Abu Simbel Travel Guide

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel was hewn out of a sandstone cliff by Ramesses II in the 13th century BCE, its four seated colossi about 20 metres tall facing due east above Lake Nasser. The temple was never a freestanding building but part of the mountain itself, which is why its relocation is called a miracle of conservation: between 1964 and 1968 more than a thousand blocks weighing tens of tonnes each were cut out, numbered, carried roughly 65 metres uphill and 200 metres back, then reassembled, with the solar axis recalibrated so that the sun still reaches the innermost sanctuary on 22 February and 22 October. Inside is one of the most complete statements of kingship in ancient Egypt. The pillared hall, the great hypostyle hall and the seven narrowing sanctuaries compress the space and darken the light step by step, while the reliefs along the walls record the Battle of Kadesh and ritual offerings, fixing the pharaoh's relationship with the gods in stone. Ramesses' cartouches in the great hall are deliberately elongated, a standard way of advertising rule. Across the small forecourt stands the Small Temple of Hathor, built for the queen Nefertari, whose standing statues are the same height as the king's — an extraordinary honour in ancient Egypt. One ticket covers both temples, but the small temple's softer light and tighter rooms are often rushed by tour groups. A few practical notes: sunrise light is best for the facade but is also when coaches pile up; after about 11am the space opens noticeably. Flash and tripods are not allowed inside the temples, personal photography is free, and professional work needs a separate permit.