The Temple of Kom Ombo is located on the Nile between Aswan and Luxor in Egypt. It probably sits on the most picturesque position and is dedicated to two gods; the local crocodile god Sobek and Haroeris (from har-wer), meaning Horus the Elder.

Because the temple is dedicated to two gods, you find a doubling up of things like entrances, alters, hypostyle halls and sanctuaries. The left side (western) of the temple is dedicated to Haroeris, with the right (eastern) dedicated to Sobek.

There was probably an earlier Middle Kingdom temple here, but what you see dates from the reign of Ptolemy VI Philometor, with most of the decoration finished by Cleopatra VII’s father, Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos. 

You enter the Kom Ombo’s forecourt, where reliefs are divided between Sobek and Haroeris, with a double alter at the centre. Beyond that are shared inner and outer hypostyle halls, each surrounded by ten columns. Of particular note is the exquisite relief depicting Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos being presented by Isis to Haroeris and the lion-headed Raettawy and Thoth looking on. If you look to the right, you will see the coronation of Ptolemy XII by the vulture-goddess Nekhbet and snake-goddess Wadjet. In the Inner Hypostyle Hall, you will see Ptolemy VIII Euergetes being presented with a curved weapon by Haroeris. This represented the sword of victory. You then enter three anti-chambers, each with double entrances. These would have housed the priest’s robes and papyri. The Outer Passage features a collection of murals depicting surgical instruments, possibly revealing Kom Ombu to be a place of healing.

Near the Ptolemaic gateway, you find a small shrine to Hathor and birth-house. There is also the temple well, and a small pool where crocodiles were kept. You can then visit the Crocodile Museum, where you can see mummified crocodiles.