If you approach from the river, the soaring columns of the Great Temple of Kom Ombo rising dramatically above the Nile’s bank are one of Egypt’s iconic views. Today Kom Ombo (47 kilometers north of Aswan and 168 kilometers south of Luxor) may be a sleepy agricultural backwater surrounded by sugar cane fields, but this temple dedicated to the gods Sobek and Haroeris is a reminder of this area’s importance in Ancient Egypt due to its prime position along the Nile. Stroll through the temple’s colonnades, gazing up at scenes of pharaonic propaganda, and you’ll capture the ambience of this glorious history for yourself.
Kom Ombo’s Pylon originally had two gateways, but the left-hand half has completely disappeared, and only the lower parts of the central pillar and the right wing survive. As you enter, look to the right-hand front wall to see (from left to right) the gods Sobek, Hathor, and Khons; a hieroglyphic text of 52 lines; and a relief of the Roman Emperor Domitian wearing the crowns of Upper Egypt.
