When Lake Nasser was formed in the 1960's by the building of the Aswan High Dam, there were two temples to Ramses II and his wife Nefertari in the mountainside near the Nile. These would be submerged by the Lake and so were moved to a higher location nearby.
The temples were originally built in the 13th century BC (more than 3200 years ago). They were built so far away from more populated areas because Ramses wanted to claim that he was a Pharoah, not just a king, so he built these away from the High Priests.When they fell into disuse, they became covered up with sand and were not rediscovered until the 1800's.
The Great Temple honoring Ramses II is awe-inspiring, with four enormous statues (20 meters) of him seated and wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt gracing the front. Other statues are by his legs, representing his wife and children.
The second temple is in honor of his wife, Nefertari, with statues of them both gracing the front. These statues are 10 meters high.
Inside the temples, as in other temples, the rooms get smaller as they lead you back to the Inner Sanctum. All walls and columns are highly decorated.
The best way to visit Abu Simbel is to fly from Aswan. There is a bus at the airport which will carry you to the site.
From journal An Unforgettable 10 Days in Egypt