Peapix

  • Bing Gallery
  • Extension
Peapix
Bing Gallery
Extension
  • United States
    All
    Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil

Bing Gallery

Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil
  1. Bing Gallery
  2. United States
  3. 2020
  4. November 16
  5. The interior of the Great Temple at Abu Simbel, Egypt
arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios The interior of the Great Temple at Abu Simbel, Egypt

November 16, 2020

The interior of the Great Temple at Abu Simbel, Egypt

© George Steinmetz/Getty Image

A temple, preserved

The temples at Abu Simbel, commissioned by Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II around 1264 BCE, would not be around for us to photograph if it weren't for the efforts of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). A couple centuries after the Abu Simbel temples were completed, Ramesses' empire had collapsed and the sands of the Nubian region of North Africa began to consume them. European explorers 'discovered' Abu Simbel in the early 1800s, leading to massive efforts to excavate and preserve the ruins of the great pharaoh's monument to himself.

But it wasn't until the 1950s, when the Egyptian government began drawing up plans for the Aswan High Dam, that preservation of Abu Simbel and other historic sites took on extra urgency. Planners knew the dam would flood the banks of the Nile, submerging the temples. So, the United Nations' UNESCO branch set to work on a solution to keep Abu Simbel preserved and accessible. In 1968, UNESCO's first major project was to literally move the massive temples to higher ground. They succeeded, of course, safeguarding one of the world's great archaeological sites. Out of this effort emerged UNESCO's drive to protect the world's most important sites of both cultural and natural heritage. To date, UNESCO has protected more than 1,000 World Heritage Sites across 167 countries that are ‘irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.'

statue nature person sculpture wood

Related Images

Moai statues on Easter Island, ChileMoai statues on Easter Island, Chile
Inscription Wall at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, DCInscription Wall at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC
The Vietnam Women's Memorial in Washington, DCThe Vietnam Women's Memorial in Washington, DC
Infini-D, modeled during the World of WearableArt Awards in 2019 in Wellington, New ZealandInfini-D, modeled during the World of WearableArt Awards in 2019 in Wellington, New Zealand
Floral tributes left in London, England, following the death of Queen Elizabeth IIFloral tributes left in London, England, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II
Mural by Betsy Casañas in Buffalo, New YorkMural by Betsy Casañas in Buffalo, New York
Moon installation for the Mid-Autumn Festival in Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMoon installation for the Mid-Autumn Festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Labor Day parade in 1934, Gastonia, North CarolinaLabor Day parade in 1934, Gastonia, North Carolina

Today on Bing

Cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Nov 16, 2022
The Jacobite steam train crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Inverness-shire, Scotland

The Jacobite steam train crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Inverness-shire, Scotland

Nov 16, 2021
Fog shrouds the Bavarian Alps in Germany

Fog shrouds the Bavarian Alps in Germany

Nov 16, 2019
Ancient rock art in Chiribiquete National Natural Park, Colombia

Ancient rock art in Chiribiquete National Natural Park, Colombia

Nov 16, 2018
View of Bacuit Bay from El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

View of Bacuit Bay from El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

Nov 16, 2017

Related Tags

person clothing outdoor sky group man standing tree building colorful light text street black and white people crowd cloud silhouette statue sculpture
Share photo
Share
Pin
Tweet
Line
Download 1920x1080
  • © 2023 Peapix.com
  • API
  • App
  • Privacy
The images are provided for wallpaper use only.