After 55 years of saving “Abu Simbel" from drowning, the story of the sun’s perpendicular phenomenon

Abu Simbel is an archaeological site located on the western bank of Lake Nasser, about 290 kilometers southwest of Aswan. The UNESCO list of World Heritage locations includes it as one of the "Nubian Antiquities" locations. Which starts from the direction of the river's flow from Abu Simbel to Philae Temple (near Aswan).

On the same day, yesterday, September 22, 1968, the Abu Simbel Temple was saved, and the work of moving it and reassembling it again was completed for fear of it being drowned because it was near Lake Nasser. The Egyptian government cooperated with UNESCO in 1965 to move the temple to a nearby place where the ground level is high so that the lake water cannot reach it. That’s why the temple was moved and first cut into parts due to the large size of the stones, and they were lifted and then reassembled in the new place to preserve it.

Coinciding with the day of celebration of the anniversary of the restoration and rescue of the Abu Simbel Temple from drowning, we observe in the following lines a unique phenomenon occurring inside a space, which is the phenomenon of the sun perpendicular to the face of Ramesses II every year.

The Temple of Abu Simbel attracts thousands of tourists from all countries in the world for Egypt tours to witness the most important and greatest historical phenomenon, which is the sun perpendicular to the statue of Ramesses II. Therefore, it is considered one of the most beautiful Pharaonic astronomical phenomena in the world.

The apparent perpendicularity of the sun occurs in Abu Simbel on the 22nd of October and February of each year, and the majority of archaeologists indicate that it is linked to the agricultural and harvest seasons in ancient Egypt, and February 22 is the day that coincides with the first day of the harvest season according to the ancient Egyptian astronomical year.

On this day, the sun rests inside the Holy of Holies in the Great Temple on the entire statue of King Ramesses II and draws a rectangular frame on it and the God Amun Ra. Then it moves to the right, towards the right shoulder of the god Ra-Hor-akhti, until it disappears in the form of a thin line parallel to his right leg, and after the sun's rays withdraw into the second hall of the temple, then the first, and then disappear from within the entire temple.

It is noteworthy that King Ramesses erected the Temple of Ramses II (now known as the Temple of Abu Simbel) in 1275 BC for the official state gods "Amun Ra, Ra-Hor-akhti, and Ptah, the god of darkness'. Work on it took 19 years to complete, and the British novelist Amelia Edwards was the first to draw attention to the phenomenon of the perpendicular sun in Abu Simbel and recorded it in her famous book. “A Thousand Miles on the Nile,” which was published in 1877.

Today, Abu Simbel remains a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world. Tourists can explore the intricate interiors of the temples during their Egypt classic tours, admire the colossal statues, and marvel at the detailed reliefs depicting ancient history of Egypt and mythology by having an amazing Egypt Nile Cruise tour on the bank of the Nile. The site offers a fascinating glimpse into the grandeur and sophistication of ancient Egyptian civilization.

To explore this captivating temple and witness the extraordinary phenomenon of the perpendicular sun, tourists can choose from a variety of Egypt travel packages, including Egypt luxury tours, Nile cruise tours, and Cairo tours from the airport. These tailored Egypt day tours offer an opportunity to immerse oneself in the rich history and beauty of Egypt while experiencing the wonders of Abu Simbel and other remarkable destinations in the country.