28 JULY/AUGUST 2019
GRAND
ILLUMINATION
Twice a year,
sunlight shines into
the sanctuary of
the Great Temple.
The rays of light
illuminate the faces
of Ramses II and the
gods Ra-Horakhty
and Amon-Ra. The
fourth god, Ptah,
remains in darkness.
Three thousand years ago, Ramses’s engi-
neers oriented his Great Temple of Abu Sim-
bel so that in the morning twice a year (in Feb-
ruary and October) the rays of the sun shone
directly into the temple, illuminating its sanc-
tuary. There, sunbeams passed over the stat-
ues of the gods Amon-Ra and Ra- Horakhty, as
well as that of the deified Ramses II. Only one
statue, of the god Ptah, who is associated with
the underworld, remained in shadow. Amid
all the complex logistical arrangements that
ensured the safe dismantling and reassembly
of the temple, as well as the artificial mound
in which it is set, the engineers had to ensure
that they reproduced the correct alignment.
Every year, on cue, the sun continues to pay
homage to Ramses II.Colossi. These statues
represent Ramses II and
are carved out of rock.
They are approximately 72
feet tall.Facade. The famous
four colossal statues
of Ramses II front the
temple, whose facade
measures 100 feet
high and 115 feet long.Minor figures. Those to the sides
of the colossi represent relatives of
the pharaoh; those at his feet are
prisoners of war.HERE
COMES THE
SUN KING
ARALDO DE LUCA