The temple of Abu Simbel is dedicated to Amon-Ra, Ptah and Ra-Harakhte, even though its front is dominated by four gigantic statues of Ramesses II. He had the temple built in a site of a much older shrine of a local personification of the god Horus.
The statues of the pharao outside are each 20 metres high, while the facade is more than 35 metres wide and 30 metres high. Besides the legs of the statues are smaller statues of some of his wives, sons and daughters. In a small niche above the entrance stands a statue of the god Re-Harakhte, and at the top of the facade is a row of baboons.
The hall just inside the entrance, measuring some 16 metres in width and 18 metres in length, contains 2 rows of 4 massive square pillars, each fronted by a 9 metres tall statue of the pharao. The ceiling is decorated with vultures, and the walls of this hall show scenes of the Ramesses II fighting Nubians, Hittites and Syrians, crowned by his victory in the Battle of Kadesh. Beyond the hall is the innermost room, with four statues of the seated gods Ptah, Amun-Ra, the deified Ramesses II, and Re-Horakhte, and constitutes the actual sanctuary of the temple.
The temple's orientation is arranged in such a way that twice every year, on 22 February and 22 October, the earliest sun-rays shine exactly through the entrance on the back wall of this chamber, illuminating the statues of the gods.