Abu Simbel is an archaeological site comprising two massive rock temples in southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser about 290 km southwest of Aswan. The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II in the 13th century BC, however, the complex was relocated in its entirety by UNESCO in the 1960s during the construction of the Aswan Dam. The interiors of the Temple of Ramses II and Nefertari's Temple of Hathor offer amazing opportunities to see intricate carvings and details. Stunning views from the temples look out over Lake Nasser, formed by the damming of the Nile, and over the desert. The compact town of Abu Simbel is easy to get around on foot.

See:

• The Great Temple of Abu Simbel - dedicated to Ramses II, a statue of him is seated with three other gods within the innermost part of the rock-cut temple. The temple's facade is dominated by four enormous seated statues of the Pharaoh (each over 20 metres or 67 feet high).
• The temple of Hathor – also known as the small temple, is northeast of the temple of Ramses II and was dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Ramses II's wife, Nefertari. The rock-cut facade is decorated with two groups of colossi that are separated by the large gateway. The statues, slightly more than ten meters high, are of the king and his queen.

Secrets of the City:

• Visitors to the temples of Abu Simbel are easily able to forget that they are not in their original position. The temples were relocated during when Lake Nasser was formed as a result of the construction of the Aswan Dam.