Abu Simbel’s Festival of the Sun
Twice a year at the temple in Abu Simbel, just after sunrise, the rays of the sun illuminate the statues of Ramses, Ra and Amun in the central chamber just after sunrise. The likeness of Ptah, the god of darkness, remains in the shade. The occurrences take place on22 October, the birthday of Ramses, and 22 February, when he ascended to the throne. After the temple was moved to higher ground due to the expected flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan Dam, the positioning was calculated precisely to ensure the Sun Festival could still take place.