Port Said
Port Said
Port Said was founded as a harbor in 1859 by the Khedive Said Pasha. Much of the city is a manmade island, created by filling part of Lake Manzalla with sand dug from the excavation of the Canal. Said Pasha created the city to house the hundreds of workers needed to build the Canal.
The Canal opening ceremony was hosted by Port Said in 1869, dignitaries from all over the world attended, and the event was considered by all accounts as the party of the century.
To commemorate the completion of the greatest feat in modern history, France’s Auguste Bartholdi sculpted a statue inspired by the huge statues at Abu Simbel.
The statue was meant to represent progress as ‘Egypt carrying the light of Asia’; it was to stand in Port Said at the entrance of the Canal. The Khedive Ismail thought the statue was too expensive and refused it. ‘The Light of Asia’ went to America. It now stands in the New York Harbor as the Statue of Liberty.
Port Said also suffered its share of setbacks but sprang back as a modern, duty-free, and bustling port city with wide and well laid streets and an Old Quarter vaguely reminiscent of New Orleans. It is the second most important port in Egypt after Alexandria, the fourth largest city in Egypt, and a leading domestic tourist destination.
Things To Do
Port Said can be visited in a relatively relaxed atmosphere without the presence of hustlers and hordes of other tourists, so the visitor has a chance to get a taste of Egyptian life during his stay.
Port Said’s major museums are the National Museum and The War Museum, on 23rd of July st. has a section devoted to Pharaonic and pre-Pharaonic wars, but the main focus is mainly on military artifacts and information on the 1967 and 1973 wars with Israel.
The National Museum, on Palestine St., houses artifacts from most periods of Egypt’s past including Prehistoric, Pharaonic, Islamic, Coptic and Khedival exhibits.
Around Salah Salem St., there are several churches to be visited; the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Bishoi of the Virgin and the Franciscan compound.
There are also two mosques of interest; the Abdel Rahman Mosque and El Salam Mosque.
For a pleasant day trip, take the ferry in front of the tourist office on Palestine St. and cross the Canal to port Fouad, a suburb of Port Said. Port Fouad, situated on the eastern side of the Canal was founded in 1927 as a residential area for the Canal bureaucrats. It still retains some of the colonial feel with its quiet residential areas and well tended gardens. A sports club, a yacht club and a popular beach can be found there.
There are also lovely public beaches around Port Said and Lake Manzalla or consider the pool at the Sonesta or at the Helnan Hotels. Just remember this is not the Red Sea area, so dress modestly.
As far as shopping goes, a wide range of merchandise is available in Port Said, from electronics and appliances to jeans. Exclusive creations are featured in the smart boutiques on El Nahda St. The designer shops on El Gomhoreya St. and 23rd July St. carry the more prestigious international names. The more exotic items of Egyptian origin; such as scarves, dresses, gold and silver jewelry, leather work and the ever present paintings on papyrus, can be found in the bazaar on Salah El Din St. As Port Said is a duty-free port you will have to pass through customs, so make sure you have your passport.
As everywhere else on the coast, fish is the food of choice in Port Said eaten outdoors while enjoying the Mediterranean breeze and the bustling street life; or in a restaurant with a view of the Canal, is an added pleasure.
Port Said’s main attraction and the highlight for most visitors, is the site of the enormous ships lining up to pass through the Canal. In the evening, stroll with the townsfolk and visitors along the Corniche, and from the seashore promenade watch the super tanker crawling through the desert passage. That alone can make the visit worthwhile.
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