HISTORY OF EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE

ABU SIMBEL No.1

• Abu Simbel, one of the important sanctuary, is located in Mubian territory, almost on the borders of Sudan and about 300km from Aswan.
• Faceing the Nile Tthere are the Great Temple and the Small Temple by Ramesses II. Both are the rock-cut temple or so-called inner sanctuary temple.
• The temples of Abu Simbel was dimantled and reconstructed for saving those might be disappear under the waters of Lake Nasser, because of the construction of New Dam of Aswan. The temples was cut into blocks and then recomposeing them on 64m higher ground in 1963 to 1968.

• The temple was dedicatede to the triad Amon-Ra, Harmakes, Ptah and Ramesses II.
• The facade is 38m long and 31m high.
• Four colossol seated statues of Ramesses II replace the supporting columns of the facade.
  

The facade of the Great Temple, seen from northeast.

• The rok-cut temple, as Abu Simbel, has not so-called exterior except facade. If the temples don't have statues, there is only entrance for the temple in exterior. We remember that architectures should have the innner space at first execpt the monument.

Photo: Shoji Hiramatsu

[No.1]Great Temple; Facade
[No.2]Great Temple; Colossi of Ramesses II, Interior of Pronaos
[No.3]Great Temple; interior of Pronaos and Sanctuary
[No.4]Small Temple; facade, interior

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