Scary spiders. Photos and descriptions of the largest and most terrible spiders in the world
When talking about the sights of Egypt, people usually remember the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and perhaps also the Valley of the Kings, a museum in Cairo... But this is the first time I’ve personally heard about this famous monument of a bygone civilization. I will correct my gap in knowledge, and if you are interested, join me
The cave temple at Abu Simbel is one of the most famous monuments of ancient Egyptian culture. The huge, 20-meter-high statues of Pharaoh Ramesses II the Great, framing the entrance to the temple, have today become the same symbols of Egypt as the pyramids and the Sphinx. The construction of cave temples was widely developed during the reign of Ramesses II, but Abu Simbel surpasses all other similar structures.
The Abu Simbel ensemble consists of two buildings: the Large Temple, dedicated to Pharaoh Ramesses II and three gods: Amon, Ra-Horakht and Ptah, and the Small Temple, erected in honor of the goddess Hathor, in whose image the wife of Ramesses II Nefertari-Merenmut is represented.
Today, Abu Simbel is probably the most explored site of Ancient Egypt. The fact is that in the late 1950s, during the construction of the Aswan hydroelectric power station, Abu Simbel found itself on the territory of the future reservoir. Developed various projects saving the world-famous monument, including the creation of an underwater glass dome over the temple. But as a result, they decided to dismantle all the complex’s structures and move them to more high place. This unprecedented action, carried out under the auspices of UNESCO, was carried out over four years, and specialists from fifty countries took part in it.
Up to early XIX centuries, the temples of Abu Simbel were lost in the sands of the desert. Only on March 22, 1813, the Swiss historian Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, landing on the banks of the Nile, came across the temple complex.
The historian expressed his impressions of what he saw in his notes as follows: “Statues carved into the rock were revealed to my eyes. All of them were half covered with sand... However, Ramses immortalized not only himself, but also his beloved wife Nefertari. The facial features of his wife are depicted on the statues at the entrance to her temple.”
The researchers, who carefully studied the monument during these works, were amazed at the enormous amount of knowledge that the ancient Egyptian architects possessed. UNESCO experts concluded that the lines of the facades of the Big and Small Temples ran parallel to cracks in the rocky ground and were therefore solid rocks served as a natural support for giant statues. When constructing the cave temple, the architects took into account the natural properties of the soil - the layers of sandstone in it were held together by iron oxide, as a result of which the layers were almost not subject to destruction. In addition, iron oxide enriched the palette of the stone, giving sandstone a wide variety of shades: from red to pink and purple.
Abu Simbel was built in the second half of the New Kingdom and the beginning of the decline of ancient Egyptian art can already be felt in it. Starting in the 1260s BC. e. construction of the temple, the architects proceeded from accepted traditions decoration of tombs, but gigantic size the temple gave rise to its own difficulties.
The entrance to the Great Temple of Abu Simbel is oriented to the east. The first rays of the sun, illuminating the façade, penetrate into the interior space - first into the first hall, with tetrahedral pillars and statues of the pharaoh in the image of the god Osiris, then into the second hall, and then into the sanctuary. At its farthest end there were statues of gods and the figure of Pharaoh Ramesses II. Twice a year rays rising sun fell on the statues of Ramesses, Amon and Ra-Horakhte; the fourth figure, the god Ptah, was never illuminated: Ptah is the ruler underworld, and he has no need for the sun, he must remain in darkness forever.
Despite the fact that the Great Temple, in addition to the deified pharaoh, was dedicated to three more gods, the whole idea of the building was to exalt Ramesses II by all possible means. This is especially emphasized by the facade of the temple, carved into the rock mass in the form of a traditional pylon, only of unimaginable size, where the entrance to the sanctuary is framed by four gigantic, twenty-meter-high figures of Ramesses II. These images of the seated pharaoh are portraits! With such large scale statues carved from solid sandstone, how did the craftsmen manage to preserve portrait likeness? This is amazing! And the point is not so much how similar or dissimilar the pharaoh they depict is to himself - the very technique of making figures of such scale is fascinating. After all, they could be made only by perfectly mastering the system of proportions, which established the exact relationships between the sizes of the figure and each of its parts.
The huge statues of Ramesses were visible from afar to everyone sailing along the Nile. And when the first rays of the sun appeared above the horizon, the colossi turned dark red, standing out sharply against the background of the blue-black shadows they cast.
The image of the great pharaoh dominates the temple of Abu Simbel. Immediately outside the doors, in the first room of the temple, the visitor is greeted by eight figures of Pharaoh Ramesses in the guise of the god Osiris. They stand four on each side. Walls and ceilings interior spaces The temple is covered with paintings and painted reliefs relating to the best examples art of ancient egypt late period.
The reliefs of the Abu Simbel temple stand out for their dynamics, expression of movements and poses. Their authors were the Theban sculptors Piai, Panefer and Khevi. The subjects of the reliefs are dedicated to the life and exploits of Ramesses II: here the pharaoh throws crowds of captives - white-skinned Libyans and dark-skinned Nubians - at the feet of the gods, here he mercilessly kills them in the face of the gods... Grandiose paintings tell the story of the war of Ramesses II with the Hittites. The relief depicting scenes of the Battle of Kadesh is remarkable: the pharaoh racing on a chariot draws his bow with a sharp movement, aiming at the frightened enemies; a battle is raging on the walls of the enemy fortress, defeated warriors are falling from the walls; The shepherd hastily drives away the cattle, fearing that they will become prey to the Egyptians. With his hand raised helplessly, the shepherd seems to be trying to shield himself from the impending danger...
The tier above is the composition “Pharaoh Ramses stands before the gods.” It differs sharply from the “Battle of Kadesh” - here everything is subordinated to eternity. The entire composition of the picture is subordinated to complex ritual symbolism, the figures are emphatically solemn and motionless.
The Small Temple of Abu Simbel is dedicated to the goddess Hathor. It is much simpler and more modest than the Big One, and consists of a columned hall and a sanctuary with three niches carved into the rocks. The facade of the Small Temple is decorated with six figures made in full height. Between the statues of Pharaoh Ramesses II there are statues of his wife Nefertari-Merenmut. The sculptures stand in deep, shaded niches, which creates a play of light and shadow in the rays of the sun, enhancing the impression of these monumental figures. On one of the columns of the Small Temple there is an inscription carved: “Ramesses, strong in truth, favorite of Amon, created this divine dwelling for his beloved wife Nefertari.”
In the sanctuary of the Small Temple, in the central niche, there was a statue sacred cow, in whose image the goddess Hathor was revered. In front of her was depicted Pharaoh Ramesses II, who seemed to be under the protection of the goddess.
Today, saved by the efforts of all mankind from flooding, the Abu Simbel temple has become a place of pilgrimage for tourists from all over the world. This miracle of ancient Egyptian art today is also a monument to the gigantic efforts that people from fifty countries made to save Abu Simbel. Well, as Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said on this occasion, “peoples are capable of performing miracles when they unite with good intentions.”
The facade of the temples is carved into the rock, 31 meters high and 38 meters wide. The columns of the facade are four statues of the pharaoh, depicted sitting on a throne. The height of these statues is about 20 meters, and the head of each of these sculptures reaches 4 meters! An ornament in the form of baboons is carved above the façade.
There are 22 monkeys in total, each 2.5 meters tall.
Entering the temple, we find ourselves in a darkened hall that precedes the sanctuary. The hall has side dimensions of 18 and 16.7 meters. In the center of the room there are 10 columns depicting the god Osiris, but with the facial features of Pharaoh Ramses II.
Almost the entire year, the temple premises are immersed in twilight, but twice a year (February 22 and October 22 - the pharaoh’s birthday and the day of his coronation), at dawn, the rays of the sun still cut through the darkness of the temples and illuminate the statue of Ramses II himself. The sun's ray lingers on the pharaoh's face for just a few minutes, but according to the numerous tourists, the influx of which Abu Simbel is experiencing these days, the pharaoh's stony face is illuminated by a smile...
Like optical effect is possible thanks to the incredibly accurate calculations of ancient Egyptian astrologers and priests who were involved in the design and construction of temples 33 centuries ago. Just two days a year, just a few minutes!
Despite the fact that the Abu Simbel temple complex is not as ancient as the Egyptian pyramids, tourists are no less interested in it. For example, on the above-mentioned two days a year, queues of up to five thousand people can be observed in front of the entrance to the temple!
Clickable,
Panorama
Although the temples Abu Simbel and stood in the sands for more than 3000 years; in the 60s of the last century, a threat hung over them real threat in the form of flooding. After the 1952 revolution, work began on designing a second dam on the Nile River, near Aswan. The temples located on the banks of the Nile were in danger of being flooded. This would lead to the destruction of the structure made of sandstone. In 1959, a campaign to save the historical heritage began. Thanks to international support, the ruins of the temples were saved by moving to a new location.
To avoid flooding cultural heritage it was decided to dismantle Abu Simbel piece by piece and reassemble it in a new location. For this purpose, the temples were sawn into 1036 blocks, the weight of which reached from 5 to 20 tons. All of them were numbered and transported to a new location.
Next, the blocks were re-drilled, and a resinous composition was pumped into the holes, which was intended to strengthen the rocky structure of the blocks. Piece by piece, like a mosaic, the temples were reassembled and covered with a hollow reinforced concrete cap, on which a hill was poured. It turned out so harmoniously that it seemed that Abu Simbel had been in this place all this time. The entire operation to move the temples took three years from 1965 to 68.
Researchers, studying the monument during these works, were amazed at the huge amount of knowledge that ancient Egyptian craftsmen used to create such a grandiose structure. UNESCO experts concluded that the lines of the facades of the Big and Small Temples ran parallel to cracks in the rocky ground and thus the solid rocks served as a natural support for the giant statues. When constructing the cave temple, the architects took into account the natural properties of the soil - the layers of sandstone in it were held together by iron oxide, as a result of which the layers were almost not subject to destruction. In addition, iron oxide enriched the palette of the stone, giving sandstone a wide variety of shades.
The new location of the temples is 65 meters higher and 200 meters further from the river. The relocation of the Abu Simbel and Philae sites is considered one of the largest engineering and archaeological operations.
Agree, there are some pretty cool pictures on the walls considering the time they were painted.
Photos in the album “Ranakpur” h ttp://master ok.zh.rf on Yandex.Photos
Ramses defeats his enemies
The monumental temples of Abu Simbel are clear evidence of how skilled builders the ancient Egyptians were and what colossal knowledge in the field of architecture and astronomy they possessed. Located on west bank Lake Nasser, these architectural monuments are one of business cards Egypt.
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a small village
This small village is located on the border of Egypt and Sudan. You won't find many entertainment options here, but that doesn't stop thousands of tourists from visiting Abu Simbel every day. It was on its territory that two unique temples carved into the rock of the first half XII centuries, built by Ramses II; one - in honor of his victory over the Hittites, the other - as a sign of tender feelings for his wife Nefertari. They are called, respectively, “Big” and “Small”.
This unique complex no less popular among tourists than famous pyramids Giza and Luxor.
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Where is
The architectural monument is located near the border of Egypt and Sudan, in the historical region of Nubia, 285 south administrative center governorates (provinces) of Aswan.
Abu Simbel Map
How to get there
There are several ways to see this attraction:
- By plane. EgyptAir's daily very early flights from Cairo and Aswan are designed for this purpose.
- By bus. You can take it or a minibus in Aswan. The duration of the trip is at least four hours, so it would be a good idea to check the serviceability of the air conditioning in the transport.
- River transport. A cruise ship runs from Aswan, which takes you along the Nile to your destination.
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Egypt is open to tourists all year round. And all seasons except summer are optimal for a trip to Abu Simbel. In forty-degree heat, getting to know these magnificent structures can turn into real torture.
When is the best time to go: about the weather
The peak of interest in temples from tourists occurs in March and September. This is no coincidence. The pharaoh was born on October 20 and was crowned on February 20. It is on these days that at two minutes to six the ray of the rising sun works real miracles with the statues. It penetrates all the rooms of the temple and lingers for several minutes on the face of the pharaoh in the last hall, giving the impression that Ramses II is smiling.
Top attractions and excursions
Hundreds of tourists come here every day to see this majestic monument to the power of Ramses II. Many travel agencies offer day excursions in this direction or longer tours of the sights of Egypt with mandatory visit Abu Simbela.
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In the 1960s, unique structures on the banks of the Nile were susceptible to flooding due to the construction of a second dam near Aswan. International organizations could not allow the destruction of the world cultural heritage. Between 1965 and 1968 they were cut into separate blocks and moved to a new high place further from the river. The specialists working on this large-scale project made sure that the new location of the architectural monument exactly repeated the old one. Thus, you can still see the unique solar phenomenon twice a year.
This temple is called Big. By erecting this large-scale structure, Ramses II dedicated it not only to himself, but also to three gods: Amon, Ra-Horakhta and Ptah. But, despite this, the central figure of the entire structure is the pharaoh himself. Everything, from the facade of the temple, where four twenty-meter figures of Ramses II sit, to the farthest room, where his statue is also located, testifies to his power and greatness.
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The walls of all four halls of the temple are covered with reliefs depicting scenes of the victorious battles of Ramses II, and are covered with texts praising the pharaoh. The ceiling is supported by rows of majestic columns, forming the so-called hypostyle, typical of ancient Egyptian architecture.
Nefertari - only wife pharaoh, who had the honor of being depicted on the facade of the temple. IN Ancient Egypt it was a unique case.
A hundred meters north of the Big Temple, a symbol of the pharaoh’s love for his beautiful wife Nefertari was built - the Small Temple. This structure is also intended to exalt the Sky Goddess Hathor, who was depicted as a woman with the head of a cow.
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On the facade of the building there are six sculptures of the pharaoh's wife. Her figure is located in the center of each three.
The small temple is also made in a hypostyle form. In its depths there is a sanctuary with a statue of the Goddess of the Sky. All the sculptures of the Temple of Nefertari are half the size of the sculptures of the Great Temple.
What about nightlife and entertainment
The main attraction in this small village is related to its main attraction - the temples of Ramses and Nefertari. Since 2000, an incredible performance called “Sound and Light” has been held here. The show is accompanied not only by lighting effects, but also by text. Tourists receive headphones for rent and, choosing a language they understand, enjoy the show.
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Where to live and what to eat
Abu Simbel is a small village, on the territory of which there is only one, albeit significant, attraction. That's why you won't find it here great variety hotels and restaurants.
If you plan to see the light and sound show, you will have to arrange for an overnight stay in Abu Simbel. The show starts late in the evening, so as part of a day trip, visitit won't succeed.
Hotels
So that tourists can stay overnight near the temples, there are two hotels of different price categories. Nefertari Hotel Abu Simble is classified as 4 stars and is located almost four kilometers from the center settlement. Here you can rent a non-smoking room and book an airport transfer.
Tourists can also use the restaurant and parking services. It is possible to rent a conference room on the territory of the complex. Vacationers are provided with unlimited internet. The cost of a room per night is about 100 USD. e.
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Tuya hotel offers apartments much cheaper; a night in a hotel will cost a tourist 60 USD. e. For this money, the hotel offers the following services: free Internet, parking, restaurant, conference room rental, the ability to order a transfer to/from the airport, evening entertainment.
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Restaurants and cafes
In addition to hotel restaurants, those who want to eat delicious food can visit the Eskaleh Eco Lodge restaurant. This establishment offers a menu of traditional African dishes at attractive prices.
Delicious food and a cozy atmosphere await tourists at Alaa al-Rahman Restaurant, and fans of fine cuisine will find a lot for themselves interesting dishes on the Ramsis restaurant menu.
Flower Nubia Cafe is the only cafe in the village. Here tourists will be offered huge selection all kinds of tea, coffee and Tasty food. This place is also famous for its excellent hookah.
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The relocation of Abu Simbel remains UNESCO's most expensive project.
Although getting to Abu Simbel is not easy, the place is well worth the effort and time spent. The unique rock temples of Nubia cannot but charm the traveler with their grandeur. They are intended not only to remind people of the power of the pharaoh and his love for his wife. Temples - living testimony what tremendous knowledge and skills the people of that time possessed.
The temples at Abu Simbel are among the most outstanding monuments of ancient Egyptian architecture. The huge, 20-meter-high statues of Pharaoh Ramesses II, framing the entrance to the temple, have today become the same symbols of Egypt as the pyramids and the Sphinx. The Abu Simbel ensemble consists of two buildings: the Great Temple, dedicated to Pharaoh Ramesses II and three gods: Amon, Ra-Horakhta and Ptah; and the Small Temple, erected in honor of the goddess Hathor, in whose image the wife of Ramesses II Nefertari-Merenmut is represented.
Location of temples in Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel is a small town in the middle of Nubia, located almost on the border with, 280 km south of Aswan. Nubia is a historical region in the middle, from the first cataract of the Nile at Aswan in the north and almost to the Sudanese capital Khartoum in the south. The true pearl of Nubia is the temples of Abu Simbel.
History of the temples at Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel was built in the second half of the New Kingdom and is historical cultural evidence of the beginning of the decline of ancient Egyptian art. Starting in the 1260s BC. e. During the construction of the temple, the architects proceeded from the accepted traditions of tomb design, but the gigantic size of the temple gave rise to certain difficulties.
The large temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II and the small one of his wife Nefertari were carved into the rock in the 13th century BC. e. Ramesses ordered the construction of a large temple at Abu Simbel to commemorate his victory over the Hittites. Since the pharaoh's troops were patronized by three gods - Amon, Ra and Ptah, Ramses ordered them, and at the same time himself, to be depicted in facade statues. Despite the fact that the Great Temple, in addition to the deified pharaoh, was dedicated to three gods, the whole idea of the building is, first of all, the exaltation of Ramesses II himself. This is especially emphasized by the facade of the temple, carved into the rock mass in the form of a traditional pylon - only of unimaginable size. The entrance to the sanctuary is framed by four gigantic, twenty-meter-high figures of Ramesses II. The masters managed to preserve the portrait resemblance of the statues of the seated pharaoh, carved from solid sandstone, at this scale. The very technique of making figures of such scale amazes and delights. After all, they could be made only by perfectly mastering the system of proportions, which established the exact relationships between the sizes of the figure and each of its parts.
The temple's pediment is dominated by four gigantic statues, each 20 meters high, while the façade is over 35 meters wide and 30 meters high. All these 4 statues depict the pharaoh. The absolute similarity of these sculptures is amazing; they are identical and located at a distance of 4 meters from one another.
The king is accompanied by several of his wives, sons and daughters (the pharaoh had more than 200 of them), who are much smaller in size and located at his feet.
Directly above the entrance to the temple, in a small niche, there is a statue of the god Ra. The top of the façade is crowned with a bas-relief covering the entire width of the façade. The central entrance leads into a large hall with massive columns in the form of statues on the sides.
Inside, the temple consists of four successively smaller rectangular halls with auxiliary side rooms. Everyone was allowed into the first hall, only the “noble” into the second, and priests into the third. Only the pharaoh himself and his retinue entered the last small hall. There are four sculptures installed there, made according to the same principle as at the entrance to the temple: the gods Amon, Ra and Ptah with the faces of Ramesses II and, of course, the pharaoh himself. The great hall is spacious and high. All its walls and columns from floor to ceiling are covered with colors and texts.
In the 60s, a unique operation was carried out - the temples in Abu Simbel were carefully sawn and moved to a new higher place - now they stand 64 m higher and 180 m further from the shore, otherwise they would have been swallowed up by Nasser, which appeared after the construction.
On September 22, 1968, the temples at Abu Simbel were again opened to public viewing. Everything here, down to the last detail, was the same as in the old place.
(Arabic: أبو سمبل; English: Abu Simbel temples)
UNESCO site
Opening hours: daily from 6.00 to 17.00.
How to get there: The easiest way to get to Abu Simbel is from Aswan, you need to take a bus (the ride takes about 3 hours). To get on this bus (it makes about 5 trips daily), you need to get to the bus station in Aswan, in the north of the city.
You can also get to Abu Simbel by cruise ship on the Nile, on your own or as part of excursions. Also, sightseeing tours along the Nile run from Luxor and Cairo (take several days).
From Luxor you can reach railway to Aswan (trains with sleeping cars run daily), and then from Aswan to Abu Simbel by bus. You can also get to Abu Simbel from Hurghada by bus. But the road is long and tiring; you will have to spend at least 13 hours on the road one way.
The option of renting a car to Abu Simbel is not possible. With the advent of rules on convoys in Egypt, foreigners can travel along this road exclusively as part of a convoy. In addition, a foreigner driving a car will not be allowed through checkpoints.
Abu Simbel is a rock on the west bank of the Nile, about 300 km from Aswan, in the heart of Nubian territory, almost on the border with Sudan. It is here that the most beautiful and grandiose building of the greatest Egyptian pharaoh is located - two amazing temple complexes carved right into the rock.
The temples of Abu Simbel were dedicated to three Egyptian gods– Amon-Ra, Harmakis and Ptah. But, in fact, there are a great many versions of the construction of these temples. Some suggest that these temples were erected exclusively for the glorification of its builder, Pharaoh Ramesses II the Great, over the centuries. Others claim that the temples were built in honor of the pharaoh's victory over the Hittites and his extraordinary love to his only wife, the beautiful Nefertari.
There are many versions, but the essence is the same - the Abu Simbel Temples bring to life the wildest fantasies of architects. They are inferior to the Egyptian pyramids in terms of antiquity, but in terms of beauty and interest from tourists, they are rather superior. These are the most famous and large-scale Nubian temples.
The temples are carved into the rock from fine-grained sandstone. One of the temples, large, was erected in honor of King Ramesses II himself, the other, small, was erected in honor of his wife, Queen Nefertari. Both temples fit harmoniously into the surrounding landscape and look like a single architectural ensemble.
The Great Temple of Abu Simbel is the most impressive. The columns of the facade are four gigantic statues of the pharaoh, depicted sitting on a throne. The height of these statues is about 20 meters (!!!), and the head of each of these sculptures reaches 4 meters! The huge statues of Ramesses II are visible from afar to everyone sailing along the Nile. Above the facade there is an ornament carved in the form of monkeys, of which there are 22, each 2.5 meters tall (!).
The entrance to the Great Temple of Abu Simbel is oriented to the east. Upon entering the temple, visitors find themselves plunged into the darkness of the hall that precedes the sanctuary. In the first room of the temple, the visitor is greeted by eight figures of Pharaoh Ramesses in the guise of the god Osiris. They stand four on each side. It is noteworthy that the faces of the statues of gods copy the images of the faces of the royal family.
The Great Temple of Abu Simbel contains well-preserved historical images and inscriptions that depict the pharaoh worshiping himself as a divine image being worshiped by the human pharaoh. An interesting plot is the relief in which Pharaoh Ramesses II overthrows crowds of captives - white-skinned Libyans and dark-skinned Nubians, and mercilessly kills them before the gods. The composition is subject to complex ritual symbolism.
All year round, the temple premises are immersed in twilight, but twice a year (February 22 - on the birthday of the pharaoh and October 22 - on the day of his coronation), at dawn, the rays of the sun cut through the darkness of the temples and illuminate the statue of Ramesses II himself. The sun's ray lingers on his face for several minutes, and at these moments the pharaoh's stony face seems to light up with a smile...
These days, up to several thousand (!) people gather in the Great Temple of Abu Simbel to see with their own eyes the amazing optical effect obtained as a result of the most accurate calculations of ancient Egyptian astrologers and priests who designed the temple 33 centuries ago (!!!) so that a ray of sun shines directly on the face of Pharaoh Ramesses II.
Another interesting fact is that the statue of Ptah is never illuminated by sunlight. And, indeed, Ptah is the God of Darkness, therefore, he is always in the shadows.
Ramesses II, who was passionately concerned about his own glorification, ordered the construction next to his temple of another temple, much smaller in size (no more than 10 meters long), dedicated to his wife Nefertari. It must be said that previously in Egypt, not a single wife of the pharaoh was ever depicted on the facade of the temple, and only the wife of Ramesses II received this honor.
The Small Temple of Abu Simbel is located just 100 meters north of the Big Temple and is dedicated to the goddess of Heaven - Hathor, in whose image the wife of Ramesses II - Nefertari is represented. It is much simpler and more modest than the Great Temple, and consists of a columned hall and a sanctuary with three niches.
The façade of the Small Temple is decorated with six statues carved in high relief. On each side there are two images of the king and one of the queen. The sculptures stand in deep shaded niches, which is why, in the rays of the sun, a play of light and shadow is created, enhancing the impression of these monumental figures.
On one of the columns of the Small Temple there is an inscription carved: “Ramesses, strong in truth, the favorite of Amon, created this divine dwelling for his beloved wife Nefertari.” Inside the Small Temple, in the central niche, there was a statue of the goddess Hathor, in the form of a sacred cow.
The temples of Abu Simbel have gone through a lot over their long centuries. In 1960, Egyptian authorities began construction of a dam on the Nile River, near Aswan. The temples located on the banks of the Nile were in danger of being flooded.
Various projects were developed to save the world famous monument. As a result, they decided to dismantle the temples piece by piece and move them to a higher place. The process of moving the temples took 4 years - from 1964 to 1968.
The temples were sawn into 1,036 blocks, each weighing from 5 to 20 tons, numbered, transported and assembled at a new location, 200 meters further from the river. Also, 1,112 blocks cut from the rocks that surrounded the temples were brought here. A resinous compound was pumped into the holes drilled in the blocks to strengthen the structure of the stone. The temples were reproduced down to the smallest detail in a new location.
Researchers who carefully studied the Abu Simbel Temples, in the process of sawing and moving them, concluded that the lines of the facades of the Great and Small Temples ran parallel to cracks in the rocky ground, and the hardest rocks served as a natural support for the giant statues.
Saved by the efforts of all mankind from flooding, the Temples of Abu Simbel are at the same time a monument to the gigantic efforts made by people from fifty countries. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said on this occasion: “Peoples are capable of performing miracles when they unite with good intentions.” Saving Abu Simbel is the most expensive UNESCO project since the organization's existence.
Temples of Abu Simbel - a miracle of ancient Egyptian art, one of the most beautiful architectural masterpieces of its time. Craftsmanship and grace, fragility of forms and power of volumes - this is truly a masterpiece of the desert and a place of pilgrimage for tourists from all over the world. Everyone should see Abu Simbel at least once in their life...
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Abu Simbel is a relatively recent name for an ancient Egyptian temple complex located south from the mouth of the Nile, to the borders of Egypt and Sudan. In maps of past centuries, temple buildings, clearly visible from the river, were designated as the “Ramsesopolis fortress”; the Egyptians themselves used the words “sacred mountain” - and bypassed the temples... Partly because there was little interest in the building, which had been subjected to repeated looting in the past. Partly due to the inclusion of sand in the complex.
The irresistible attack of the desert on the temples began soon after the completion of construction. It took the wind six centuries to cover the majestic statues of Ramses up to the knees - this is evidenced by the inscriptions of Greek soldiers who fought for hire under Pharaoh Psammetichus II.
Just two hundred years ago, a few relief images of the upper frieze framing the entrance barely rose above the sand. Most Three thousand years have passed since the construction of Abu Simbel, the sanctuary remained buried under a layer of sand deposits - which saved it from destruction.
Discovery of Abu Simbel
The young Swiss, who in Europe bore the name Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, and in the East known as Ibrahim ibn Abdullah, made several trips to Syria and Egypt at the beginning of the 19th century. Having gained proficiency in the language and thoroughly studied Islam, he posed as a poor merchant buying strange goods, and moved freely throughout the Arab world.It was Burckhardt who drew attention to the statues of the Sacred Mountain - but the researcher was unable to dig up the foot of the structure and get into the temple. Having lost hope of getting inside, the traveler wrote in his diary: “I saw statues carved into the stone monolith of the cliff. The sand blown by the desert winds covered them more than half. At one of the temples there are statues of Ramses. The face of Nefertari, the beloved wife of the pharaoh, is depicted on the statues of another sanctuary.”
This happened in 1813. After visiting Abu Simbel, Burkhart headed further east, where he soon fell ill and died, and the honor of a full discovery went to someone else.
Belzoni lets the sun into Abu Simbel
Four years after Burkhart, Giovanni Belzoni, a restless Italian adventurer, treasure hunter and involuntary founder of Egyptology, arrived at the statues of Abu Simbel. Belzoni managed to clear the sand from the facades of the Abu Simbel temples.Having personally knocked all the walls of the temple, Belzoni was dissatisfied: no treasures were found, all the jewelry, if there were any, were taken away by robbers of ancient times. Belzoni himself wrote about the discovery: “We found ourselves in a large and well-crafted crypt. This is the most beautiful work of the ancient Egyptians that I have encountered in Nubia. The size of the temple and the abundance of its sculptural and painted decorations inspired reverence.”
The excavations started by Belzoni lasted several years. It soon became clear: the temple carved into the rock was not just a sanctuary, but a place of unity between the pharaoh and the Sun...
Two temples of Abu Simbel
The name of the temple complex that has taken root in the Arab (and the rest of the) world - Abu Simbel, “father of bread” - has nothing to do with the purpose of the buildings. The sandstone rock was named Abu Simbel by Nile navigators, who saw in one of the statues the divine patron of cereals.The temple complex, carved into the rock, perpetuates the memory of Pharaoh Ramses II, to whom the larger structure is dedicated, and his wife Nefertari, the “mistress” of the smaller temple. Ramses II is a very popular character in ancient Egyptian history. He led victorious wars, and in the intervals between battles adhered to a progressive foreign policy, built a lot, wisely ruled the state - which earned him the right to be called Great during his lifetime.
The grandiose undertaking of the ancient Egyptian architects was a success. A hundred-meter sandstone cliff housed the temples. The premises of the Great Temple are 60 meters deep into the stone massif. The height of the halls reaches eight meters. One and a half dozen rooms are filled with sculptures and relief paintings telling about the glorious life of the pharaoh.
It is generally accepted that the birthday of Ramses the Great falls on February 22nd. On this day Sunbeam penetrates into the depths of the temple and illuminates the divine incarnations of the pharaoh. Egyptologists correlate the date of Ramses's coronation with the moment of autumn illumination of the internal temple statues: on October 20, the sun illuminates the crown of the Egyptian ruler, sculpted from sandstone. According to eyewitnesses, the face of the pharaoh, illuminated by the sun, smiles...
The second, smaller temple of Abu Simbel is dedicated to Nefertari-Merenmut, the first of the ruler's legitimate wives. On the wall of the sanctuary is inscribed: “Ramses built a temple in eternal grief Nubia in the name of his great wife, beloved by Pharaoh Nefertari Mut. Nefertari is pleasing to the gods, the sun shines for her.”
The temple of Queen Nefertari has five rooms. Among the sculptural images are Ramses in several divine forms, the goddess Hathor, and Nefertari herself in the form of Isis.
New life for the temples of Abu Simbel
The temples, carved in Nubian in the 13th century BC, saw the light of day again in the first half of the 19th century. The relative peace of the ancient monuments lasted only one hundred and fifty years: the Egyptian rulers of the mid-twentieth century decided to block the Nile with a dam. According to the plan, the temples of the Abu Simbel rock went under water...
Global community could not allow the pearl of ancient architecture to perish in the abyss of local ambitions. Almost simultaneously with the start of construction work, a campaign to move the temple complex outside the flood zone began.
The organizers' opinions were divided. Some experts suggested moving the temple complex. Others should be left in place, protected from flooding by a wall. Still others talked about a thick glass dome that could protect both the building and tourists from the water.
The proposal of Italian specialists was considered the most interesting. They proposed undercutting the base of the rock, placing jacks under the massif and raising the mountain to a safe height. However, the cost of implementing this plan turned out to be prohibitive...
Ultimately, the Swedish project won, which involved sawing the structure into 1036 blocks weighing from 5 to 40 tons each, transporting the resulting parts and reassembling the structure at a new location.
The site for the construction of the restored temple was removed from the old site 65 meters up and 210 meters away from the former bed of the Nile. During the work, the researchers marveled at the level of awareness of the ancient Egyptian masters. The site for the original construction of the temples was chosen, firstly, taking into account the direction of cracks in the rock; secondly, with an understanding of the role of other iron oxides contaminating sandstone.
Egyptian sculptors and architects - history has preserved their names, these are Panefer; Piai, son of Ha-Nefer; and Khevi from the city of Thebes - knew about the variety of warm colors of iron-containing sandstone, and about the increased strength of stone impregnated with a solution of iron oxide.
The grandiose project of the new Abu Simbel
Coordination, coordination and design took a lot of time. The dismantling of the temples began in 1964, with a significant lag behind the pace of dam construction. As a result, it was necessary to build a waterproof dam wall around the construction site: the level of the Nile filling the reservoir was rising, and the sawing and transportation of temples was still ongoing. By the time the dismantling was completed, the water level exceeded the level of the temple floor by 12 meters.Contrary to fears, there were no accidents. The upper part of the rock was removed, depriving the temple premises of the ceilings and providing access for cranes to the ancient shrines.
The sandstone lent itself well to sawing with thin carbide saws used in mining, and a solution of fast-hardening polymers pumped into the thickness of the stone held together the cracked areas. Numbered blocks - different in size and weight - were carefully lifted, transported, unloaded and assembled together at the new site of the temple.
A reinforced concrete dome was erected over the resulting structure, and a dirt hill was poured on top. The work took three years and was completed in 1968 - although the finalization of the landscape around the new temple lasted until 1972. In total, it took 13 years to design and implement the project to move the Abu Simbel temple complex.
When the temple complex was moved, it was possible to preserve the most important feature ancient shrine. Nowadays, like three thousand years ago, the sun penetrates into the far hall of the Great Temple twice a year, briefly illuminating the statues of the pharaoh.
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