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Abu
Simbel
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The temple of Abu Simbel in its rebuilt location,
200 feet (60 meters) above the original location,
now under a similar depth of water
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The companion temple dedicated to
Rameses' wife
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Peter, Christa and David Zarka,
our traveling companions and local experts,
in front of Abu Simbel
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| Early in the Twentieth Century, in the southernmost part of Egypt,
near the border with Sudan, explorers discovered the fabulous temple of
Ramses at Abu Simbel, carved out of a cliff along the banks of the Nile.
The temple quickly became legendary in its size and remoteness. But
in the 1960s, as construction began on the Aswan High Dam 300 miles (500
kilometers) to the north, it was realized that the artificial lake that
would form behind the dam (called Lake Nasser today) would put the Temple
of Abu Simbel (and more than a dozen other temples) under 60 meters of
water. So the temple was carefully cut in pieces and reassembled
in an artificial cliff built on higher ground. We made the trip in
a Russian-built hydrofoil, skimming Lake Nasser [the world's largest artificial
lake] at speeds up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour. |
Kimberly and David, holding the key
to the temple
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Closeup of two of the four monumental statues
in front of the Temple of Abu Simbel
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Closeup of bust of one of the four
monumental statues of Abu Simbel
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Interior of the "holy place" inside the temple
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Russian-built "rocket ships" brought us from
Aswan to Abu Simbel at speeds of 50 miles an hour
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