Europeans did not see the temple until the 19th century. Specifically, Burckhardt discovered it in 1813, and Giovanni Belzoni entered it in 1817. Today, due to an international effort, the massive cliff-cut temple and the Small Temple have been relocated. This was done during the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s. As a result, the monument is now one of the most famous in Egypt. Furthermore, the temple was named Hut Ramesses Meryamun, meaning “The Temple of Ramesses, Beloved of Amun.” Additionally, the massive facade of the main temple is dominated by four seated colossi of Ramesses. These statues are among the tallest ever made in Egypt.

the Great Temple of Abu Simbel

Moreover, Ramesses constructed the Great Temple of Abu Simbel to face eastward. This design ensured the sun’s rays illuminated its facade each sunrise. To the north, a smaller temple was built to honor Ramesses’s great wife, Nefertari, and the goddess Hathor. Hathor, in particular, is the deity most closely associated with queenship in ancient Egypt. Finally, at the end of your Abu Simbel tour, you will return to your hotel or Nile Cruise in Aswan. It’s a truly amazing experience.