…but when it is, it"s pretty spectacular. This tiny lakeside settlement"s Great Temple of Ramesses II was positioned on the orders of that powerful pharaoh so the inner sanctum (in this picture, that"s the small room at the very back) is lit by the sun only twice a year. On February 22 and October 22 (thought to be Ramesses" coronation and birth dates, respectively), the first light of dawn illuminates the sanctuary and three statues within: one of Ramesses, one of the sun god Ra, and one of the chief god Amun. A fourth statue depicting the underworld figure Ptah is permanently shrouded in shadow.
It s not always sunny in Abu Simbel…
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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The Wave at Coyote Buttes
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A river on the tundra
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Jeju Island, South Korea
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Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
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It s only Wednesday
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Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Estonia
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Veterans Day
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Feel the spray in Monterey
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Honoring our fallen heroes
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A ‘city’ within Valencia
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World Lizard Day
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Paper lanterns on the longest night
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Crested caracaras
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South Beach in Miami Beach, Florida
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A Carpathian Christmas celebration
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Who doesn’t love a ‘Puppy’?
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Old Town in Prague, Czech Republic
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International Whale Shark Day
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The mighty, mighty mushroom
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Red-leaf hunting in Japan
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World of WearableArt Awards
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A red knot on the Shetland Islands, Scotland
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World Theater Day
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The view will stop you in your tracks
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Sitting down and taking a stand
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Talk like a pirate—or walk the plank
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International Day of Human Space Flight
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Happy trails for the 21st century
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Kluane National Park
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It s Census Day—make it count