Abu Simble. Ramesses II, Dynasty XIX, 1304-1237 B.C., cut this temple out of the rock mountain at Abu Simble. This temple has since been moved to another location. You can see four 65 foot statues of the king at the entrance. Little statues of his family are cut between his legs.

A marvel of architecture. The sun only shines inside the temple twice a year. Those days have a significance: King Ramesses II's birthday and coronation day. Threatened by flooding from the Nile, the entire temple was moved piece by piece and re-assembled at a different location. Everything was re-created including the mountain that engulfed it. The best engineers in the world couldn't duplicate what Ramesses II's engineers succeeded in doing -- they missed by one day. Now the sun shines inside the temple one day before the King's coronation day and one day before his birthday.

The great hall inside the temple is 58 feet long by 54 feet wide. Deeper into the rock is a pillared hall, a transverse hall, and the sanctuary. To the side of the main rooms are eight small ones used primarily to store ceremonial articles.

Inside the temple, these are two of eight Osiris sculptures lined-up four by four against pillars in the hypostyle hall.