Aswan to celebrate discovery of Abu Simbel Temple

Egypt is full of great monuments that have existed for thousands of years and are still in excellent condition to this day. Perhaps the most prominent of these monuments is the temple of Abu Simbel. To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Ramses II Temple in the tourist city of Abu Simbel, Aswan Governorate is stepping up its preparations to celebrate this day.

The ceremony comes under the guidance of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, at the conclusion of the second national conference of youth, in January. Major Magdy Hegazy, Governor of Aswan, said during his visit to Abu Simbel tourist temples, that holding of this meeting in the place that will witness the celebration is a starting point for the beginning of preparations and the necessary operational procedures in preparation for the ceremony.

Hegazy stressed on the necessity of completing the required preparations before September 15, according to the technical and administrative vision in the plan of the Ministries of Culture and Tourism, in order to organize the celebration at the highest level to promote for tourism in Egypt. The archaeological site of Abu Simbel contains two large temples on the west bank of Lake Nasser in the southwestern province of Aswan. It is also listed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites.

The double temples were carved in the mountains during the reign of King Ramses II, in the 13th century BC, as a permanent monument to commemorate his victory in the Battle of Kadesh. The temples were moved to an artificial hill above the Aswan High Dam reservoir for fear of being drowned. Hegazy called on road officials to quickly pave the road leading to Abu Simbel Temple, as well as renovating and widening the entrance and exit route to and from the temple.