Travel News
EGYPT AND MIDDLE EAST TOURS
Visit the Great Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel
History buffs going on a tour of Egypt won't want to miss Abu Simbel, a vast historical temple that has been noted as one of the ancient kingdom's most impressive structures.
The main attraction at Abu Simbel is the Great Temple of Ramses II, which was carved into the side of a mountain between 1274 and 1244 BC. Following the decline of ancient Egypt, the structure was lost to modern history until Swiss explorer Jean Louis Burkhart rediscovered it in 1813.
When it was constructed, the temple was dedicated to its namesake pharaoh and three major Egyptian gods - Ra, Amun and Ptah. Twice a year, the sun's rays shine through the temple's main sanctuary to illuminate statues of Ra and Amun. Because of his status as god of the underworld, however, Ptah's statue is left dark.
One interesting fact about Abu Simbel is that it no longer sits in its original location. When modern Egypt constructed the Aswan Dam in the 1960s, the original site was flooded by Lake Nasser. UNESCO and other organizations moved the temple to a new spot above the high-water mark, and visitors can now enter the fake mountain created behind the temple to learn how the relocation was carried out.
Posted: April 13, 2011
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