An alternative plan to save the temples was rejected, 12 Fascinating Facts About The FDR Memorial, 12 Fascinating Facts About The Turning Torso, 12 Fascinating Facts About The Skylon Tower, 12 Fascinating Facts About Dunnottar Castle, Top 10 Fascinating Facts About Bran Castle, Top 12 Fascinating Facts About York Minster, 76 Fascinating Facts About The Eiffel Tower, 20 Interesting Facts About The Brooklyn Bridge, 16 Interesting Facts About The Arc De Triomphe in Paris, Top 9 Incredible Basilica Of Maxentius Facts. / Wiki Commons. What’s remarkable is that it’s one of the few times that the Pharaoh’s wife had statues of the same size as those of her King. The Abu Simbel temples are two very large rock temples built by the ancient Egyptians, at Abu Simbel.This is a village in Nubia, southern Egypt, near the border with Sudan.The temples are on the western bank of Lake Nasser, about 230 km southwest of Aswan.They are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Nubian Monuments." Abu Simbel Temples Overview. Guarded convoys of buses and cars set out from Aswan twice daily, which is the nearest city. With the passage of time, the temples fell into disuse and eventually became covered by sand. thank yo so much for this website, 10 Interesting Facts about George H. W.Bush, 10 Interesting Facts about Georgia O’Keeffe, 10 Interesting Facts about Abraham Lincoln, 10 Interesting Facts about African Penguins. The lake waters rose because of the High Dam construction, and this risked placing the temples in close contact with the water. These two sacred Temples are found in the mountain side. The bigger one is 30 meters high (98 feet), 35 meters long (115 feet). if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-listerious_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0')};This is followed by multiple other rooms which become smaller and smaller as we get closer to the sanctuary of the temple. The Abu Simbel temples are two remarkable structures in Upper Egypt near the Sudanese border. time period. The twin temples were built in the 19th dynasty under the rule of Pharaoh Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great, between 1279 and 1213 B.C. Did you know that one of the most iconic Ancient Egyptian landmarks was completely relocated in the 1960s? if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-listerious_com-leader-2-0')};On certain dates of the year, the rays of the sun would highlight the statues of the deified Ramesses. Ramesses II was one of the most powerful and important Pharaohs of the New Kingdom. The temples were completely relocated to make way for a dam, 13. The price for the Abu Simbel light show at night is 180 Egyptian Pounds (about 10€) How to get to Abu Simbel The Great Temple, considered to be one of the grandest and most beautiful in all of Egypt, is the one with the four colossal statues and is dedicated to Ramesses II. This concludes the ultimate list of facts about Abu Simbel, one of the most beautiful and fascinating temple complexes built in Ancient Egypt! The price for the Abu Simbel light show at night is 180 Egyptian Pounds (about 10€) How to get to Abu Simbel The construction of the Aswan Dam nearby posed the threat of the temples being submerged. It was dedicated to the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah, as well as to the deified Rameses himself. Abu Simbel is composed of two temples, The Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Small Temple of Hathor and Nefertari. if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-listerious_com-box-4-0')};It’s estimated that the construction of both temples took about 20 years and started in the year 1264 B.C., which means they were completed around 1244 B.C. The temple is not affected by the intensity of earthquake levels up to 10 Richter degrees. It’s believed that this happened on October 22 and February 22, the Pharaoh’s birthday and coronation day respectively. The temples were originally carved out of a hillside in the 13th century BC as a monument to the Pharaoh Ramesses II and his queen Nefertari. if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-listerious_com-banner-1-0')};The Great Temple at Abu Simbel was dedicated to Ra-Harakhty, Ptah, and Amun, the three main Gods at the time the temples were constructed. At most, only a few hundred tourists visit daily during the height of the season. There is a reasonable fee for entrance at about $9.00 USD. It is located on the western shore of Lake Nasser, about 300 km by road from the Aswan dam, close to its original location. time period. The Nefertari Hotel Abu Simbel is conveniently located very close to the temple site, and is considered the closest one available. In a country full of remarkable archaeological sites Abu Simbel is head and shoulders above the others, simply because it has been moved ! Interesting Facts About Abu Simbel Temples The temple was mainly constructed to celebrate the victory of Ramses II that was constructed during the Hittites at Kadish battle in 1274 B.C. All we can say is, it’s most definitely worth a visit!Abu Simbel at night / Angel Aroca Escámez / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en. The Huge Temple of Ramses II, the Pharaoh was known as the Great Builder, sits on the edge of Lake Nasser next to the Temple of Nefertari, his most favored wife. The Great Temple at Abu Simbel, which took about twenty years to build, was completed around year 24 of the reign of Ramesses the Great. Furthermore, to get to know more about these twin temples, here are some other facts about Abu Simbel you might be interested in. One of the original plans wasn’t to relocate the temples but to build a small freshwater dam around them. It was dedicated to Ramesses II, Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah. Key Facts & Information HISTORICAL BACKGROUND. The Abu Simbel temples were relocated in 1964-68 as the part of UNESCO project. This was in fact the second time in ancient Egyptian history that a temple was dedicated to a queen. Want to see the Abu Simbel Sun Festival in Egypt? It was only the second temple dedicated to a Pharaoh’s wife, 6. Yes, that’s right north of the important Aswan Dam!The temples from Lake Nasser / Source. They were built by Pharaoh Ramesses II, 4. Facts About Abu Simbel Breathtaking statement of Ramses II political and religious power Temple complex is typical of Ramses II prodigiously appetite for erecting colossal monuments to himself celebrating his reign Abu Simbel comprises two temples, one devoted to Ramses II and one to his beloved Great Wife, Nefertari During his reign, Ramesses II embarked on an extensive building program throughout Egypt and Nubia, which Egypt controlled. if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-listerious_com-leader-1-0')};The Small Temple has 6 of these statues which stad about 10 meters tall (33 feet) and depict both the Pharaoh and his wife Nefertari, depicted as the goddess Hathor. One can arrive by land or air. But then there’s Abu Simbel. In the 1960s, the Egyptian government decided to build the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River, and it was feared that this would result in flooding Lake Nasser to such levels that the temples of Abu Simbel would be submerged. THE BIG TEMPLE. Interesting Facts About Abu Simbel Temples The temple was mainly constructed to celebrate the victory of Ramses II that was constructed during the Hittites at Kadish battle in 1274 B.C. To emphasize this he was given the nickname “Great Ancestor” by his descendants for many centuries after his death. The facade of the temple has four 20 meter tall statues of the pharaoh with the double Atef crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The “Small Temple” is not that small. We all know that the Ancient Egyptians were not only great engineers but also great astronomers. So it really took a long time to complete its construction. To protect this historically rich site 60 countries funded the project for the relocation of the temples. An important fact about Abu Simbel, is that you the price will go up to 300 if you want to take photos inside the temples. Previously, the highly contentious King Akhenaton (1353-1336 BCE), had dedicated a magnificent temple to his queen Nefertiti . Nearly 200 years earlier, a female Pharaoh built her own temple as well, the Temple of Hatshepsut.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-listerious_com-large-leaderboard-2-0')}; Did we say that Nefertari was Ramesses the Great’s favorite wife? The temples had a different name in Ancient Egypt, 7. One scheme to save the temples was based on an idea by William MacQuitty to build a clear fresh water dam around the temples, with the water inside kept at the same height as the Nile. Known as the “Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun”, it was one of six rock temples erected in Nubia during the long reign of Ramesses II. The Abu Simbel temples are two remarkable structures in Upper Egypt near the Sudanese border. / Source. It was decided that the temples would be moved. Abu Simbel Temples are historical monuments which attract millions of visitors every year. The main intention of this ruler was to introduce the status of Egyptian religion in this place. Numbers have dropped substantially, due to safety concerns of many potential visitors. The relocation of the temples was necessary to avoid their being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir formed after the building of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River. The temple was forgotten until 1813, when Swiss orientalist Jean-Louis Burckhardt found the top frieze of the main temple. To make it even more fascinating, one statue, that of Ptah, a god connected with the realm of the dead, remained in the dark. After surviving ancient times, the temples were threatened by modern development. It started in 1964 and was completed by 1968. Some sort of fundraiser was started in the year 1959, and it was good they started this early because the project was extremely costly. Luckily, this plan wasn’t approved and the temples were relocated instead. There are actually two temples. Due to the construction of Aswan Dam , there was a threat of the submersion of these temples. The complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Nubian Monuments”, which run from Abu Simbel downriver to Philae. Nubia was very important to the Egyptians because it was a source of gold and many other precious trade goods. The smaller, but almost as impressive temple was dedicated to Neferthari, the Pharaoh’s chief wife and the god Hathor. They were actually built during the sovereignty of Pharaoh Ramses II to symbolize his victory over the Kadesh Battle. One of the most remarkable facts about Abu Simbel is that the temples are rather complex as they also contain a lot of side chambers which all depict various scenes with Ramesses and his wife Nefertari.Great Temple Interior / turizm-art / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en. Already in the 6th century BC, the sand covered the statues of the main temple up to their knees. Abu Simbel temple is opened for public. if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-listerious_com-leader-3-0')};It’s fair to conclude that this was a massive endeavor, probably of the same scale as actually building the temples from scratch! The Abu Simbel entrance fee is 215 Egyptian Pounds. the structure were cut into blocks and reassembled at the site 210 m away from the river and 65 m higher that the original … The temples of Abu Simbel are famous because of the iconic reliefs that were carved out of the rocks. It is one the grandest and most beautiful temples from the time of Rameses II, and one of the most beautiful in Egypt. This would have meant that the temples would have been submerged and that underwater viewing chambers would have given access to it. Endangered by the erection of the Aswan High Dam in the mid-20th century, the temples were disassembled and reconstructed on higher ground. Abu Simbel was originally constructed just 280 km outside Aswan, on the western bank of Lake Nasser. It wasn’t until the year 1817 though that an Italian explorer named Giovanni Belzoni found an entry to the temple, officially becoming the first man to set foot inside the Great Temple at Abu Simbel in numerous centuries.Partially excavated statues. The great Abu Simbel temples were constructed by Ramses the Great (1279-1213 BCE) which began in 1264 BC till 1244 BC taking 20 full years which was dedicated to the gods Ra-Horakty, the deified Ramesses II (The Great Temple) Ptah, and the goddess Hathor and Queen Nefertari. Tour guides at the site relate the legend that “Abu Simbel” was a young local boy who guided these early re-discoverers to the site of the buried temple which he had seen from time to time in the shifting sands. Four giant likenesses are carved into sandstone walls and look out over Lake Nasser. CAIRO - 21 February 2021: The Abu Simbel Temples are two massive rock-cut temples at Abu Simbel, a village in Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, near the border with Sudan. Abu Simbel Temple contains a concrete dome with a diameter of about 65 meters and a height of 23 meters to protect the statues. Abu Simbel, site of two temples built by the Egyptian king Ramses II (reigned 1279–13 bce), now located in Aswān muḥāfaẓah (governorate), southern Egypt. It’s part of the southernmost Governorate of Upper Egypt called Aswan and about 230 kilometers (140 miles) to the southwest of the city of Aswan. Abu Simbel is comprised of two temples, one dedicated to Ramses II and one to his chief wife, Nefertari. Abu Simbel is a village in the Egyptian part of Nubia, about 240 km southwest of Aswan and near the border with Sudan. The Small Temple’s interior is equally huge and the decorations are for the most part focused on Nefertari as she is depicted in various scenes as the goddess Hathor.The “Small Temple” at Abu Simbel. It features many statues of the deified Ramesses the Great as well. Abu Simbel Astrological - Archaeological Mystery. The Small temple is located about 100 meters (330 feet) to the … These two sacred Temples are found in the mountain side. The cost of the project at the time was about $40 million USD, which is the equivalent of over $300 million USD today! Orthogonal olfactory perpendicular to a distance of about 200 meters on the hall of the Holy of Holies only twice a year. The Great Temple at Abu Simbel took about 20 years to build. Location of the Temples The temple of Abu Simbel consists of two temples: the first one is the glorious temple of Ramses the great which gained the title of being one of the most beautiful and magical temples in Egypt. The temple of Hathor and Nefertari, also known as the Small Temple, was built about one hundred meters northeast of the temple of pharaoh Ramesses II and was dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Ramesses II’s chief consort, Nefertari. Hope you would find those Abu Simbel facts really interesting, useful and helpful for your additional reading. Want to see the Abu Simbel Sun Festival in Egypt? The marvelous temple of Abu Simbel was dedicated to a number of ancient Egyptian gods such as Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah. As you probably can expect, the temple complex wasn’t referred to as “Abu Simbel” back in the day of the Pharaohs. Facts about Abu Simbel. The Abu Simbel temples are also notable in that for only the second occurrence in the history of ancient Egypt, a ruler elected to consecrate a temple to his queen. The Great Temple’s interior resembles that of most temples of Ancient Egypt. The complex consists of two temples. Those who love to travel around the world might better read these facts about Abu Simbel below since it could be your first recommended destination for your next holiday. Facts about Abu Simbel 1: visitors. January 19, 2020 January 19, 2020 by Egypt Lists Team. The Abu Simbel temples are two massive rock-cut temples at Abu Simbel (Arabic: أبو سمبل ), a village in Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, near the border with Sudan.They are situated on the western bank of Lake Nasser, about 230 km (140 mi) southwest of Aswan (about 300 km (190 mi) by road). Work on the temples began about 1264 BC and lasted for about 20 years. The two temples which comprise the site were created during the reign of Ramesses II (c. 1279 - c. 1213 BCE) either between 1264 - 1244 BCE or 1244-1224 BCE. Inside Abu Simbel Temples. The marvelous temple of Abu Simbel was dedicated to a number of ancient Egyptian gods such as Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah. Here are some fun facts … The temples were cut into solid rock in side of a cliff … The most prominent temples are the rock-cut temples near the modern village of Abu Simbel, at the Second Nile Cataract, the border bet… The Abu Simbel temples: history and facts on their relocation The temples at Abu Simbel are different from the other temples in Egypt because they are carved into the rocks. Facts about Abu Simbel 5: camera is not allowed. 2- The true miracle of the annual orthogonal phenomenon is the orthogonality of the sun to 3 statues, namely, the god shepherd of Harakhatti, King Ramses the second, and the statue of the god Amun, while the orthogonality deplores the statue of the god Ptah, who is the … This had only happened when Pharaoh Akhenaten had dedicated a temple to his beloved Royal wife Nefertiti, nearly 100 years earlier. Because of the construction of the Aswan Dam in the 1960s and 1970s, Lake Nasser was formed. The temple is now open to the public. 1- Abu Simbel temple was built by Ramses II and represents the miracle of the ancient Egyptians in astronomy, engineering and architecture. this website was very helpful. The project, which was part of the UNESCO Nubian Salvage Campaign, has been described as one of the most challenging tasks in archaeological history!Abu Simbel as the night falls. Abu Simbel temples are two massive rock temples in Abu Simbel in Nubia, southern Egypt. Abu Simbel has been a popular tourist attraction ever since and is visited by people arriving in busses from Aswan or by plane, arriving at the specially constructed airport near the temple complex. An important fact about Abu Simbel, is that you the price will go up to 300 if you want to take photos inside the temples. The temple is originally cut from single rock cliff in the second cataract of river Nile. The temples of Abu Simbel were located right inside this artificial lake and would have been submerged if no action was taken. Abu Simbel, Egypt. Abu Simbel, site of two temples built by the Egyptian king Ramses II, located in ancient times at pharaonic Egypt’s southern frontier facing Nubia. One temple is dedicated to King Ramses II, and the second temple is dedicated to his beloved wife Queen Nefertari. It was dedicated to the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah, as well as to the deified Rameses himself.It is generally considered the grandest and most beautiful of the temples commissioned during the reign of Rameses II, and one of the most beautiful in Egypt. We tend to assume that the temples of Abu Simbel and his numerous other building projects had something to do with that.Statues of Ramesses the Great / Source. The Small temple is located about 100 meters (330 feet) to the northeast of the Great Temple and has a similar layout. In the 24th year of Pharaoh Ramses II reign, to be aging more than 3000 years old, it took around 20 years to be fully constructed. One of the most astounding facts about Abu Simbel is that in order to protect some of the most beautiful temples of Ancient Egypt, a massive plan was conceived to relocate the entire temple complex. The entrance of the Great Temple, Abu Simbel Situated in southern Egypt near the border with Sudan, this enormous site was built during the reign of Ramses II (1279–1213 BC) in the 19th dynasty. Abu Simbel is a small village in the extreme south of Egypt, not too far from the border with Sudan. The larger one is dedicated to Ra-Harakhtv, Ptah and Amun, Egypt’s three state deities of the time, and features four large statues of Ramesses II in the facade. Image SourceIt is said that the construction of this temple started during the 1264BC and lasted for 20 years. The Abu Simbel Temple is actually two individual temples, both rock cut structures, and both built during the reign of King Ramses II sometime in the 1200 B.C. It was built for the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah, as well as for Rameses himself, who was treated as a god. Listerious - Famous Buildings And Landmarks /, 1. They are situated on the western bank of Lake Nasser. / Source. As of 2012, it has about 2600 inhabitants. It is a six rock temple that was built by Nubia during the rule of Ramesses II. It has a large entrance hall with statues on both sides and which is about 18 meters (59 feet) long and 16.7 meters (55 feet) wide. The … See the fact file below for more information on the Abu Simbel or alternatively, you can download our 19-page Abu Simbel worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment. The Great Temple at Abu Simbel, which took about twenty years to build, was completed around year 24 of the reign of Ramesses the Great (which corresponds to 1265 BCE). Visitors who want to explore the temple structures do not even require a vehicle, because the hotel is within walking distance for almost everyone. Their purpose was to impress Egypt’s southern neighbors, and also to reinforce the status of Egyptian religion in the region. The Grand Temple, which is 30 metres high, feature 4 seated statues at the entrance (all of King Ramesses II on his throne) as well as … Abu Simbel temples before relocation side cross-section of Abu Simbel inner sanctum where three Egyptian Gods are seated with Ramses II Pillared hall at Abu simbel. It’s famous because of its 4 colossal Statues near the entrance, 9. It is best known as the site of the Abu Simbel temples, which were built by King Ramses II. A Lake Nasser cruise has a side stop to visit the temples, but this lake posed a threat to the attraction at one point. Temples of Abu Simbel: Facts On Visiting. Known as the “Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun”, it was one of six rock temples erected in Nubia during the long reign of Ramesses II. The smaller temple is dedicated to the goddess Hathor, personified by Nefertari, Ramesses’s most beloved of his many wives. One in honor of himself as a divine pharaoh and one for his wife Nefertari as the goddess Hathor. The temple complex was covered in sand until the early 19th century, 12. The new location consists of an artificial hill that was built above Lake Nasser and the temples were completely dismantled and reassembled. The temple was constructed by the most celebrated Ancient Egyptian; King Ramses II. Abu Simbel Temples Facts – Everything you Need to Know. The Abu Simbel entrance fee is 215 Egyptian Pounds. The impressive Great Pyramids of Giza rightfully earn their wonder of the world title. 10 Facts about Abu Simbel. From 1963 till 1968, a project initiated by the Egyptian government and UNESCO resulted in an amazing engineering feat, in which the temple complex was dismantled and rebuilt on higher ground, more than 60 metres (200 feet) above the original site. The second most visited and popular site after the Pyramids at Giza is the Temples of Abu Simbel at Lake Nasser. In 1959 an international donations campaign to save the monuments of Nubia began: the southernmost relics of this ancient human civilization were under threat from the rising waters of the Nile that were about to result from the construction of the Aswan High Dam. if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-listerious_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0')};By the 6th century A.D., the temples were already covered in sand up to the knees of the statues of Ramesses the Great. / Hajor / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en. The temple is perfectly aligned with the sun, 11. It was completed in the 24th year of the rule of Ramesses the Great (about 1265 BC). Abu Simbel Temples is a complex formed by two temples excavated in the rock during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a monument dedicated to this pharaoh and his wife Nefertari. The Solar alignment over the Grand temple is one … CAIRO - 21 February 2021: The Abu Simbel Temples are two massive rock-cut temples at Abu Simbel, a village in Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, near the border with Sudan. 15. They were actually built during the sovereignty of Pharaoh Ramses II to symbolize his victory over the Kadesh Battle. The great temple of Abu Simbel was built in 1264 BC approximately. Ramses II ordered two temples to be made in the rocks. Facts about Abu Simbel. Abu Simbel is an ancient temple complex, originally cut into a solid rock cliff, in southern Egypt and located at the second cataract of the Nile River. Ramses II is present at every turn, as is his wife Nefertari. Location: A three-hour drive from the City of Aswan and flights available direct from Cairo to Abu Simbel next to Lake Nasser. It will take about 5 … These two massive temples are part of a larger complex that is referred to as the “Nubian Monuments.” The area that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site runs all the way from Abu Simbel upriver the Philae near Aswan. In a country full of remarkable archaeological sites Abu Simbel is head and shoulders above the others, simply because it has been moved ! But then again, fascinating landmarks as these must be preserved at all cost, right? If you come to Egypt and you explorer Nile River using the cruises, you ... Facts about Abu Simbel 3: The Nefertari Hotel Abu Simbel. It was referred to back then as “Temple of Ramesses, beloved by Amun.”. The great Temple begins with four seated colossi flanking the entrance, … Abu Simbel is located in the south of Egypt, 2. Facts about Abu Simbel 2: Construction Construction of the temple complex started in approximately 1264 BC and lasted for about 20 years, until 1244 BC. Abu Simbel temples look like huge twin buildings aside from each other. The site has personality. In this post, you’ll discover the ultimate list of facts about Abu Simbel and its fascinating temples.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-listerious_com-medrectangle-3-0')};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-listerious_com-medrectangle-3-0_1')}; .medrectangle-3-multi-163{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:15px !important;margin-left:0px !important;margin-right:0px !important;margin-top:15px !important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;text-align:center !important;}. It’s believed that they managed to build the temples in Abu Simbel in such a way that they were perfectly aligned with the sun. 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