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The sun aligned on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, with the face of King Ramses II’s statue at his great temple in Abu Simbel, southern Aswan, in a unique astronomical phenomenon that has continued for around 3,300 years.
The event lasted for 22 minutes, from 6:54 a.m. to 7:16 a.m.
Twice a year—on Oct. 22 and Feb. 22—the rising sun aligns precisely with the face of King Ramses II, casting a golden glow that illuminates the temple’s inner sanctuary.
Director General of the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman Antiquities Department in Aswan, Fahmy el-Amin, told Middle East News Agency (MENA) about this historic astronomical occurrence.
Numerous officials and leaders in the governorate witnessed the event that was led by Deputy Governor of Aswan Amr Lasheen.
The event was also attended by representatives from the ministries of antiquities, tourism, and culture, along with about 4,000 Egyptian and foreign visitors.
Millions more followed the spectacle live on television and global media outlets, while large screens were set up in the temple courtyard to display the phenomenon.
Chief Inspector of Antiquities in Abu Simbel, Ahmed Masoud, explained that the event began with the first rays of sunlight penetrating the walls and halls of the Temple of Ramses II, which rises over 60 meters (196.8 feet) high.
The light then reached the sanctuary (Holy of Holies), flooding the statue of King Ramses II with brilliance.
The sunlight then quickly spread, illuminating the faces of the other statues inside the sanctuary—those of the gods Amun and Ra-Horakhty, whom the ancient Egyptians revered—while the statue of Ptah, the god of darkness, remained untouched by sunlight.
Masoud confirmed that the phenomenon symbolized the ancient Egyptians’ belief in the connection between King Ramses II and Ra, the sun god.
Meanwhile, the Folk Arts Festival concluded on Wednesday, organized by the Ministry of Culture under the patronage of Minister Ahmed Fouad Henno and Aswan Governor Ismail Kamal.
The festival, which ran from Oct. 17 to 22, was held as part of celebrations marking the sun alignment at Abu Simbel.
Eight folk art troupes from Aswan, Luxor, Mallawi, Sohag, Kafr El-Sheikh, Port Said, Arish, and Anfoushi participated this year, presenting performances at various cultural venues across the governorate, with the final shows taking place in front of Abu Simbel Temple.
Governor Ismail Kamal directed all relevant authorities to raise their state of readiness, coordinating efforts to decorate and prepare Abu Simbel city to receive Egyptian and foreign guests attending the celebrations.
The solar alignment phenomenon at the face of King Ramses II’s statue reflects the magnificence of ancient Egyptian creativity, combining art, science, astronomy and engineering in the construction of the great temple built by Ramses II thousands of years ago.
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