The Great Temple at Abu Simbel took around twenty years to build. Also known as Temple of Ramses II, it was dedicated to the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah, as well as to the Great King Ramesses himself. It is considered the grandest and most beautiful of the temples commissioned during Ramesses II’s reign, and one of the most beautiful in Egypt.
The entrance to the Great Temple is flanked by four colossal statues on its facade, 20 m statues, each one representing Ramesses II seated on a throne. The façade of the main temple is decorated with hieroglyphs that commemorate the great victory of Ramses II at the Battle of Kades.
Upon entering the great temple, there are a series of rooms, dedicated to Ramses himself and important members of his family. The final room, the sanctum sanctorum, remains in darkness every day except two days a year. This was not done by chance, it was necessary a broad knowledge of science, mathematics, architecture, and astronomy to achieve this result.
