first portion of facial canal, between beginning of canal (at the introitus of the facial canal at the end of the internal auditory meatus) and the point at which it turns to descend, beginning the descending part. There are two components (crura) of the horizontal part: the medially located, anteriorly directed medial crus and the laterally placed, posteriorly directed lateral crus, the two being continuous at a sharp bend, the genu of the facial canal. This lateral part is where the genicular ganglion is located and communicates with the middle cranial fossa via the hiatus of the facial canal, through which the greater superficial petrosal nerve passes.