Alexandria of Egypt
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second largest city in Egypt, and only 225kn north of Cairo. Long ignored by tour operators who considered it a sleepy sea-side town, it is now becoming a popular destination again; thanks to the efforts of a new city governor who decided to spare no expense in restoring Alexandria.
After he conquered Egypt in 332 BC, Alexander the Great founded Alexandria, the first city in Egypt to be built to the Greek design. Following his death; at 33, his empire was divided among his generals. Ptolemy I started the Ptolemaic Dynasty (323-30 BC). The era was known as the Greco-Roman period. Cleopatra VII (51-30 BC) was the last of the Ptolemies. Cleopatra and Mark Anthony ruled of 14 years, until Rome took over completely and replaced them by Octavian (Emperor Augustus). Alexandria became equal to Rome in everything but the size of its army. Alexandria was considered the center of learning in the ancient world thanks to its famed library. It was also home to the Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Alexandria
The Bibliotheca
Alexandria National Museum
History
The Bibliotheca
The opening of the Alexandria National Museum and the underwater discoveries of the remains of the Pharos; made in the Fort Qaitbey in the Eastern Harbor, generated worldwide interest.
Unlike the situation on land where much has been destroyed, underwater excavations reveals hundreds of objects, sphinx bodies, fragments of obelisks and part of Cleopatra’s sunken palace. Even Napoleon’s flagship; sunk in 1798, was found.
Organized dives now allow scuba-divers to explore the remains and plans are being made to include glass-bottomed boat tours.
Through the centuries many unfortunate catastrophes contributed to Alexandria’s decline. Earthquakes destroyed its monuments, the plague in the 17th century nearly wiped out its population and constant foreign invasions weakened its economy.
One invasion that proved beneficial was Napoleon’s. as he landed in 1798, he immediately saw Alexandria for what it was; a city of strategic naval importance.
Later on, Mohamed Ali rebuilt ‘a new Alexandria’ over the old one. He organized the construction of the El-Mahmudiya Canal starting in 1819, and linked the Nile and Alexandria’s Western Harbor, thus reconnecting the city with the rest of Egypt.
Historical Sites
In visiting Alexandria, it is important to realize that its history; as rich as it may be, is known to us more from books than from what we may actually see. Of course many sites still remain but what gives Alexandria its special appeal is its atmosphere. The multicultural population of traders that passed through the city, the Greeks, the Italians, the French and the Turks, all left their mark and gave Alexandria its special flavor. It’s a wonderful town to stay in with a lot of service and hospitality; so wander around, see the sites and enjoy.
The sites of Alexandria are spread through the city and since the new city was built over the old one the streets often follow the old pattern.
Begin at Midan Ramla which will lead you to the Greco-Roman Museum, the Alexandrian National Museum and to the Roman Amphitheatre.
Catacombs of Kom El-Shoquafa
Pompey's Pillar
The Lighthouse
Famous Mosques
Another must see touristic place is the Pompey’s Pillar or Amoud El-Sawari, Alexandria’s highest ancient monument standing 26.85m and made out of stunning red granite quarried in Aswan. This historic Pillar was built in 292 AD by the people of Alexandria, as a show of gratitude to the Roman Emperor Diocletian. The emperor waited out an eight months siege kept up by the Alexandrians. Upon entering and capturing the city, instead of inflicting punishment he distributed wheat and lowered taxes.
Visit the Roman Theatre dating back to the 1st and the 2nd century AD, it passed through various stages of development, until it was finally converted into a closed religious assembly hall.
From the Corniche you can take a taxi to Fort Qaitbey to visit the underwater antiques, one of those being the famous Lighthouse of The Pharos. The Lighthouse stood 135m high and at the very top stood statue of Poseidon ‘God of the sea’
Several mosques are well worth visiting; The Mosque of Abu Al-Abbas Al-Mursi is the patron saint of Alexandria’s fishermen and sailors. The Mosque Al-Nabi Daniel, the site is likely to have been that of the Great Soma Temple which was erected over the tomb of Alexander the Great. The Attareen Mosque, the mosque of a thousand columns.
The Coptic Orthodox Church where the head of St. Mark is reputed to be an interesting visit, make sure to go down to the sunken chapel to look at the mosaics.
Montazah Palace
To the east of downtown Alexandria lies 17kn of beach stretching to the beautiful gardens of Montazah Palace- 400 acres of well manicured gardens complete with a clock tower, a bowling alley and a flamboyant palace. The site is a must see, a veritable walled pleasure ground and palace!
The palace’s construction was started in 1892 by King Abbas II and he called it Salamlek. 1932 King Fouad built a larger palace in it, in a European Turkish style and called it Haramlek. His son King Farouk enlarged it and added the unusual Victorian style bridge connecting to a small island. The palace is where he signed his abdication in 1952.
The smaller Salamlek is now an elegant hotel filled with antique furniture. The Haramlek’s ground floor has been converted into a casino and the top floor into a museum of royal artifacts.
Further west along the peninsula is a belvedere and light house where Mohamed Ali would review his fleet.
The palace was restored by Anwar Sadat and is now used as an official residence. It is now closed to the public but the surrounding gardens can be entered through the gates opposite the Montazah Sheraton.
The sheltered area around the Belvedere provides a great spot for windsurfing and snorkeling in Summer. Close by, in the largest of montazah’s bays is Venizia Beach a semi-private beach offering chairs and umbrellas and a more relaxed dress standard for women.
Museum
Modern museums are also numerous in Alexandria; The Alexandria National Museum, the Cavafy Museum, the Mahmoud Said Museum and a special note on the Royal Jewelry Museum which was formerly one of King Farouk’s palaces. The jewelry collection is outstanding and so is the mansion housing it. Make sure to look up at the stunning ceilings, they rival in beauty with the stained glass windows.
Mixing the old with the fairly recent here are a few facts you may find of interest:
- Midan Mohamed Ali is where Nasser announced the nationalization of the Suez Canal.
- Midan Al-Ramla is considered the site of the Caesariun; a temple Cleopatra had built in honor of Julius Caesar. The two large obelisks flanking the doors of the temple remained standing long after the temple was gone and stood there until the 19th century when Mohamed Ali decided to give them away as gifts. One can be found in London’s Victoria Embankment and the other in New York City’s Central Park.
Overlooking the Eastern Harbor is the Cecil Hotel built in the 1930’s; it stands as a monument to la Belle Epoque. Somerset Maugham, Winston Churchill, Agatha Christie and many other celebrated guests stayed there. A plaque bearing the name of the celebrity that once occupied the room is affixed many a door.
The intersection of Al Horreya and El-Nabi Daniel is thought to be the burial site of Alexander the Great or it may be under the Mosque of Nabi Daniel or maybe in a nearby Greek necropolis; many turned up yet. They’re still looking for Cleopatra’s grave too.
Things to Do!
Since 1990 a lot of money has been spent to improve Alexandria, green space have been created, buildings have been given face lifts, the Corniche and the sea front have been revitalized and the beaches have been cleaned up. So if sightseeing has exhausted you, if the heat is getting to you or your feet are killing you, rest by the sea, relax in the shade, sit at a terrace enjoying a sheesha or a cool drink, go for a swim; remember to dress modestly, or rent a caleche; a horse driven carriage and tour the breezy friendly streets.
Cultural life is also experiencing a renaissance in Alexandria. Many cultural centers show films, host exhibitions and lectures. Visit the Alexandria Center of Arts, programs are also available in English.
Of course there is always shopping. There are interesting things to purchase in the inner-city souks, but these days the trend among Alexandrians seems to be trips to the shopping malls, several are in the city but you will find the mega-malls in the outskirts. The antiques collectors would definitely enjoy the Attareen Antique Market.
One of the delights one can experience while in Alexandria is eating fish in one of the seaside restaurants, freshly caught in the Mediterranean and grilled to perfection on open fire. Western style food can be found in the large hotels and in the shopping malls.
For authentic, satisfying and reasonably priced food do as the Alexandrians do, head for Sharia Safar where the street is lined with restaurants. The food is inexpensive and the ambience is truly Egyptian!
The Mediterranean coast also known as The North Coast stretches for 500km, starting west from Alexandria all the way to the Libyan border. The stunning shore line of turquoise sea, lined with endless white sand beaches remain unspoiled and free of the hordes of tourists; but not for long. In the past few years, the Egyptian government has paid a lot of attention to the area, and in 2006 the government allowed developers to commerce a mega tourist project in Sidi Abdel Rahman. The North Coast has had its share of famous visitors, from Alexander the Great to Caesar and Mark Anthony, and more recently to King Farouk and President Nasser. The shores of Mediterranean have always been a popular vacation spot with Egyptians. During the summer months, Cairenes and Alexandrians flock to the North Coast. The spectacular beaches; such as idyllic Agibah Beach 28km from Marsah Matrouh, and Sidi Abdel Rahman’s dazzling white sand could not be kept a secret for long, and tourists are starting to come looking for their own little bit of paradise.
While visiting the North Coast, the Traveler must be aware that the beach etiquette here is much different than Sharm El-Sheikh, for instance. Unless the female traveler is willing to conform to the standards of the public beaches, she may want to seek out the several resorts geared to the western tourists; such as Mamoura Beach in Alexandria, the King’s Ranch; 10km from Alexandria, and Porto Marina, where swimming can be enjoyed in privacy and luxury. A new trend gaining popularity along the coast are ‘women only beaches’, in these secluded areas, women can lie in the sun and swim in bikinis, attended exclusively by female staff.
But life is not only a day at the beach; the Western Coast is full of historical sites. Beginning with Alexandria; a fascinating city with a European flair, where 5 million people speak up to five different languages, all the way down to Mersah Matrouh and to El Alamein, the site of a battle between the German Army and the Allied forces during World War II. The sea bottom in the area of Marsah Matrouh is wonderful for wreck diving, because of all the sunken warships and submarines. In El Alamein, war memorials have been erected on the Battlefields in honor of those who gave their lives for their countries.
