Between 1964 and 1968, the entire site was carefully cut into large blocks (up to 30 tons, averaging 20 tons), dismantled, lifted and reassembled in a new location 65 meters higher and 200 meters back from the river, in one of the greatest challenges of archaeological engineering in history.
Ena shema ohraniti templje je temeljila na ideji William MacQuitty zgraditi nov zaščitni jez sveže čiste vode okoli templjev, z vodo v notranjosti na isti višini kot Nil.