The Great Temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari

1.

ABU SIMBEL
The Great Temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari
Monuments of Eternal Power and Architectural Relocation

2.

Historical Legacy
• Commissioned by Ramesses II: Constructed in the 13th century BC (around 1264 BC)
during the 19th Dynasty of the New Kingdom.
• Purpose of the Monuments: Designed to celebrate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh and to
intimidate neighboring Nubia while asserting his divine status.
• The Twin Temples: The Great Temple features four colossal 20-meter statues of Ramesses II,
while the Small Temple honors his beloved chief wife, Queen Nefertari, and the goddess Hathor.
• Solar Alignment: Built with precise astronomical engineering so that twice a year (February 22
and October 22), the sun illuminates the inner sanctuary statues.

3.

The Historic Relocation (1964–1968)
• The Threat: The construction of the Aswan High Dam across the Nile threatened to submerge
the temples completely beneath Lake Nasser.
• UNESCO Intervention: In 1959, an international campaign was launched to save the
monuments, gathering global engineering expertise and funding.
• Precision Engineering: The entire mountain complex was carefully cut into massive blocks
(weighing up to 30 tons each) and dismantled section by section.
• The Reconstruction: Reassembled 65 meters higher and 200 meters back from the river on
an artificial domed hill, preserving the exact original orientation.