statues at Abu Simbel?
About 20 meters each for the four statues of Ramses II on the façade.