TEMPLE OF KOM OMBO

Welcome to the Temple of Kom Ombo!

Situated on the banks of the Nile, the Temple of Kom Ombo is truly one of a kind.

It is a "double" temple, dedicated to two deities simultaneously: Haroeris, often associated with Horus the Elder, and Sobek, the crocodile god of fertility and protector of the Nile.

Built during the Ptolemaic period (180–47 BCE), this temple is remarkable for its symmetry, reflecting its dual devotion, with separate sanctuaries and halls for each deity.

The main temple courtyard, also known as the Court of Augustus, features partially reconstructed columns.

The temple's double entrance leads to vestibules, then to hypostyle halls, all perfectly symmetrical.

Above the double entrance, a stunning frieze displays a remarkably well-preserved solar disk flanked by two cobras.

Let us take one of the two symmetrical corridors leading to the main sanctuary of the Temple of Kom Ombo.

At the end of the corridor, you will see the shrine: a sacred space carved from black granite, once dedicated to the deities worshiped in this temple.

What is fascinating about Kom Ombo is the impressive number of perfectly preserved bas-reliefs.

By bas-reliefs, I also mean hieroglyphs, paintings, and frescoes found here and there throughout the temple.

Here is a remarkable example: this bas-relief depicting a pharaoh, whose original colors remain visible after 2,000 years.

Another example: these bas-reliefs and hieroglyphs carved onto a column.

Or this one: the falcon god Haroeris (Horus the Elder), to whom half of this temple is dedicated.

Haroeris, an ancient Egyptian deity, is associated with the sky, kingship, and protection.

He is often regarded as a symbol of divine power and justice.

Or this ceiling, where the figure of Nekhbet, the vulture goddess of Upper Egypt, can be seen.

She is depicted with outstretched wings, symbolizing divine protection, and holding symbols of power and eternity.

As night falls and gently envelops the site of Kom Ombo, a mystical atmosphere emerges from this ancient temple.

The nighttime lighting of the columns highlights their splendor, casting a captivating glow over the site.

The angled lighting on the bas-reliefs at night accentuates their details and brings their stories to life.

Kom Ombo offers a pleasant and captivating atmosphere at night...

...Accompanied by "Happy" and "Grumpy," who will inevitably ask, as always: "Bakshish, sire!"

All photos of the Temple of Kom Ombo © 2002 and 2010 by Richard Soberka