WHS#61

Abu Simbel is the ultimate destination for a traveller in Egypt. It's so far removed from civilization, so distant from everywhere else most people visit in Egypt. Yes, the pyramids may have brought you here, but only Abu Simbel will bring you so far off the beaten track - except now, so many people visit that it has created it's own beaten track, and for good reason. This is the most unique ancient temple in Egypt, as it was built by Pharaoh Ramses II as a shrine. To himself, basically. This dude was so full of himself and his achievements that at the success of his military campaigns in Nubia, he proceeded to build what would become an amazing wonder of the world with his face all over it. I got to visit Abu Simbel and Philae on my trip to Egypt in May 2018, and man, it was hot there! Every day, we'd settle down after lunch to avoid the over 40-degree heat. Nevertheless, this Nubian experience was one of the most interesting parts of Egypt. Nubia was once an ancient power, and to this day, it's a distinct culture with its own unique traditions and language. From the ruins of Abu Simbel to the modern-day Nubian village, a trip to this part of Egypt is an immersion into the historic and present culture of Nubia.

The day after arriving Aswan was the tour to Abu Simbel. As many may already know, it's an amazing site. Overlooking Lake Nasser, the temple looks like it was never rebuilt, as the cracks between the blocks were almost invisible to me. The interior was the biggest surprise for me, with walls completely covered in inscriptions illustrating Ramses' victories in Nubia. Not much else needs to be added here, so I'll move on to Philae, which I visited the following morning. Philae is a lot like other Egyptian temples that I visited, like Karnak, Luxor, Edfu, and Kom Ombo. It follows pretty much the same format, except for some of the Roman elements like the Kiosk of Trajan. The most noticeable difference here is that Philae has a great setting on an island in the Nile, where it was rebuilt due to the submersion of its original location. This is still loyal to the original setting, though, as it was also an island. Actually, it was due to the initial flooding that some outer areas collapsed and the colors of the wall paintings were basically washed away. The waterline is even visible in some parts. Personally, I found Edfu Temple much more noteworthy than Philae, but its importance as the Sanctuary of Isis, its more extensive history, the delightful setting, and the story of its reconstruction make it quite a special place. Also, the boat captain was a young teenage boy, around 13 years old if I'm not mistaken. Unfortunately, despite my requests, I was unable to visit Elephantine Island and the Unfinished Obelisk, but I passed the former several times on felucca. The rocks are indeed quite "elephantine." The most remarkable thing about those boat rides was really how cool and clean the Nile is in this stretch, in sharp contrast with the bustling city and its tiring heat.

There's no question about the OUV of sites like Abu Simbel and Philae, but the question here is why all of these sites have been grouped together as a singe WHS. Other than being geographically close, this group that ranges from Middle Kingdom remains of Elephantine and Ramses' Abu Simbel to the completely unrelated Monastery of St. Simeon and the Islamic Cemetery. I just don't see a unifying and coherent OUV for every part of this WHS. If we're really taking up sites of Nubian history and culture, shouldn't there be traditional Nubian settlement in the mix? It seems that this was just an attempt to preserve the various historical treasures in the area that went right. Nevertheless, none of this takes from the merits of the sites themselves. These are truly important monuments and impressive masterpieces of some (Yes, multiple!) of the most influential cultures of the world.