Why travel to Egypt

If you’re an Africa travel enthusiast, Egypt probably needs no introduction. This North African country has a rich, mystical and well-known history dating back to the days of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Today, many historical monuments from these ancient days still stand in Egypt and attract millions of visitors each year. The ancient temples of Abu Simbel are a great example.

Abu Simbel: Background

Consisting of two sacred temples carved into the side of a mountain, Abu Simbel is the second most important man-made tourist attraction in Egypt today, after the great pyramids. The Abu Simbel temples are part of the Nubian Monuments in Egypt, which have collectively been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You must visit Abu Simbel at least once, to appreciate the beauty of the temples and also learn about its mystical history, as thousands of other local and foreign tourists do.

Rental

The Abu Simbel temples are currently situated on top of an artificial cliff on the western shore of Lake Nasser, about 300 km southwest of the Aswan High Dam. However, this was not its original site. Originally these ancient temples were located about 200 feet below the current location. They were relocated in the 1960s to prevent them from being submerged in Lake Nasser after the construction of the Aswan High Dam. The relocation and reconstruction of the temple is considered one of the great engineering feats of the modern world.

The relocation of the temples

Achieved through the combined efforts of the Egyptian government and UNESCO, the relocation of Abu Simbel cost more than US$60 million and took four years. The temples were cut into huge slabs on their original site, each slab weighing over 3,000 kilograms. The slabs were then moved to higher ground very carefully to prevent damage. On the new site, the pieces were carefully reassembled, taking into account all the elements that had been on the original site, including precise construction measurements and the position of the sun. There is a small museum outside of Abu Simbel where you can get step-by-step documentation of the relocation and assembly of the two temples. The museum also has a lot of other information, such as the history of Abu Simbel and the ancient kingdoms that worshiped there.

History of Abu Simbel

The two temples were built during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II, supposedly to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh.

Touring Abu Simbel

Four gigantic statues of Pharaoh Ramses sit in front of the Abu Simbel. This is the mesmerizing sight you get when you approach the temple. You will feel dwarfed and amazed by its sheer size. However, one of the statues in the middle has been destroyed from head to waist by a past earthquake. At the foot of these gigantic statues are much smaller statues, probably of members of the then royal family.

When you tour Abu Simbel, chances are you’ll be in the company of tour guides who will astound you with tales of the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms and gods who could breathe fire and turn day into night. By the time you pass the first entrance to Abu Simbel, you may be so scared you won’t want to stay even one step behind the tour group. The first entrance leads into a corridor lined with more statues, wall engravings, and cave paintings.

Most of the history of the temples has been concluded from the illustrations carved on these walls. However, some of these illustrations have never been fully interpreted. As you go deeper into the temples, it becomes more beautiful, interesting and almost haunting. If you love mysteries and scary stories, you will surely live an unforgettable experience here.

In the innermost sanctum of the temple, you will find four statues of the main gods sitting on a high platform. The most remarkable thing about this sanctuary is that it was built in such a way that twice a year, at the end of February and the end of October, the first rays of the sun fall directly on the back wall of the sanctuary, lighting up the gods and giving the sanctuary a mysterious but powerful presence. This phenomenon points to the extraordinary sense of design and planning that the ancient Egyptians had, particularly when it came to the sun and other celestial bodies.

The temples are still considered sacred by some Egyptians and don’t be surprised if you find a group of people outside the temple praying facing the sun. Most people who believe in the sanctity of Abu Simbel like to visit the site in February and October, when the sun’s rays illuminate the innermost glow and make the statues of the gods “come to life.”

Get there

To travel to Abu Simbel, you can take a flight from Cairo or Aswan to the airstrip behind Abu Simbel, or you can go by bus. The temples are located in a very remote place with very few inhabitants in the area. The area is largely desert land and temperatures can rise to uncomfortable heights during the day and then drop to bitter cold at night.