Abu Simbel relocation belongs to the Common Era — dated here to c. 1968 CE at Nubia, Egypt. Dates mark a scholarly centre of gravity (dedication, completion, or iconic phase), not a single foundation day.
UNESCO cut Ramesses II’s temples into 1,000+ blocks and raised them above Lake Nasser — archaeology as heavy engineering.
How it amazes the brain
Sawing sandstone, rebuilding on an artificial hill with a concrete dome behind the façade.
Why it counts as a wonder
It never needed a contest ballot to scramble the brain: scale, craft, or sheer improbability is enough.
A modern wonder that saved an ancient one — and invented international heritage rescue.
On dating
CE means years after the traditional birth of Christ. A monument listed as c. 1968 CE may have been founded earlier, rebuilt later, or become famous only in one phase. Engineering wonders (dams, tunnels, orbiting labs) are dated to opening or assembly.
This is story 38 of 100 in The Trend Ledger’s illustrated desk on world wonders raised after the birth of Christ — the companions to our BCE series.