subject: Abu Simple From Cairo By Plane [print this page] The Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel is generally considered the grandest and most beautiful of the temples commissioned during the reign of Ramses II, and one of the most beautiful in Egypt. The facade is 33 meters high, and 38 meters broad, and guarded by four statues, each of which is 20 meters high. They were sculptured directly from the rock in which the temple was located before it was moved.
All statues represent Ramses II, seated on a throne and wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. The statue to the left of the entrance was
damaged in an earthquake, leaving only the lower part of the statue still intact.
The head and torso can still be seen at the statue's feet.
Several smaller figures are situated at the feet of the four statues, depicting
members of the pharaoh's family. They include his mother Tuya, Nefertari, and some of his sons and daughters. Above the entrance there is a statue of a falcon-headed Ra-Harakhte, with the pharaoh shown worshipping on both sides of him. Below the statue there is an ancient rebus, showing the prenomen or throne name of Ramesses: Waser-ma'at.
The facade is topped by a row of 22 baboons, their arms raised in the air,
supposedly worshipping the rising sun. Another notable feature of the facade is a stele which records the marriage of Ramesses with a daughter of King Hattusili III, which sealed the peace between Egypt and the Hittites.The interior of the temple has the same triangular layout that most ancient Egyptian temples follow, with rooms decreasing in size from the entrance to the
sanctuary. The first hall of the temple features eight statues of the deified
Rameses II in the shape of Osiris, serving as pillars. The walls depict scenes of
Egyptian victories in Libya, Syria and Nubia, including images from the Battle of
Kadesh. The second hall depicts Ramesses and Nefertari with the sacred boats of Amun and Ra-Horakthy.The sanctuary contains four seated statues of Ra-Horakhty, Ptah, Amun and
Ramesses. The temple was constructed in such a way that the sun shines
directly on all four statues during two days of the year, February 20 and
October 20. These dates are allegedly the king's birthday and coronatiday
respectively, but there is no evidence to support this. Due to the displacement of the temple, it is widely believed that this event now occurs one day later than it did originally.
The Temple of Nefetari is located north of the Great Temple of Ramses II. It was carved in the rock by Ramses II and dedicated to Hathor, the goddess of love and beauty, and also to his favorite wife, Nefertari, for "whose sake the very sun doeth shine." The faade is adorned by six statues, four of Ramses II and two of Nefertari. Most unusually, the six are the same height, which indicates the esteem in which Nefertari was held.
The entrance leads to a hall containing six pillars bearing the head of the
goddess Hathor. The eastern wall bears inscriptions depicting Ramses II striking
the enemy before Ra-Harakhte and Amun-Ra. Other wall scenes show Rameses
II and Nefertari offering sacrifices to the gods.
Beyond this hall, there is another wall with similar scenes and paintings. In the
farthest depths of the temple is the holy of holies, where a statue of the
goddess Hathor stands. This is, indeed, a most awesome sight to the visitor;
for here one finds the great artificial dome that bears the man-made mountain
behind the Temples of Abu Simbel. It shows the great work of Ramses II.
Abu Simbel, possibly the most astounding piece of Pharaonic Egyptian
architecture.It was built by Ramses II, the most prolific pharaoh in terms of
building works,It marked the border between Egypt itself and the southern nation
of the Nubians.
Tour Type : Sightseeing. Tour Duration : 1 Day trip. Tour Schedule : Daily. City
Tour : Abu Simbel. Pick up Point : Cairo Hotels. Drop off Point : Cairo Hotels.
Tour Itinerary
OneSkyToursEgypt representative will Pick you up from your hotel in Cairo to
the domestic Cairo airport fly to Abu Simbel,The flight takes 45 minutes per way.
transfer to Abu Simbel temple to visit the two temples at Abu Simble (King
Ramses II & his queen Nefertari) are a must see for anyone traveling to
Egypt.Lying 280 km south of Aswan this remarkable temple, reclaimed stone by
stone from the rising waters of Lake Nasser,stands as a testament to the
greatness of the Pharaoh Ramses II, and to modern engineering, You will be provided with a transfer to and from the airport and a return flight. transfer you to your hotel in Cairo.
Tour Includes
*Pick up services from your hotel and return.
*All transfers by a private air-conditioned vehicle.
*Private Egyptologist guide.
*Lunch in a restaurant with open buffet (Fish, Chicken,and Beef).
*Entrance fees to all the mentioned sites.
*Mineral water on board the vehicle during the tour.
*All service charges & taxes.
Tour Excludes
*Personal expenses.
*Any extras not mentioned above.
*Tips.
Children Policy
*Child rates apply to ages 6-12.
*Children aged 4 years and under are free of Charge.
*Children aged 4 years till 11.99 50% discount.
General Information
*Tour and Prices :-Tour price currency is set to USD however you can pay in
Euro or British pound. The prices quoted per person per tour all inclusive and
prices are always updated to ensure you always receive the lowest price
possible and once your tour is confirmed we guarantee the price and will not be
changed if any increase.
*Tour Voucher :-After your tour is confirmed we will email you final confirmation
and voucher to print and travel along including contact numbers of your tour
operator and customer care and additional information for your convenience in
travel.
*Deposit and Balance of Payment :-A down payment (25%) will be required upon
confirming your tour as requested and can be paid by credit or debit card (Visa
/ MasterCard) via Verisign Secured payment system on our website. And the
balance of payment (75%) will be required on pick up to your tour director this
can be paid by credit or debit card or in cash basis if required.
What To Bring
*passport.
*Comfortable walking shoes for sightseeing tours and excursions.
