A visit to the city of Abu Simbel in Egypt will reveal to you something that you probably don’t expect to see within the country of Egypt: A 310-mile body of water — and it’s not the Nile River.
In Abu Simbel you’ll find the beautiful azure waters of Lake Nasser, which is an extremely important body of water. The lake is technically man made since it is the result of a large dam that was built in 1960. Lake Nasser’s huge size makes it the largest artificial lake in the entire world, and it provides irrigation and electricity to the entire country of Egypt!
An aerial view of the lake shows a long, thin snaking body of water. The contrast of the stunning blue waters against the tan sand around it makes it appear almost otherworldly.
Despite the fact that vegetation around the lake is sparse, Lake Nasser is the home to many different types of birds and mammals. More than 100 species of birds have been spotted here, including ducks, Egyptian geese, pelicans, herons, egrets, hawks, kites, falcons and eagles.
You’ll also spot Dorcas gazelles, jackals, desert foxes, and various smaller desert mammals. Of course, you’ll also have to keep an eye out for the crocodiles for which the area is notorious. It’s really like seeing a modern-day dinosaur — quite amazing.
If you enjoy fishing, then perhaps you’ve already heard of Lake Nasser. It is well known as an excellent place to fish since it is home to 32 different species of fish. You can catch two different kinds of Tilapia, Nile Perch, Tiger Fish, and several types of catfish, including the legendary giant Vundu catfish.
If you’d prefer to keep your feet firmly planted on dry land, Abu Simbel has plenty for you to see. Not unlike the other favorite tourist spots within Egypt, Abu Simbel also has some utterly amazing artifacts from ancient times. Here within Abu Simbel you will find some of the most glorious ancient temples in the country that were built under the direction of the pharaoh Ramses II.
Ramses II is a well-known historical figure within ancient Egyptian history. He was born in the year 1303 BC and lived to be 90 years old, 67 of which he ruled as pharaoh. Living to 90 at this time was quite unheard of. Because of his long lifespan Ramses II was believed by many Egyptians to possess god-like qualities, or to be a vessel of their gods here on earth.
Ramses II had six wives and is presumed to have had more than 100 children. With such a big family, one would assume he had time for nothing else. However, we have plenty of proof that this is not true.
Ramses II was responsible for some of the greatest architectural feats in ancient Egypt, including the massive temples of Abu Simbel. The Temple of Re-Harakhte was dug into the western mountain range of the city beginning in 1290 BC. Officially, it was dedicated to an important triad of Egyptian gods. However, it is rather obvious that the temple was built by Ramses II to glorify himself.
Outside the temple there are four towering statues of the pharaoh, each of which stand 65 feet tall! Next to the temple of Re-Harakhte stands the Temple of Hathor, which was dedicated to Hathor, the wife of the Sun God, and Queen Nefertari, Ramses II’s favorite wife.
One of the most amazing things about these temples is that, if it were not for the efforts of UNESCO, these temples would have disappeared into the waters of Lake Nasser. Yes, these two temples were actually relocated in order to preserve them.
When you see how truly massive these temples are, I am certain you will be awed by not just their construction, but also the fact that they have been physically moved. It is quite incredible!
Print This
Tweet This
Email
Twitter
Skype
