Ancient site · Aswan
Kom Ombo Temple
A unique double Ptolemaic temple for the gods Sobek and Haroeris, overlooking the Nile roughly 45 to 50 km north of Aswan and a regular stop on Nile cruises.
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The story
In pharaonic times the place was called Nubt, usually translated 'City of Gold', and it became a Greek settlement in the Greco-Roman period. Its position on the Nile gave it influence over trade routes coming from Nubia. The earliest royal work at the temple is credited to Ptolemy VI Philometor (180–145 BC), while most of its decoration was completed under Ptolemy XII (80–51 BC), with Roman-era additions. The temple follows two mirrored axes: the southern one for Sobek, god of crocodiles and fertility, and the northern for Haroeris (Horus the Elder), the falcon god, each with its own halls and sanctuary. Over the centuries the Nile, earthquakes and the reuse of its stone have damaged the building.
Good to know
- This is a true double temple with a mirrored plan: two parallel passages and two separate sanctuaries for two gods, Sobek and Haroeris.
- A relief in the outer court is thought to show surgical instruments, and the antiquities ministry installed an information panel beside it for visitors.
- A crocodile museum beside the temple displays mummified crocodiles once venerated in the area.
- In 2018 the antiquities ministry announced the discovery of a sandstone sphinx statue at the site.
Visiting tips
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities site lists opening hours of 7:00 to 21:00 daily and a foreigner ticket of EGP 450 (adult) and EGP 225 (student). Hours and prices can change, so please check before visiting.