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Why does sunlight reach the inner sanctuary of the Abu Simbel temple on two days each year?
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Egyptian art and architecture
Anubis weighing the soul of the scribe Ani, from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, c. 1275 bce.
The main temple at Abu Simbel was specifically designed and oriented by ancient Egyptian architects to align with the sun on two specific days of the year, approximately February 22 and October 22.12
On these dates, the first rays of the morning sun penetrate the entire 185-foot (56-meter) length of the temple's three consecutive halls to illuminate the shrine located in the innermost sanctuary. This architectural feat highlights the temple's dedication to the sun gods Amon-Re and Re-Horakhte, effectively bringing the light of the sun directly to the cult images housed at the heart of the structure.12