New Abu Simbel - Neu-Abu Simbel

The Great (left) and Small Temples of Abu Simbel
New Abu Simbel · ‏أبو سمبل الجديدة‎
GovernorateAswan
Residents
2.535 (2006)
height
189 m
no tourist info on Wikidata: Add tourist information
location
Location map of Egypt
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New Abu Simbel

New Abu Simbel or Abu Simbal el-Gadida, also Ipsambul, Ibsambul, Arabic:أبو سمبل الجديدة‎, Abu Simbal al-Hadida; French Abou Simbel, is a egyptian Village with about 2,500 inhabitants[1] on the west bank of the Lake Nasser about 280 kilometers southwest of Aswan and 40 kilometers north of the Egyptian-Sudanese border. The temples of Ramses ’the Great and that of Nefertari (Nefertari) were rebuilt in the vicinity. The original Abu Simbel sank in the floods of Lake Nasser. Together with other pharaonic monuments on Lake Nasser, the temples belong to the Unesco world heritage site.

background

Archaeological sites

As the highlight of his temple program, as a show of power over Nubia And as an expression of his deification, Ramses II (also Ramses the Great; 19th Dynasty, New Kingdom) had two huge temples built here in the adjacent sandstone cliffs, the southern one is dedicated to him and the gods Ptah, Re-Harachte and Amun-Re, the northern one of his wife Nefertiri and the Hathor of Ibschek (Faras). Inscriptions date the building to the 34th year of Ramses ’II reign. The Great Temple in particular emphasizes the strong importance of the sun cult.

The temples entered the consciousness of travelers very late. The Swiss traveler to the Orient did not visit until 1813 Johann Ludwig Burckhardt he was the first European to visit these temples on his Nubia excursion.

Like almost all monuments on the Nile south of the 1st cataract near Aswan, the temples would be victims in the floods of the Nasser Reservoir become. A huge research and rescue program by Unesco since 1963 was able to prevent this. In 1980 both temples, now at 180 m inland and 64 m higher, were opened to the public again. The construction work was in the hands of the German company Hochtief Essen.

Orientation in the settlement

Coming from the main road that runs past the airport, one arrives at Ramsis St. (Arabic:شارع رمسيس‎, Shāri Ramsīs). This street leads through the whole place and ends directly at the entrance to the temple complex. A 1 Junction(22 ° 20 ′ 45 ″ N.31 ° 36 '56 "E.) leads to the northwest, which i.a. leads to the police and the minibus stop. To the northeast of the junction is the Nobaleh Ramses Hotel, to the southwest is a market. Ramsis St. continues over the 1 Banking center(22 ° 20 ′ 28 ″ N.31 ° 36 ′ 55 ″ E), Arabic:ميدان البنوك‎, Mīdān al-Bunūk, from which you can reach several banks and the Seti Abu Simbel Hotel in a southerly direction. About 100 meters before the entrance to the temple complex, a road leads south to the Nefertari Hotel.

getting there

Plan of New Abu Simbel

By plane

EgyptAir offers flights from two to three times a day Cairo (CAI), Luxor (LXR) and Aswan (ASW). The 2 Abu Simbel airportAbu Simbel Airport in the Wikipedia encyclopediaAbu Simbel Airport in the Wikimedia Commons media directoryAbu Simbel Airport (Q774216) in the Wikidata database(IATA: SECTION) is located about 4 kilometers from the temples. You can get to the temples by bus or taxi. There are parking spaces in front of the airport.

If you are arriving directly from Germany, you should plan (or recommend) an additional overnight stay in Cairo or Aswan, as otherwise unreasonable waiting times can arise between flights.

If you need more time for the tour, you should not fly back on the same plane that you came with. The viewing time is only 90 minutes. You can stay overnight on site.

By car

So far, New Abu Simbel has not been accessible to foreigners by car or taxi. Bus trips in convoys from 4 a.m. and 11 a.m. from Aswan and back from 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. are possible. There is at least one convoy per day, several if necessary. You can find out about the travel times at the tourist police in Aswan.

You can take a car ferry from the 3 Ferry pier in Abu Simbel(22 ° 21 '45 "N.31 ° 37 ′ 55 ″ E) out of the place 4 Qusṭul(22 ° 14 ′ 0 ″ N.31 ° 34 ′ 0 ″ E), Arabic:قسطل, On the eastern shore of Lake Nasser. This is where the Wadi-Halfa-Qustul motorway begins, which crosses the border crossing 5 Qustul-ashlessness(22 ° 0 ′ 5 ″ N.31 ° 30 ′ 46 ″ E), also Gustul Land Port, in the Sudan leads.

It is conceivable that Abu Simbel can also use off-road vehicles from ed-Dāchla out through the Western desert to reach.

By bus

Upper Egypt Travel offers two pairs of buses daily (from Aswan 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., from Abu Simbel 6 a.m. and 1 p.m.). The journey takes about four hours. The fare is LE 60 (as of 2018). The 6 Bus station is located in the north of New Abu Simbel, about 30 minutes' walk to the temples. In Aswan, the journey begins or ends at the central bus station. Tickets are available in New Abu Simbel Not in presale. You buy them on the bus.

The costs for minibuses organized by hotels are higher and range between LE 150 and LE 350 (as of 5/2019).

With the cruise ship

A cruise on Lake Nasser, starting in Abu Simbel or Aswan, also allows you to visit other archaeological sites on Lake Nasser. The most used 7 Pier for cruise ships is located below the Little Temple. 8 9 There are more to the west in bays.

mobility

Facade of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel
Relief of Nubian prisoners at the entrance to the Great Temple of Abu Simbel
The southernmost statue of Ramses ’II in front of the facade of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel
Pillar hall of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel
Holy of Holies in the Great Temple of Abu Simbel

The Ramsis St. leads directly to the temple complex. You can reach the archaeological site by taxi or shared taxi from the hotels in Abu Simbel.

The Bus stop for minibuses for the onward journey to the surrounding villages and for the buses to Aswan is located in the north of New Abu Simbel.

Tourist Attractions

Both temples are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The admission price is LE 240 and LE 120 for students. On February 22nd and October 22nd, tickets cost LE 500 and LE 250 (as of 11/2019). A video / photo ticket for both temples has been available for LE 300 since February 2018. The 1 Visitor center with cash register and restaurant is located at the end of Ramsis St. west of the temple complex. There are models of the Ramses ’II and Nefertari temples in the visitor center. Photography is no longer allowed in the temples.

Great temple

The more southern of the two 2 temple is dedicated to Ptah, Amun-Re, the deified Ramses II and the Re-Haracht. Even the facade is impressive: it is 30 m high and 35 m wide. On both sides of the entrance there are two 22 m high seated figures of Ramses ’II. One of these figures broke in ancient times. Next to his lower legs you can see his mother Tuya, his wife Nefertiri and some children. Above the entrance to the temple you can see the falcon-headed Re-Harachte, who symbolizes the throne name Ramses ’II, User-maat-Re. On the north and south side of the facade there is a small chapel, the northern one is intended as a solar sanctuary.

Behind the entrance one enters a first pillar hall with eight Osiris figure pillars of the 55 m long temple. This hall is 8 m high and 18 m long. On the side walls there are depictions of campaigns, on the right (northern) wall the depiction of the Qadesh battle and on the left wall depictions of the campaigns of Ramses II against the Nubians, Libyans and Syrians. On the ceiling there are depictions of the Nechbet vulture with outspread wings.

At the western end of the first pillar hall there is access to eight storage rooms on the sides and another pillar hall in the middle. From this pillar hall one reaches a transverse hall and finally the sanctuary with the gods Ptah, Re-Harachte, the deified Ramses II. And Amun-Re.

Small temple

Facade of the Little Temple of Abu Simbel

The 3 Small temples is dedicated to the Hathor of Ibschek (Faras) and the Nefertiri. This 21 m long temple also has an impressive facade: two 10 m high standing figures of Ramses ’II and one of his favorite wife Nefertiri rise on both sides. The entrance leads to a pillared hall with six Hathor pillars. Nefertiri is depicted on the pillars in front of the goddesses Hathor and Mut and in front of Ramses II. This hall is followed by a transverse hall with a storage room on each side and the sanctuary. At the end of the sanctuary there is a niche with the depiction of the Hathor cow in half-relief.

More monuments

  • On the extreme south side of the terrace of the Great Temple is the so-called, which is recessed in the rock Wedding stele Ramses ’II with a daughter of the Hittite king Hattuschili III, later called Maatneferure.
  • There are also south of the Great Temple and north of the Small Temple 27 steles carved into the rock. Most of them date from the time of Ramses ’II.

Artificial hill

After the temple was moved, an artificial mountain was built in the form of a huge reinforced concrete dome, which was covered with sand and rocks to recreate the original mountain. The entrance to this dome is on the north side of the temple and cannot be overlooked from the ticket shop.

A tour of the building is not possible, the door has not been opened since 2004.

Mosques

There are two mosques on Ramsis St.: the 4 Abu Simbel Mosque, Arabic:مسجد أبو سمبل‎, Masǧid Abū Simbal, about 400 meters from the entrance to the temples, and the 5 Badr mosque, Arabic:مسجد بدر‎, Masǧid Badr, northeast of the market.

activities

Sun miracle

Twice a year, now on February 21 and October 21, there is a special spectacle, the so-called "sun miracle": the rays of the morning sun reach the sanctuary of the Great Temple, and the figures of Re-Harachte, the deified Ramses II and Amun-Re are illuminated. The figure of Ptah always remains in the dark. The spectacle is no longer an insider tip: in October 2005 around 5000 tourists gathered here to be there. And only very few can see it.

The different lengths of the solar and calendar years mean that the day of the solar miracle can be shifted by about a day.

On this occasion, every year on 21./22. February and on 21./22. October that Abu Simbel Festival with music and dance performances.

Sound and light shows

Sound and light show in front of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel

Three times a day becomes one 1 Sound and light show held south of the temple of Ramses ’II. The admission price for foreigners is LE 75 (as of 7/2013).

DayFirst showSecond showThird show
MondayEnglishFrançaisEspañol
TuesdayEnglishFrançais日本語
WednesdayEnglishFrançaisGerman
ThursdayEnglishFrançais‏اللغة العربية الفصحى‎
FridayEnglishFrançaisItaliano
SaturdayEnglishFrançaisGerman
SundayEnglishFrançaisItaliano
October to March, start7:00 p.m.7.45 p.m.8:30 p.m.
April to September, start8:00 p.m.8:45 p.m.9:30 p.m.
  • The later event is recommended as the show is even more breathtaking in the dark.
  • While the performances can be heard in the respective language over the loudspeakers, each viewer also receives headphones that can be used to select their desired language.
  • After the last show, you can usually visit the Great Temple again.

Notes on visiting

  • The temple is only in the sun in the morning. That is why most of the tourists arrive at this time. If you want to visit the temple in peace, you should do so in the afternoon, even if both temple facades are in the shade, or in the early morning before the first tourists arrive.
  • In winter it is very cool in the night and early morning hours. It is advisable to bring a jacket with you.
  • Sandstorms can be expected in early summer and autumn.

shop

One 1 market can be found in the village on Ramsis St., on the corner of the street junction. About 150 meters north of the Seti Abu Simbel Hotel is a 2 bazaar.

kitchen

Restaurants can be found in the on-site hotels. There are simple cookshops on the main street in the village.

nightlife

Nightlife only takes place in the hotels such as Eskaleh, Seti Abu Simbel and Nefertari.

accommodation

Cheap

  • 1  Abu Simbel Village Hotel (‏قرية أبو سمبل السياحية‎, Qaryat Abū Simbal as-Siyāḥīya). Tel.: 20 (0)97 340 0092, (0)97 340 0170. 1-star hotel with 25 double rooms. Single and double rooms, breakfast, lunch and dinner cost LE 70, LE 90, LE 10, LE 15 or LE 15 (as of 2012).(22 ° 20 '53 "N.31 ° 37 '14 "E)

medium

  • 2  Nobaleh Ramsis Hotel (‏فندق نوبالية رمسيس‎, Funduq Nūbālīya Ramsīs), Ramsis St, Abu Simbel. Tel.: 20 (0)97 340 1118, (0)97 340 1189, Fax: 20 (0)97 340 1189, Email: . 1-star hotel with 34 double rooms, about 1.5 km from the temples. In adobe architecture with domes. The ravages of time are gnawing at the hotel. Very expensive for a 1-star hotel. Single, double and suite at $ 31.50, $ 48.50 and $ 60, respectively (as of 2012).(22 ° 20 '49 "N.31 ° 36 '58 "E.)
  • 4  Applicators Hotel (‏فندق التطبيقيين‎, Funduq at-Taṭbīqiyīn, Applicator Hotel). Tel.: 20 (0)97 340 1284, Fax: 20 (0)97 340 1284, Email: . 2-star club hotel with 12 mostly double rooms. Single, double rooms, suites, breakfast, lunch and dinner cost LE 180, LE 280, LE 350, LE 15, LE 30 or LE 30 (as of 2012).(22 ° 20 '59 "N.31 ° 36 ′ 44 ″ E)

Upscale

  • 5  Nefertari Abu Simbel Hotel, Abu Simbel. Tel.: 20 (0)97 340 0508, (0)97 340 05089, Fax: 20 (0)97 340 0510, (0)2 2682 5919 (Cairo), Email: . 4-star hotel with 123 rooms, swimming pool and Ramsis restaurant. About 400 meters from the temples. Single, double rooms, suites, breakfast and lunch cost $ 80, $ 100, $ 150, a maximum of LE 100 and a maximum of LE 100 (as of 2012). The hotel was once used as accommodation for the engineers involved in the relocation of the temple. There is no view of Lake Nasser.(22 ° 20 ′ 7 ″ N.31 ° 37 ′ 11 ″ E)

health

North of the banking center (Arabic:ميدان البنوك‎, Mīdān al-Bunūk) is the 2 Abu Simbel Hospital (Hospital Abu Simbel), at the northeast exit of the village das 3 Abu Simbel International Hospital (Tel .: (0) 97 349 9257, open 24 hours a day).

There's one south of the market 4 pharmacy.

Practical advice

Tourist information

In New Abu Simbel there is no Tourist information. Help is available in the hotels.

Banks

South of the banking center (Arabic:ميدان البنوك‎, Mīdān al-Bunūk), about 2 kilometers from the temple, or north of the Seti Abu Simbel Hotel, there are three banks in a very small space: the 3 National Bank, next to the 4 Banque Misr and opposite the 5 Banque du Caire. In addition, all banks have ATMs. The banks are open from Sunday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the National Bank from 9:00 a.m.

Police and tourist police

The main office of the 5 police is located in the north of the settlement. Tourist police offices are located about 500 meters in front of the temple next to the post office and on the temple area (Tel .: (0) 97 340 0277, 24 hours).

additional

A short distance from the entrance to the temples is Ramsis St. das on the north side 6 Abu Simbel City Hall.

A 10 Gas station is located at the northeast exit of the town.

This is on the way to the airport 7 Main Post and Telegraph Office. Another post office is located south of the Abu Simbel Mosque. The post offices are open from Sunday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Only the Eskaleh Ecolodge offers internet access.

trips

Passing the border to Sudan is currently not possible for foreigners.

literature

  • Generally
    • Burckhardt, Johann Ludwig : Travels in Nubia. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street, 1819, Pp. 90 ff. (1st edition), pp. 81-85 (2nd edition, 1822).
    • Desroches-Noblecourt, Christiane; Gerster, Georg: Abu Simbel will save the world. Vienna [and others]: Koska, 1968.
    • Säve-Söderbergh, Torgny: Temples and tombs of Ancient Nubia: the international rescue campaign at Abu Simbel, Philae and other sites. London: Thames and Hudson, 1987, ISBN 978-0500013922 .
  • Great Temple of Abu Simbel
    • Donadoni, Sergio [et al.]: Le Grand Temple d’Abou-Simbel. Le Caire: Center Études et de Documentation sur l’Ancienne Égypte, 1975, Collection scientifique / Center d’Étude et de Documentation sur l’Ancienne Égypte.
  • Small temple of Abu Simbel
    • Desroches-Noblecourt, Christiane; Edel, Elmar; Youssef, A. A.: Abou-Simbel: petit temple. Le Caire: Center de documentation Egyptologique, 1958.
    • Desroches-Noblecourt, Christiane; Kuentz, Ch.: Le petit temple d’Abou Simbel: nefertari pour qui se léve le dieu-soleil. Le Caire, 1968.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑Population according to the 2006 Egyptian census, Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, accessed December 16, 2014.
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