The Small Temple of Abu Simbel, also known as the Temple of Nefertari, is another ancient Egyptian architectural gem located close to the Great Temple of Abu Simbel. Built by pharaoh Ramses II, it is dedicated to his great royal wife, Queen Nefertari, as well as to the goddess Hathor, protector of love, motherhood and joy.
Average temperatures and climate
Month | Temperature (°C) | Temperature (°F) | Weather | Climate |
---|---|---|---|---|
January | 15 | 59 | ☀️ | Sec |
February | 17 | 63 | ☀️ | Sec |
Mars | 21 | 70 | ☀️ | Sec |
April | 26 | 79 | ☀️ | Sec |
May | 31 | 88 | ☀️ | Sec |
June | 34 | 93 | ☀️ | Sec |
July | 35 | 95 | ☀️ | Sec |
August | 35 | 95 | ☀️ | Sec |
September | 33 | 91 | ☀️ | Sec |
October | 29 | 84 | ☀️ | Sec |
November | 23 | 73 | ☀️ | Sec |
December | 18 | 64 | ☀️ | Sec |
Schedules and info
Opening hours: 6:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. (may vary depending on the season)
Entrance fee: EGP 200 (includes access to the grand temple)
Average price of a guide: 250 to 350 EGP
More in detail
Built in the 100th century BC, at the same time as the great temple, and is located about 10 meters from it. Carved into the sandstone cliff, with an imposing facade adorned with six colossal statues, each measuring around XNUMX meters in height. Four of them represent Ramses II, while the other two represent Nefertari, who is shown at the same scale as her husband, which is unusual and shows the great importance placed on the queen.
The entrance to the temple leads to a hypostyle hall, composed of six pillars decorated with Osiriac statues and bas-reliefs depicting religious scenes and everyday life. The walls of the hall are also adorned with bas-reliefs and paintings depicting scenes from the life of Queen Nefertari, her family and her offerings to the gods. The hypostyle hall then leads to an inner sanctum, where there is a statue of the goddess Hathor, as well as representations of Ramses II and Nefertari.
As with the large temple, the small temple of Abu Simbel was threatened by the rising waters of Lake Nasser due to the construction of the Aswan Dam in the 1960s. UNESCO organized a rescue operation to preserve these precious monuments, and the two temples were cut into blocks, moved and rebuilt on a higher site, about 200 meters from their original location. This World Heritage preservation operation lasted four years and was considered a great success.
Today, the small temple of Abu Simbel, along with its bigger brother, is one of the most important and visited tourist sites in Egypt. The Temple of Nefertari offers a unique insight into ancient Egyptian history and culture, as well as the role and position of Queen Nefertari, one of Egypt's most famous and revered consorts. Egyptian history.
Other temples
Philae |
Edfu |