Sun reaches the gods at Abu Simbel on 22/02

Egypt Today

Twice a year, on February 22 and October 22, the sun illuminates the statues of Ramses II, Ra and Amun in the sanctuary of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel. People flock to see the statues’ normally shadowed faces light up with the rays of the rising sun. The temple was aligned in antiquity so that this solstice would occur on Ramses II’s birthday and on the anniversary of his coronation.