Around 7,000 foreign tourists visited the temples of Abu Simbel in southern Aswan to witness the twice-yearly solar alignment at the Great Temple of Ramses II, as Egypt concluded the Aswan Festival for Culture and Arts with traditional folk performances.
According to the Middle East News Agency (MENA), the event took place on Thursday, 22 October, drawing visitors to witness sunlight entering the temple&rsquo;s sanctuary and illuminating three of its four statues.
Aswan Governor Amr Lashin said the event was organised through coordination between the Aswan Security Directorate and the relevant authorities in the culture, tourism, antiquities, civil aviation, food supply and healthcare sectors.
Lashin said measures had been put in place to facilitate visitors&rsquo; entry and exit, ensuring the smooth movement of Egyptian and foreign tourists attending the event and its accompanying artistic performances.
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Folk Performances Celebrate Ancient Egyptian Heritage
According to Egypt&rsquo;s General Authority for Cultural Palaces, the festival concluded on the morning of 22 October with performances by folk art troupes in the courtyard of Abu Simbel Temple.
The solar alignment lasted approximately 20 minutes, coinciding with performances by groups from Port Said, Matrouh, New Valley, Sohag, Toshka and Sharqia. Tourists joined the celebrations, interacting with performers through dancing and singing.
The solar alignment is one of Egypt&rsquo;s most distinctive archaeological phenomena, demonstrating the precision of the ancient Egyptians&rsquo; astronomical knowledge and architectural design.
It occurs twice a year, on 22 October and 22 February, when sunlight travels through the Great Temple&rsquo;s entrance and corridors to reach the inner sanctuary. The rays illuminate the statues of Ramses II and the deities Amun-Ra and Ra-Horakhty, while the statue of Ptah remains in shadow.
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Aswan Festival Brings Cultural Performances Across the Governorate
The Aswan Festival for Culture and Arts began on 17 October with the operetta &lsquo;Army of the Sun&rsquo;, directed by Hisham Atwa. The production portrayed the October War and the achievements of the Egyptian Armed Forces.
From 18 to 20 October, seven folk art troupes representing Aswan, Port Said, Sohag, Sharqia, New Valley, Matrouh and Toshka performed at cultural venues throughout Aswan Governorate. These included cultural palaces, theatres, libraries and Aswan University.
A further performance took place at Aswan&rsquo;s tourist market on Wednesday evening, attended by the governor, the head of the General Authority for Cultural Palaces, local residents and visitors.
The festival was held under the patronage of Abdelaziz Konsowa, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Acting Minister of Culture, and Aswan Governor Amr Lashin. It was organised by the General Authority for Cultural Palaces, headed by Hisham Atwa, in cooperation with cultural institutions across southern Upper Egypt.
Photo Credit: MENA&rsquo;s official page

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