The Abu Simbel temples are two massive rock temples in Abu Simbel southern Egypt.

The two temples were carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC. The larger temple (shown above) has four colossal seated statues of Ramesses himself, while the smaller one has four seated statues of his queen, Nefertari.

They were built as a memorial to Ramesses' victory at the Battle of Kadesh, of which Ramesses was very proud. The temples show Ramesses trampling the Hittites (who he beat) and also showing them being carried away as slaves.

The temple complex is at the southern end of Egypt and it was originally built beside the River Nile, so that anyone visiting Egypt from the south would be in no doubt who controlled the land.

The video below shows another of the giant statues of Ramesses, this one being in Karnak (Thebes).