Abu Simbel

  • DSC01263 Side view of the mountain (well, hill really) and the Great Temple.
  • DSC01269 The Great Temple of Abu Simbel. (Panorama)
  • DSC01272 One last photo of the Great Temple.
  • DSC01275 The Abu Simbel temples were carved during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II. In the early '60s it was clear that the temples were going to be flooded by the formation of Lake Nasser. They were subsequently moved to higher ground, block by block.
  • DSC01278 From 1264 to 1244 BCE two temples were carved, one for the Pharaoh and one for his first wife, Nefertari. These temples were intended to impress the Nubians, reminding them of the power of the Egyptians.
  • DSC01281 The four 20 meter statues guarding the entrance to the temple are of the Pharaoh Ramesses II.
  • DSC01283 The second statue from the left was damaged by an earthquake prior to the 1968 move.
  • DSC01284 Looking out on Lake Nasser. (Panorama)
  • DSC01285 Pharaoh Ramesses II wearing the double crown of upper and lower Egypt, signifying the union of the two regions under his reign.
  • DSC01286 Every year on October 22nd and February 20th, the sun shines into the temple entrance and falls upon three statues seated in the inner chamber, leaving the fourth, Ptah, in darkness. Ptah is the god of the underworld.
  • DSC01291 Mona posing at Abu Simbel.
  • DSC01293 Chris at Abu Simbel.
  • DSC01296 Here you can see how the entire mountain was cut into blocks during the move.
  • DSC01297 The Great Temple at Abu Simbel.
  • DSC01298 The Small Temple at Abu Simbel, dedicated to the Goddess Hathor and the Pharaoh's wife Nefertari.
  • DSC01299 Chris and Mona sefl-portrait in front of the Small Temple.