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What is inside the Abu Simbel temples?
Built in 1244 B.C., Abu Simbel contains two temples, carved into a mountainside. The larger of the two temples contains four colossal statues of a seated pharaoh Ramesses II (1303-1213 B.C.) at its entrance, each about 69 feet (21 meters) tall.
What can be found at Abu Simbel?
temples
Abu Simbel is two massive rock-cut temples in the village of Abu Simbel (Arabic: أبو سمبل), Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, near the border with Sudan….Abu Simbel.
| History | |
|---|---|
| Founded | Approximately 1264 BC |
| Periods | New Kingdom of Egypt |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Official name | Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae |
What was the Abu Simbel temple used for?
Ramses built the Temple at Abu Simbel in Egypt to intimidate his enemies and seat himself amongst the gods.
How was the temple of Abu Simbel saved?
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. By means of a complex engineering feat in the 1960s, the temples were salvaged from the rising waters of the Nile River caused by erection of the Aswan High Dam.
What is unique about the temple at Abu Simbel?
1. 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. time period. One temple is dedicated to King Ramses II, and the second temple is dedicated to his beloved wife Queen Nefertari. 2.
Why is the temple of Luxor important?
Instead, Luxor temple is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship; it may have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned in reality or conceptually (as in the case of Alexander the Great, who claimed he was crowned at Luxor but may never have traveled south of Memphis, near modern Cairo).
What happened to the Abu Simbel temples in 1964?
Between 1964 and 1968 CE, a massive undertaking was carried out in which both temples were dismantled and moved 213 feet (65 metres) up onto the plateau of the cliffs they once sat below and re-built 690 feet (210 metres) to the north-west of their original location.
What does the Luxor temple represent?
The Luxor Temple was constructed of sandstone blocks from Nubia. The temple is surrounded by mud-brick walls which symbolize the separation between the world and the sacred realm of the gods. The Temple’s design during the New Kingdom exhibited a set of common design features in the construction of the temple.
What did the statues in the Abu Simbel temple represent?
All statues in the temple represent Ramses II seated on a throne wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The inner part of the temple is similar to the ancient Egyptians temples. It has rooms and its structure is complex and unique because it has many chambers.
Which is the best way to visit Abu Simbel?
When you stand in front of the temple, and when you go inside of it, it is hard to imagine that the entire complex once sat at a different location. To visit Abu Simbel, you can do so either on a day trip from Aswan or when flying between Cairo and Aswan.
How tall is the hypostyle hall in Abu Simbel?
The inner part of the temple is similar to the ancient Egyptians temples. It has rooms and its structure is complex and unique because it has many chambers. There is a hypostyle hall that is 18 m tall and consists of eight huge pillars that depict Ramses linked to the god Osiris.
When was the Abu Simbel temple first explored?
The temples were first explored by the Egyptologist Giovanni Battista Belzoni in 1817. The complex was relocated in 1968 or they would have been submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser. Through our article you wil know: 1. Description of Abu Simbel Temples 2. The Great Temple of Ramses II 3. The Small Temple of Queen Nefertari 4.