Why Travel to Egypt
If you imagine a trip to Africa are enthusiasts, Egypt does not have to suppose. The North African country has a rich, mystical, and well-known story from the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Today, many historical monuments from the old days are still in Egypt and attracts millions of visitors each year. The ancient temples of Abu Simbel are a good example.
Abu Simbel: BackgroundInformation
Consisting of two holy temples hewn from the mountainside, is Abu Simbel, the second grand old man-made tourist attraction in Egypt today, after the great pyramids. The Abu Simbel temples are part of the Nubian monuments in Egypt, issued a joint declaration has been given UNESCO World Heritage sites. Abu Simbel, you should visit at least once to appreciate the beauty of the temple to appreciate and learn about its mystical history, as thousands of other local andto do foreign tourists.
Location
The temples of Abu Simbel are currently at the top of an artificial rock on the western shore of Lake Nasser, some 300 km southwest of the Aswan Dam. However, this was not its original location. Originally, these ancient temples were about 200 meters below the current situation. They were in the 1960s, so they do not prevent under water in Lake Nasser, relocated after the construction of the Aswan Dam. TheRelocation and reconstruction of the temple is considered one of the great engineering feats of the modern world views.
Relocation The Temple "
Done by the joint efforts of the Egyptian government and UNESCO, the relocation of the Abu Simbel cost over 60 million U.S. dollars and lasted four years. The temples were cut into huge slabs to their original location, each plate weighing more than 3000 kg. The plates were then moved to a higher level very carefully to avoid damage.At the new location of the pieces were carefully chosen, taking into account all the elements in place of the original site, including the exact construction and had been the position of the sun. It is a small museum outside of Abu Simbel, where you can create a step by step documentation of installation and removal of the two received the Temple. The museum also has a lot of other information, such as the story of Abu Simbel and the ancient kingdoms, in veneratedit.
Abu Simbel History
The two temples were built during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II, said to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh to.
Touring Abu Simbel
Four huge statues of Pharaoh Ramses sitting at the front of Abu Simbel. This is the fascinating sight that your eyes as you welcome the temple approach. You'll be faced both the shadows and amazed by its sheer size. One of the statues in the center, however, has beenannihilated from the head to the waist by a past earthquake. At the feet of these giant statues are much smaller statues, presumably by members of the former royal family.
If you are the Abu Simbel tour, you will probably be in the company of guides, which features stories about the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms and reverence of the gods could spit fire, and the day into night. Over time you get past the first entrance of Abu Simbel, you can so frightened that you do not want to befall even one step behind the tour group. The first entrance leads into a corridor with statues, lined wall-carvings and cave paintings.
The largest part of the story about the temple was by the pictures on these walls carved completed. However, some of these illustrations have never been fully interpreted. As you go deeper into the temple, it is more beautiful, interesting, and almost disturbing. If you love mysteries and scary stories, you're sure to have an unforgettableExperience.
In the innermost shrine at the temple are four statues of the most important gods seated on a high platform. The curious thing about this sanctuary is that it was constructed in a way that twice a year, in late February and late October, the first rays of the sun is shining directly down on the back wall of the shrine lights indicating the shrine of the gods and an eerie presence still strong . This phenomenon points to the extraordinary sense of design andPlanning, the ancient Egyptians were especially when it comes to sun and other celestial bodies.
The temples are still considered sacred to some Egyptians and do not be surprised if you find a group of people outside the temple, said a prayer while the sun facing you. Most people who believe in the sanctity of Abu Simbel to visit the site, such as in February and October, when the sun's rays illuminate the inner shine and make the statues of the gods to come "alive ".
Arrival
To travel to Abu Simbel, you can fly from Aswan to Cairo or the airfield behind Abu Simbel, or you can take the bus. The temples are in a very remote location with very few residents in the area. The area is largely desert country, and temperatures can rise to uncomfortable levels during the day and then fall onto the skin piercing cold of the night.
