Abu Simbel Temples
Two temples cut into the rock by Ramesses II, one for himself and one for his queen Nefertari, on the shore of Lake Nasser near Sudan. In the 1960s they were sliced into blocks and raised above the waters, and twice a year the sun still reaches the inner sanctuary.
- Where
- Abu Simbel, Aswan, Egypt
- Grade
- UNESCO heritage
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 8 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 22.3369, 31.6256
Get the Abu Simbel Temples stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Abu Simbel Temples. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Aswan volume with your photos and a note.
Near Abu Simbel Temples
Lake Nasser 30 km
A reservoir created by the Aswan High Dam, one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, reaching south into Sudan. Its quiet desert shores are known for fishing and for cruises between the rescued temples of Nubia.
Temple of Kalabsha 221 km
A temple to the Nubian god Mandulis that once stood about 50 kilometres south of Aswan. As Lake Nasser rose it was taken apart and rebuilt on a site beside the High Dam, where it stands on the water's edge.
Aswan High Dam 222 km
One of the world's largest embankment dams, built across the Nile between 1960 and 1970 to control floods, store water for farming and make electricity. It holds back Lake Nasser, and from the top the lake stretches south to the horizon.
Philae Temple 228 km
A temple complex of the goddess Isis on an island in the Nile above Aswan, reached by boat. When the dams threatened to drown it, it was taken apart and rebuilt on nearby Agilkia island, where it rises straight from the water.
Nubian Museum 233 km
An archaeological museum in Aswan opened in 1997 after the UNESCO campaign to save the monuments of Nubia. It tells the story of the Nubian people and the lands lost under Lake Nasser, with a garden of rocks and water outside.
Unfinished Obelisk 233 km
The largest known ancient obelisk, still lying in the granite quarry at Aswan where it was being cut. It was abandoned when the stone cracked, and the marks of the workers' tools show exactly how obelisks were carved out of the bedrock.
Mausoleum of Aga Khan 233 km
The tomb of Aga Khan III, built in pink granite on the west bank hills above the Nile at Aswan. It was placed in Egypt because this was once the seat of the Fatimids, an Ismaili dynasty, and Aga Khan IV now rests here too.
Monastery of Saint Simeon 234 km
A ruined Coptic monastery of stone and mud brick on the desert ridge of the west bank at Aswan, long abandoned. Its high walls make it look like a fortress, and it is reached on foot or by camel from the river.
More UNESCO World Heritage sites in Aswan
Questions
Where is Abu Simbel Temples?
Abu Simbel Temples is in Abu Simbel, Aswan, Egypt. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Lake Nasser (30 km), Temple of Kalabsha (221 km), Aswan High Dam (222 km).
How do I get the Abu Simbel Temples stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Abu Simbel Temples and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Aswan volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Abu Simbel Temples before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Aswan volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
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