Question

Answer the following question in 3-4 complete sentences.

An entrance to a tomb. On either side are two large statues of a seated man.
What structure is pictured above? Describe its significance and design

Answer 1

This is the Great Temple of Abu Simbel, the rock‑cut tomb/temple built by Pharaoh Ramesses II in southern Egypt. Its significance lies in its role as a monument to the pharaoh’s power and his divine status, and as an assertion of Egyptian dominance in Nubia; the façade is dominated by four colossal seated statues of Ramesses (two on either side of the entrance). The temple is carved directly into the cliff, with richly decorated halls and a sanctuary aligned so twice a year sunlight penetrates to illuminate the inner statues. In the 1960s the entire complex was famously cut from the cliff and rebuilt on higher ground to save it from flooding after the Aswan High Dam was built.