The Pharaonic Temple of Kom Ombo – the history of the construction of the most important Pharaonic Temples of Aswan for Ancient Egypt civilization.
Secrets History Of Egyptian that you did not know from the inside on the plan of the temple, the reasons for the construction, the prices of the tickets, the dates of visit and more to start your cultural journey to learn more about the Pharaonic civilization & Things to Do in Egypt.
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The Temple of Kom Ombo Aswan Egypt
Construction period: 205 to 180 B.C.
Temple construction time: 400 years.
Built during the reign of Ptolemy VI
Decoration: During the reign of Emperor Tiberius
Restoration: Abou al-Hassan al-Shaer
Temple Type: The double temple of the gods Haroueris and Sobek.
About the temple of Kom Ombo:
The small town of Kom Ombo is located on the east bank of the Nile, 45 km north of Aswan and 800 km south of Cairo.
This small town, surrounded by sugar cane and corn fields, but at the same time it has many ancient pharaonic temples and monuments, including the temple of Kom Ombo.
The Greco-Roman Temple of Kom Ombo overlooks the Nile, making any trip on the Nile approaching the area visit the temple.
The construction of the temple continued for many years thereafter from 180 to 169 BC, where each king added to this temple, and much of the temple of Kom Ombo, including the hypostyle hall, was built during the reign of Emperor Tiberius.
Where is the temple of Kom Ombo located?
The temple is located on a high hill on the Nile in the city of Kom Ombo, where the temple was built during the Ptolemaic period, especially during the reign of King Ptolemy VI, and the Romans made drawings and decorations on the walls afterwards.
What does the name Kom Ombo mean?
The word Kom Ombo means the pile of gold, as it was located at the crossroads of the gold mines, the Coptic name of the temple was Anbo and the Greek name Ombos, and the word Ambo means the hills that existed in the area.
What are the reasons for the construction of Kom Ombo Temple?
- The ancient temple of Kom Ombo was used as a hospital as well as drawings from ancient pharaonic games such as the fence game on the wall.
- The Ptolemies built the temple of Kom Ombo, and they dedicated it to the two gods, Sobek the Crocodile God, and Horus the Great or Haroueris the “Falcon God”. That is why the complex consists mainly of two parallel temples containing all the traditional components of these ancient Egyptian religious structures.
Stages of the construction of the temple:
- Built on the ruins of a much older temple called “Per Sobek”, or the house of the god Sobek, this ancient temple was built with two bases during the eighteenth dynasty, especially in the time of King Thutmosis III and Queen Hatshepsut “Egyptian Pharaohs kings“.
- The temple was built by King Ptolemy V between the years 180 and 205 BC.
- King Ptolemy VI built many of this temple ‘s constructions in the period between the years 180 and 145 BC.
- The hypostyle hall was built by King Ptolemy VIII between the years 169 and 116 BC.
- Emperor Tiberius made the decorations on the columns between the years 14 and 37 AD.
- Emperor Domitian added his name in empty cartouches in the temple between the years 81 and 96 AD.
- The temple was restored and built until the times of the emperors Caracalla, Geta and Macrinus in 218 AD.
The Temple of Kom Ombo from the inside:
The temple of Kom Ombo has been divided into two parts, a left section for the god Horus the Great or Haroueris and a right section for the God Sobek, and the temple is 45 km north of the tourist city of Aswan.
The temple has a small crocodile breeding pond in the past and has been called “Not Cleopatra’s Bath”.
The temple includes the First Trinity formed by Sobek, Hathor and Khonsu, and the Second Trinity is formed by Horus the Great or Haroueris, Ta senet Nefert and Horus Pa neb tawi.
The temple is surrounded by a large wall with two entrances one that leads to the sanctuary of Sobek, and the other entrance leads to that of Haroueris.
The temple of Kom Ombo has a large open court and contains 16 columns divided into 3 sides, but over time and because of erosion and climatic conditions, only the lower parts of the columns remain that you will see in the open courtyard of the temple. Pharaonic inscriptions on the walls that date from the time of Emperor Tiberius presenting the offerings to Egyptian deities.
You will see drawings of the long procession of the pharaohs and Hapi the god of the Nile carrying papyrus and lotuse to indicate the union of Upper and Lower Egypt as well as inscriptions of servants carrying offerings, you will also see cartouches of Emperor Augustus and next to a long strip of hieroglyphic writing and behind a procession of a group of gods to whom he is presenting the offerings in all the temples of Aswan.
Inside the temple’s open court you will see the space of the outer columns surrounded by curtain walls built of stone, including 2 large doors and 2 small doors in addition to the pharaonic inscriptions of snakes carrying on their heads the sun disc on the columns and walls.
You will then see the hypostyle hall with 10 columns in two rows with capitals in the shape of an open papyrus plant that existed during the Pharaonic period, then a ceiling with Pharaonic inscriptions in good condition and then see the Holy of Holies.
You will see inscriptions and pharaonic drawings of surgical instruments on the outer wall behind the sanctuary and inscriptions from the scene depicting I am sitting on the delivery chair.
The plan of the Temple of Kom Ombo:
The temple of Kom Ombo was built mainly of rectangular limestone, with a scheme and design very similar to many temples dating back to Roman times, such as the Temple of Dendera and The Temple of Philae, one of the most important monuments in Upper Egypt, which many tourists visit every year.
The design of the Kom Ombo temple begins with an open court after the façade and a hypostyle hall, followed by three interior halls, then two shrines, one dedicated to Sobek and the other to Horus the Great.
On both sides there are seven interior halls in number, three of which are in the eastern part of the temple, while the other is in the western part. In addition, the temple of Kom Ombo has many side rooms and smaller ones that have been used for ritual functions.
Plan and details of the architectural elements of the temple of Kom Ombo:
Exterior gate:
The main gate of the temple was built of stone during the reign of King Ptolemy XII, where you will see pharaonic drawings and inscriptions of the king catching with his right hand enemies by the hair and smiting them in front the gods, drawings of the king presenting the offerings to the God Sobek in the form of a man with a crocodile head holding a scepter representing the symbol of life (Ankh) and behind him stands his wife the goddess Hathor with her famous crown. The King puts his hand on the shoulder of the God Sobek and holds the symbol of Life.
Other drawings on the king’s outer door presenting the offerings to the god Haroueris in his chapel, or inscriptions that express the king’s wars and victories.
You will see 3 pharaonic drawings on the interior façade of the main door:
- King Ptolemy XII offers offerings to the God Sobek with The Goddess Hathor.
- King Ptolemy XII offers offerings to the God Haroueris followed by his wife, Tasenet Nefert and their son Horus Pa Neb Tawi.
- King Ptolemy XII offers incense to the goddess Hathor, and her son Khonsu.
The First Pylon:
On the east and west sides, just after the main gate, you will find a dilapidated part of it built during the reign of Emperor Domitian, where you will find drawings of the emperor standing in front of him texts of prayers to the two gods Haroueris and Sobek.
The Open Court :
The open court is built in a rectangular form with 16 columns that surround the open court in 3 directions and there are 5 columns in the west and east directions and 6 in the south direction.
Over time, many columns were destroyed and of which only the lower parts remain today, which were built during the reign of Emperor Tiberius.
You will see in the middle of the open court an altar used by the king’s and priests to present the offerings to the gods. In addition to the drawings of Emperor Tiberius presenting the offerings before the gods Sobek and Hathor and other inscriptions of Emperor Tiberius, wearing the red and white crowns before the god Haroueris who holds the scepter and the symbol of life (Ankh), and behind him stands the goddess Nephtis.
The Hypostyle Hall:
The hall contains 10 columns in two rows, the hall was built during the reign of King Ptolemy XII.
On the east side, you will see stone curtain walls, painted with inscriptions of the king in the purification position in front of the gods Thoth and Sobek, as well as a scene in the presence of God Haroueris on the left side.
The columns are like the same decorations and crowns as those of the Temple of Philae.
On the door of the inner hall are the drawings of King Ptolemy VIII, wearing the red crown of Lower Egypt, offering offerings to the god Sobek, and on the other wall, drawings of the king wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt and before him the divine couple Sobek and Hathor.
The Second Hypostyle Hall:
It contains 10 columns in two parallel rows with capitals in the shape of a papyrus plant and was built during the reign of King Ptolemy VIII, as well as drawings on the king’s walls offering offerings to the gods Sobek, Haroueris and Hathor.
You will see 3 drawings on the walls of the outer side:
- The king offers incense to the god Sobek and the god Khonsu.
- The king offers offerings to the God Haroueris and his son Horus Pa NebTawi.
- The king offers offerings to the Pharaonic Trinity.
You will see drawings on the doors of the north wall of King Ptolemy VI with the god Horus and present a sign of pride to the god Sobek and Horus the Great, as well as inscriptions of the king offering wine to the two same gods.
At the top of the east gate you will see drawings of King Ptolemy VI with Queen Cleopatra II serving wine to Sobek and the Trinity of Horus the Great.
The first antechamber of the temple of Kom Ombo:
Designed in a rectangular but dilapidated style, you will see in the first antechamber at the top of the outer door pharaonic inscriptions of King Ptolemy VI featuring a symbol of the Trinity of Horus the Great and the Trinity of Sobek, as well as inscriptions of the king offering wine to the god Sobek and his wife Hathor.
On the walls of the inner hall, you will see pharaonic inscriptions of King Ptolemy VI offering to the god Sobek behind him Hathor, and inscriptions of himself offerings to the god of Horus and behind him his son Pa NebTawi.
The second antechamber:
The hall is rectangular without a roof and contains two rooms as well as drawings on the walls of the sculpture of King Ptolemy VI, who offers perfumes and utensils for the two gods Sobek and Haroueris.
There are drawings on the south wall of King Ptolemy VI worshipping snakes and other drawings wearing the crown and holding a scepter and the symbol of life with his wife Queen Cleopatra II before the gods Sobek and Haroueris.
The third antechamber of the temple of Kom Ombo:
Designed in a rectangular, roofless shape, you’ll see pharaonic designs and inscriptions on either side of the doors of King Ptolemy VI’s hall à scene of offerings to Horus the Great and Sobek and at the top of the west gate offering flowers with Queen Cleopatra II presenting the symbol of justice Maat to the gods Khonsu, Haroueris, Sobek and Hathor, as well as drawings offering pottery pots to the gods Sobek, Hathor, Haroueris and Horus Pa NebTawi.
The Sanctuary:
The temple contains two sanctuaries, formed by two rectangular halls with demolished walls and no inscription, there are remains of a black granite stone base in the Sobek Shrine as well as rooms for the preservation of the offerings of the Kom Ombo Temple.
There are rooms that have been used for the stay of priests and religious ceremonies.
The exterior and interior corridors of the temple:
You will see the scene of medical and surgical instruments in the corridor and the scene depicts Emperor Trajan and above the double between Sobek and Horus the Great in the presence of the king presenting the two boats and the God Min, the ” God of fertility “, as was in the religious belief of the ancient Egyptians.
You will see drawings on the outer wall of the emperor Vespasian, offering two boats to Sobek, Hathor and Khonsu.
The House of divine birth (the Mamisi):
Built during the reign of King Ptolemy VIII, the house contains a front courtyard, a columned room containing 4 columns and two scenes of birth ceremonies as in the culture of the Pharaonic civilization.
On the door of the outer hall, you will see drawings of King Ptolemy VIII with his wife Queen Cleopatra II carrying flowers to offer to the triad of Sobek and pharaonic inscriptions on the west wall.
You will find the ruins of a chapel built by Emperor Caracalla for the honor of worshipping Sobek.
Chapel of Hathor in Kom Ombo Temple:
The chapel is designed in a rectangular shape of one floor on a brick wall, with a rectangular room 5 meters long and 3 meters wide.
On the façade of the chapel, you will see drawings of the goddess Hathor and the king offering wine to the goddess Ta Senet Nefert and the idol drawings of the god Bes the god of music.
The Nilometre:
On the northwestern part, you will see a circular well containing stairs as well as a small well, which was used to determine the measurement of the waters of the Nile, especially at the time of flooding, and then the governor will determine the value of taxes on agricultural property.
Chapel of Sobek in Kom Ombo Temple:
The rectangular chapel is designed on a high terrace with an entrance, as well as two columns with drawings of the emperor Caracalla and Geta, their names were found in the royal cartouches.
The address of the Temple of Kom Ombo:
The city of Kom Ombo, Aswan Governorate, Egypt.
Dates of visit of the Kom Ombo temple:
Saturday 9h00-17h00
Sunday 9h00-17h00
Monday 9h00-17h00
Tuesday. 9:00-17:00
Wednesday 9h00-17h00
Thursday 9h00-17h00
Friday 9h00-17h00
Ticket prices for the Temple of Kom Ombo:
Egyptian ticket price = 20 Egyptian pounds
Egyptian student ticket price = 5 Egyptian pounds
Foreign ticket price = 140 Egyptian pounds
Foreign student ticket price = 70 Egyptian pounds
Hotels near Kom Ombo Temple:
- City max Hotel Aswan.
- Mövenpick Aswan Resort.
- Hotel Tulip Aswan
- Hotel Basma
- Pyramisa Isis Corniche Aswan.
- Hotel Kilani
- Nubian Oasis Hotel
Restaurants near the Temple of Kom Ombo:
- Al Maalawi Restaurant
- Country house
- Alligator Cafeteria
- Al Harameen Restaurant
- Al-Shabrawi Restaurant – Kom Ombo.
Author & Writer The Sphinx of Giza: Tamer Ahmed Abd elfatah Yousif | Tourism Expert | Best Tour Operator in Hurghada
The Temple of Kom Ombo Aswan Egypt | History of the construction of the most important Pharaonic archaeological temples for the civilization of Egypt.
