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What happens inside the Abu Simbel temple around February 22 and October 22?
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Ramses II
A larger-than-life Ramses II towering over his prisoners and clutching them by the hair. Limestone bas-relief from Memphis, Egypt, 1290–24 bce; in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo.
At the Abu Simbel temple, built by the Egyptian king Ramses II, a remarkable solar alignment occurs twice annually. On approximately February 22 and October 22, the first rays of the morning sun penetrate the entire 185-foot length of the temple to illuminate the statues located within the innermost sanctuary.1