What are the Abu Simbel temples?
Q: What are the Abu Simbel temples?
A: The Abu Simbel temples are two very large rock temples built by the ancient Egyptians, located in a village called Abu Simbel in Nubia, southern Egypt.
Q: Where is Abu Simbel located?
A: Abu Simbel is located near the border with Sudan, on the western bank of Lake Nasser, about 230 km southwest of Aswan.
Q: When were the temples built?
A: The temples were cut into solid rock during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC.
Q: Why were they built?
A: They were built as a lasting monument to Pharaoh Ramesses II and his queen Nefertari, to remember his victory at the Battle of Kadesh.
Q: What happened to them in 1968?
A: In 1968, they were moved to a place high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir because they would have been flooded by water from Lake Nasser which was formed by building a dam on the Nile River.
Q: Are they part of any UNESCO World Heritage Site?
A: Yes, they are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as "Nubian Monuments".
