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Abu Simbel, Egypt

Apart from the famous pyramids in Giza, Egypt is getting popular for its historic site in Abu Simbel. It is one of Egypt's top tourist attractions, which is about 290 km southwest of Aswan. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ancient archaeological site comprises two massive rock temples in southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser. The temples were unknown until their rediscovery in 1813, due to their remote location near the Sudanese border in southern Egypt.

You must take sun block and a bottle of water. If you are going by bus, take drinks and food with you. It is advisable to avoid going by the convoys. It remains much crowded. Try wearing comfortable clothes during your visit in Abu Simbel.

In 1257 BCE, Pharaoh Ramsses II had carved out two temples of solid rock at a site on the west bank of the Nile, south of Aswan in the land of Nubia, today known as Abu Simbel. He had erected these twin temples to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh and to intimidate his Nubian neighbors. He also dedicated these temples to the Sun gods Amon-Re and Re-Horakhte.

How to reach Abu Simbel
Thousands of tourists visit Abu Simbel. You can arrive at this site by guarded convoys of buses and cars that depart twice a day from Aswan, the nearest city. In fact, you can also reach by plane, at an airfield that was constructed for the temple complex.

Best Time to Visit Abu Simbel
The best time to visit this site is during the winter season. The summers in Abu Simbel, Egypt are very hot. The most suitable time to visit is from the month of October to February. You can enjoy the world famous Sun Festival during the winter season in Abu Simbel. You can visit Abu Simbel in the morning time, as a day trip from Aswan. Flights and buses leave early in the morning, when the weather is relatively cold.

The temple remained unknown to people till 1813, when Swiss orientalist JL Burckhardt found the top frieze of the main temple. Burckhardt spoke about his discovery with an Italian explorer Giovanni Belzoni. Later, Giovanni was successful to enter the temples in 1817.

The southernmost relics of this ancient civilization were under threat from the rising waters of the Nile due to the construction of the Aswan High Dam. During the years from 1964 to 1968, this site was cut into large blocks, dismantled and reassembled in a new location. Few of the structures were even saved from under the waters of Lake Nasser.

Places to see in Abu Simbel
The temple complex consists of two temples. The larger of the two temples is dedicated to Egypt's three state deities of the time known as Ra-Harakhty, Ptah and Amun. It also features four large statues of Ramesses II in the facade and each over 20 meters high. The second from the left Pharaoh statute was severely damaged by an ancient earthquake. The shattered head and torso lie at the statue's feet.

The smaller temple is dedicated to the goddess Hathor, personified by Nefertari, Ramesses's most beloved wife. This is only the second time in ancient Egyptian history that a temple was dedicated to a queen.