Temple · Aswan, Egypt
Abu Simbel Temples
Abu Simbel is a historic site comprising two massive rock-cut temples in the village of Abu Simbel (Arabic: أبو سمبل), Aswan Governora. Built c. 1275 BC.
Photo: youssef_alam via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Aswan, Egypt |
|---|---|
| Type | Temple |
| Built | c. 1275 BC |
| Area | Area: 0.417 km² |
| Coordinates | 22.3369° N, 31.6256° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Abu Simbel Temples is known for
Abu Simbel is a historic site comprising two massive rock-cut temples in the village of Abu Simbel (Arabic: أبو سمبل), Aswan Governora.
About Abu Simbel Temples
Abu Simbel is a historic site comprising two massive rock-cut temples in the village of Abu Simbel (Arabic: أبو سمبل), Aswan Governorate, Upper Egypt, near the border with Sudan. It is located on the western bank of Lake Nasser, about 230 km (140 mi) southwest of Aswan (about 300 km (190 mi) by road). The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside in the 13th century BC, during the 19th Dynasty reign of the Pharaoh Ramesses II.
History
During his reign, Ramesses II embarked on an extensive building program throughout Egypt and Nubia, which Egypt controlled. As a major source of gold and many other precious trade goods, Nubia was of great importance to the Egyptians. He therefore built several grand temples in order to impress upon the Nubians Egypt's might and Egyptianize the people of Nubia.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Aswan |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Abu Simbel Airport (ABS) |
| Distance from the airport | 2.3 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Aswan International Airport (ASW) · Aswan, Egypt · 135.5 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Egypt
More temples
Frequently asked questions
What is Abu Simbel Temples?
Abu Simbel is a historic site comprising two massive rock-cut temples in the village of Abu Simbel (Arabic: أبو سمبل), Aswan Governora.
Where is Abu Simbel Temples located?
Abu Simbel Temples is in Aswan, Egypt. Its coordinates are 22.3369° N, 31.6256° E.
How do I get to Abu Simbel Temples?
The nearest town is Aswan, and the nearest airport is Abu Simbel Airport (ABS), about 2.3 miles away (straight line).
When was Abu Simbel Temples built?
Abu Simbel Temples was built c. 1275 BC.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Simbel — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q134140 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.