Abu SimbelRamesses II built many temples in Nubia but most renowned was the temple at Abu Simbel built in 1260 and is famous for the four twenty meter high rock statues in front of the temple, depicting the Pharaoh. Located on the west bank of the Aswan dam in southern Nubia, the imposing temple overlooked the Nile and was placed there as a reminder to the Nubian people of the Pharaohs power and presence within the empire.
The temple, completely carved from rock is an estimated thirty-eight meters long and thirty-two meters high with a layout consisting of an engraved front, pillared inner hall and shrine. Although the main focus of the Temple is the pharaoh, the temple was also dedicated to the Ptah, Amun-Re and Re-Harakhte. Beside the temple of Abu Simbel is a smaller temple with a mirroring layout. This temple was dedicated to Nefertari, his Chief and favoured wife and the Hathor goddess of love, joy and music. Statues and reliefs depicting Ramesses II, Nefertari, her children and the Hathor goddess are contained within the smaller temple while the larger temple contains the most accurate and detailed inscription of the Battle at Kadesh. In the 1960’s around one hundred and fifty years after the temple was discovered in 1913 by J. L Burckhardt, the temples were removed from the rock cliff to higher ground as they were in danger of being flooded by the Aswan dam. |