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Africa » Egypt » Upper Egypt » Abu Simbel
October 7th 2011
Published: October 15th 2011
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ABU SIMBEL
The excursion to Lake Nasser and the two temples at Abu Simbel began with a wake-up call at 3:30am and a police convoy to the site; three and a half hours later we arrived. The first sight we saw as we walked up a steep hill was Lake Nasser. It’s really hard to believe that this beautiful lake is an artificial lake and the world’s largest because it’s so beautiful. What makes it so amazing is that it’s situated right next to the desert that encircles all of its borders. Turning to the left we saw carved out of a mountain on the west bank of the Nile the imposing Great Temple of Ramses II. This temple was carved out of the mountain between 1274 and 1244 BC. It was dedicated to Ramses II, a deified pharaoh and to Ra-Horakhty, Amun and Ptah. The four pharaoh’s colossal statues fronting the temple are like gigantic sentinels watching over the incoming traffic from the south. It was undoubtedly designed as a warning of the strength of the pharaoh.
Over the centuries both the Nile and the desert sands shifted, and this temple was lost to the world until 1813, when by chance it was discovered by a Swiss explorer. Only one of the heads was completely showing above the sand, the next head was broken off, and the crowns of the heads of the remaining two could be seen. Enough sand was cleared away in 1817 by Giovanni Belzoni for the temple to be entered.
A short staircase, leads up to the terrace in front of the massive rock-cut façade, which is about 30m high and 35m wide. Three of the four famous statues sit majestically, staring out across the water and one statue collapsed in antiquity. The statues are more than 20m high and are accompanied by smaller statues of the pharaoh’s mother Queen Tuya, his wife Nefertari and some of his favourite children.
Above the entrance is the figure of the falcon headed sun god Ra-Horakhty. The roof is decorated with vultures, which are protective figures symbolizing the goddess Nikhbet, and is supported by eight columns, each fronted by an Osiride statue of Ramses II. The reliefs on the walls depict the pharaoh’s strength in battle, trampling over his enemies and slaughtering them in front of the gods.
The temple is aligned in such a way that on February 22 and October 22 of every year, the first rays of the rising sun reach across the Nile, penetrate the temple and move along the hypostyle hall, through the vestibule and into the sanctuary, where they illuminate the figures of Ra-Horakhty, Ramses II and Amun.

TEMPLE OF HATHOR
Next to the great temple is the “much smaller” Temple of Hathor, with a rock-cut façade of Ramses and Nefertari, with some of their many children by their side. Although married to Nefertari, Ramses II is said to have fathered over 180 children!! He truly was a giant made of rock hard granite! Inside the walls depict the queen in front of the gods very much equal to Ramses II, and she is seen honouring her husband.

THE TEMPLE OF KOM OMBO in Edfu
As we sailed along the Nile on our 3 day felucca cruise, we stopped at the temple of Kom Ombo, in Edfu. In ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun. This temple is unique in Egypt because it has a dual dedication to the local crocodile god Sobek and Haroeris, meaning Horus the Elder. The temple has twin entrances, two shared hypostyle halls with carvings of the two gods on either side and twin sanctuaries. The left (western) side of the temple is dedicated to Haroeris, the right (eastern) half to Sobek.




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Abu SimbalAbu Simbal
Abu Simbal

The Great Temple of Ramses
Melting AshphaltMelting Ashphalt
Melting Ashphalt

Yes, it was so hot the road was actually melting. How many falafel do you think you good fry on this road?


21st October 2011

Beautiful and enchanting! You should go into the travel brochure writing business...you are incredibly thorough! The marvel of Abu Simel is the 20th century engineering that moved it to higher ground when the Aswan Dam was being constructed. So thrilled for you!!! Not exactly the kind of thing you wake up so early for but I'm sure it was worth all the nonsense!!!

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