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The Abu Simbel temples
temples in Abu Simbel in Nubia, southern Egypt. They are situated
on the western bank of Lake Nasser, about 230 km southwest of
Aswan. The complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site
known as the "Nubian Monuments," which run from Abu
Simbel downriver to Philae. The twin temples were originally
carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh
Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a lasting monument to
himself and his queen Nefertari, to commemorate his alleged
victory at the Battle of Kadesh, and to intimidate his Nubian
neighbors. However, the complex was relocated in its entirety in
1968, on an artificial hill made from a domed structure, high
above the Aswan High Dam reservoir. The relocation of the temples
was necessary to avoid their being submerged during the creation
of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir formed
after the building of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River. Abu
Simbel remains one of Egypt's top tourist attractions.
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