Alexandria
Alexandria is Egypt’s second-largest city situated about 180k northwest of Cairo, and has a
population of around 3,500,000 people. It has a relaxed Mediterranean feeling with slightly
lower temperatures than Cairo.
Alexander the Great came to Egypt in 331BC after he had conquered Greece, and he selected a
small fishing village on the Mediterranean coast to establish his new capital of Alexandria. The
city is oriented around Midan Ramla and Midan Saad Zaghoul, the large square that runs down to
the waterfront. Alexandria once had a great library that contained more than 500,000 volumes, and
at its peak the city was a great repository of science, philosophy, intellectual thought and
learning.
The centre of the modern city's attractions is the harbour. Archaeologists have located huge statues
and other remains from the city’s past in the harbour, and above water there is a re-incarnation of
the ancient Library of Alexandria which is definitely worth a visit. The building is round and partly
in the water, and there are inscriptions from various civilizations carved into the stone walls. The
library has a very long history, and still is a center for culture, science and research.
Near the library is the Greco-Roman Museum, displaying artifacts from 300BC to AD300. There's a
magnificent black granite sculpture of Apis, the sacred bull worshipped by early Egyptians, as well as an
assortment of mummies, sarcophagi, pottery, jewellery and ancient tapestries. A highlight is one of
the few historical depictions of the Pharos of Alexandria, another of the Seven Wonders of the World.
A short distance away is a small, well-preserved Roman amphitheater which was discovered only 40
years ago. It has 13 white marble terraces in excellent condition and archaeological excavation work
is still under way. Alexandria's newest museum, the Alexandria National Museum, was opened in August 2003
with 1,800 artifacts on display for the first time.
The three-tiered Roman catacombs of Kom el-Shukafa is the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt,
consisting of three tiers of burial tombs, chambers and hallways. The catacombs were begun in the
2nd century AD and were later expanded to include a banquet hall where the mourners could pay their
respects with a funeral feast.
On the island of Pharos at the western end of the harbour is Qait Bey (pictured above), an impressive
15th-century fortress. It's on the site where once stood the Great Lighthouse, one of the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Pompey's Pillar is a massive 25m pink granite monument measuring 9m around its girth. The pillar
should rightfully called Diocletian's Pillar, as it was built for the emperor in AD 297, and was the
only monument left standing following the violent arrival of the Crusaders around 1000 years later.
Experts are hoping to discover Cleopatra's Palace under the sea bed off Alexandria; platforms,
pavements and columns have been found, and in 1998 a black granite statue and a
diorite sphinx were raised from the sea. Cleopatra's Library was destroyed by the Crusaders.
East of Alexandria is Montazah Palace, which includes a former royal palace (currently, the
presidential palace) and nice seaside gardens. West of the city are several beach resorts.
The ancient town of Rashid some 65k northeast of Alexandria is where the Rosetta Stone was
discovered in 1799. The stone contains an edict written in Greek, demotic Egyptian and hieroglyphics,
proving to be the long-sought key to understanding hieroglyphics.
230 km to the west of Alexandria is the resort of Marsa Matruh which has good beaches, excellent
reef diving and beautiful turquoise water.
Revised: 8th October 2004
©2004
Other Resources