…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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Bask in the glow—It s World Turtle Day
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Make your way up a picturesque passageway of Chefchaouen
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What’s blooming in New Zealand?
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Mount Logan in Yukon, Canada
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Borrego Badlands
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International Day of the Tropics
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World Honey Bee Day
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You won’t see this on Mulberry Street
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National Bison Month
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The circular castle of Cornwall
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High alpine color in Colorado
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Brown bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska
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Explorer of the sea
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It s World Poetry Day
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Waiting for winter
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Spectacular views below!
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Fibonacci Day
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A viewer with a view
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Arrr, it be Talk Like a Pirate Day
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Wahclella Falls, Oregon
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A glittering diamond in the rough
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National Trails Day
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Flamenco dancers
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The Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic
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The Lena Delta Wildlife Reserve in Siberia, Russia
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National Bison Day
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Happy New Year!
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It’s Napping Day
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Brain coral
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Giants of the avian world