Sunlight is due to find Ramesses II again on 22 October
Abu Simbel's Great Temple is scheduled to host its twice-yearly solar alignment on 22 October, when sunlight is due to reach the sanctuary around 6 a.m. and travel the length of the temple's 63-metre interior to illuminate three of its four seated statues, according to a preview published by the Rio Times. The outlet said the light is expected to hold for around 20 to 25 minutes, illuminating the figures of Amun-Ra, Ra-Horakhty and the deified Ramesses II, while the fourth statue, of Ptah, stays in shadow — a detail commonly linked to his association with the Egyptian underworld.
The phenomenon happens twice a year, on 22 February and 22 October. Popular accounts link the dates to Ramesses II's coronation and birthday respectively, though the Rio Times preview noted that this explanation is not backed by ancient documentation, and that the temple's 1963-1967 relocation — moved 208 metres inland and 65 metres higher to escape the rising waters of Lake Nasser — means the alignment visitors see today differs slightly from the original configuration.
A temple moved to escape the lake
The temples were carved under Ramesses II starting around 1264 BC, a project that took about 20 years, and sit roughly 230 kilometres southwest of Aswan on Lake Nasser's western shore, according to a Wikipedia summary of the site (the Rio Times put the distance at 280 kilometres south of Aswan in its festival preview, linked above). They were moved in the 1960s after the Aswan High Dam threatened to submerge them beneath the dam's new reservoir. An international campaign coordinated from 1959 settled in June 1963 on a plan by the Swedish engineering firm VBB to cut the temples into 1,036 blocks and reassemble them 208 metres inland and 65 metres higher. Work began lifting the first block on 21 May 1965, the last block was removed by 16 April 1966, and reassembly finished in the early summer of 1968 at a final cost of about $41.7 million, funded jointly by Egypt and 48 international contributors. The rebuilt temple was formally inaugurated on 22 September 1968.
The rescue effort fed into a wider UNESCO campaign that saved 22 relocated monuments across Lower Nubia, including the Abu Simbel temples and the Philae temple complex, and the site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in April 1979, according to a Wikipedia summary of the listing. The campaign, which involved cooperation among roughly 50 countries, is credited with helping lead to the creation of the World Heritage Convention itself in 1972.
What the Ministry says
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities describes the Great Temple, built for Ramesses II around 1264 BC in Nubia, as constructed with enough precision that "on two days a year, the 22nd of February and 22nd of October, the sun's rays enter the temple, cross the main hall, and illuminate the innermost statues," according to the ministry's own page on the site. The page notes that tickets for the two annual alignment dates are priced higher than standard admission.
Aswan is preparing
Aswan's governor ordered heightened preparations for this year's celebration on 22 September, according to a report published on 11 October. The measures include improving cleanliness and lighting in the town around the temple, work on the 2.5-kilometre, nine-metre-wide road linking Abu Simbel's airport to the temple, and coordination with Egypt's Ministry of Culture and the General Organization of Culture Palaces on folkloric and artistic performances. Officials were also checking hotels, restaurants, markets and other visitor services ahead of the date, the report said.
Getting there and tickets
Standard admission to Abu Simbel runs at roughly EGP 750, or about $15, with an additional festival surcharge bringing the cost to around EGP 1,200, or about $23, for adults on the two alignment dates, according to the Rio Times preview. The same report advised visitors to book accommodation two to three months in advance, since the site reaches capacity on festival mornings.
Abu Simbel has its own airport. It is that airport's 2.5-kilometre access road to the temple which Aswan governorate has been resurfacing ahead of the 22 October display, according to the report.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly happens during the Abu Simbel sun festival?
Sunlight is scheduled to travel the length of the Great Temple's 63-metre interior at around 6 a.m. on 22 October, illuminating the statues of Amun-Ra, Ra-Horakhty and Ramesses II for about 20 to 25 minutes, while the statue of Ptah stays dark, according to the Rio Times.
Why does this only happen twice a year?
The temple's builders aligned its axis so that sunlight only reaches the inner sanctuary on 22 February and 22 October, according to Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Popular accounts tie the dates to Ramesses II's coronation and birthday, though the Rio Times notes that link is not confirmed by ancient sources.
What has Aswan governorate done to prepare?
The governor ordered improved cleanliness and lighting, work on the airport-to-temple road, and coordination with national culture authorities on folkloric performances, after ordering heightened preparations on 22 September, according to a report published on 11 October.
How much do festival-day tickets cost?
Standard admission is about EGP 750, or roughly $15, rising to about EGP 1,200, or roughly $23, for adults with the festival surcharge on the two alignment dates, the Rio Times reported.
