Touring the Kom Ombo Temple
The Magnificent Dual Temples
In a little town near Aswan, is one of the most stunning temples ever erected in Egypt. Unique from the rest because of its double features, the Kom Ombo Temple is a Nile River sight that shouldn’t be missed.
Kom Ombo Temple Feature
The Kom Ombo Temple is one of the most unique temples built in Egypt. Started during the Ptolemaic Dynasty its double features made it one of the most studied architectures by historians. Located in the little town along the Nile River, Kom Ombo has a population of about 6,000, who relies mainly on agriculture. With the temple as its focal point the town of Kom Ombo also came into popularity.
Just like any temples in Egypt, Kom Ombo was also made in reverence to a guardian or worshiped god. Only with this particular temple, it is known that it is dedicated to two gods who ruled this part of Egypt.
The southern half part of the temple was dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god of fertility and creator of the world with Hathor and Khonsu. In the meantime the northern part of the temple was dedicated to Haroeris, the falcon god, also widely known as Horus the Elder.
With its double feature, each side of the temple is perfectly symmetrical along the main axis which made it unusual and at the same time puzzling.
Kom Ombo Temple History
Kom Ombo temple was started by Ptolemy VI Philometor during the start of his reign in 180-145 BC. Right after many other Ptolemys contributed to the beauty and wonder of this double temple one of the most noted builder was Ptolemy XIII (51-47 BC) he was known to build the inner and outer hypostyle halls. To date the halls are in much interest to visitors and historians alike because of a scene in the inner face of the rear wall of the temple because of its representation of some surgical instruments.
Unfortunately because of its location, the temple was devastated by much natural phenomenon such as the Nile River flooding and earthquakes. Additionally, sometime in history some parts of the temple as well as the relics were destroyed by members of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria when they used the structure for their own worship.
Today only handful of pharaoh remains can be seen inside the temple, though more than 300 crocodile mummies are on display. The Kom Ombo Temple, was known to have been a place of crocodile worship in the ancient days, and in worship to Sobek the ruler of crocodiles.
