Alexandria (
ArabicArabic is a Central Semitic language, thus related to and classified alongside other Semitic languages such as Hebrew and the Neo-Aramaic languages. In terms of speakers, the Arabic macrolanguage is the largest member of the Semitic language family. It is spoken by more than 280 million people as...
:
al-Iskandariyya;
CopticCoptic or Coptic Egyptian is the final stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the seventeenth century. Egyptian began to be written using the Greek alphabet in the first century...
:
; Greek:
;
Egyptian ArabicEgyptian Arabic is a variety of the Arabic language of the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family. It originated in the Nile Delta in Lower Egypt around the capital Cairo...
:
اسكندريه Eskendereyya), with a population of 4.1 million, is the second-largest city in
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
, and is the country's largest seaport, serving about 80% of Egypt's imports and exports. Alexandria is also an important tourist resort.
Alexandria extends about along the
coastThe coast is defined as where the land meets the sea. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the process of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
of the
Mediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is technically a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it...
in north-central Egypt. It is home to the
Bibliotheca AlexandrinaThe Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a major library and cultural center located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the Egyptian city of Alexandria...
(
the new LibraryThe Royal Library of Alexandria, or Ancient Library of Alexandria, in Alexandria, Egypt, was probably the largest, and certainly the most famous, of the libraries of the ancient world...
), and is an important industrial center because of its
natural gasNatural gas is a gas consisting primarily of methane. It is found associated with fossil fuels, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, and landfills...
and
oil pipelinePipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquid and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air have also been used....
s from
SuezSuez is a seaport town in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez, near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has two harbors, Port Ibrahim and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
, another city in Egypt. Alexandria was also an important trading post between
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
and
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
, because it profited from the easy overland connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the
Red SeaThe Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez,...
.
In
ancient timesAncient history is the study of the written past from the beginning of recorded human history in the Old World until the Early Middle Ages in Europe and the Qin Dynasty in China....
, Alexandria was one of the most famous cities in the world. It was founded around a small
pharaonicAncient Egypt was an ancient civilization of eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. The civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh, and...
town
c. 331 BC by
Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon, popularly known as Alexander the Great , was an Ancient Greek king of Macedon who created one of the largest empires in ancient history...
. It remained Egypt's capital for nearly a thousand years, until the
Muslim conquest of EgyptAt the commencement of the Muslim conquest of Egypt, Egypt was part of the Byzantine Empire with its capital in Constantinople. However, it had been occupied just a decade before by the Persian Empire under Khosrau II...
in 641 AD when a new capital was founded at Fustat (Fustat was later absorbed into
CairoCairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab World. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life...
).
Alexandria was known because of its
lighthouseWith a height it was identified as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Antipater of Sidon. It may have been the third tallest building after the two Great Pyramids for its entire life.-History:...
(
Pharos), one of the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient WorldThe Seven Wonders of the World is a well known list of seven remarkable constructions of classical antiquity. It was based on guidebooks popular among the ancient Hellenic tourists...
; its
libraryThe Royal Library of Alexandria, or Ancient Library of Alexandria, in Alexandria, Egypt, was probably the largest, and certainly the most famous, of the libraries of the ancient world...
(the largest library in the ancient world); and the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. Ongoing
maritime archaeologyMaritime archaeology is a discipline that studies human interaction with the sea, lakes and rivers through the study of vessels, shore side facilities, cargoes, human remains and submerged landscapes. One speciality is underwater archaeology, which studies the past through any submerged remains...
in the harbor of Alexandria, which began in 1994, is revealing details of Alexandria both before the arrival of Alexander, when a city named Rhacotis existed there, and during the
Ptolemaic dynastyThe Ptolemaic dynasty was a Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period...
.
History
Alexandria was founded by Alexander in April 331 BC as (
Alexándreia). Alexander's
chief architectFor a topical guide to this subject, see Outline of architecture. Architecture is the art and science of designing and constructing buildings and other physical structures for human shelter or use....
for the project was Dinocrates. Alexandria was intended to supersede
NaucratisNaucratis or Naukratis, , loosely translated as " power over ships" , was a city of Ancient Egypt, on the Canopic branch of the Nile river, 45 mi SE of the open sea and the later capital of Ptolemaic Egypt, Alexandria...
as a
HellenisticHellenistic civilization represents the zenith of Greek influence in the ancient world from 323 BC to about 146 BC ; note, however that Koine Greek language and Hellenistic philosophy and religion are also indisputably elements of the Roman era till Late Antiquity...
center in Egypt, and to be the link between
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
and the rich
Nile ValleyThe Nile is a major north-flowing river in Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world....
. An Egyptian townlet,
RhakotisRhacotis, Egyptian Râ-Kedet, was the original name of the city of Alexandria on the northern coast of Egypt, before it was renamed by Alexander the Great...
, already existed on the shore, was a resort filled with fishermen and pirates, and later gave its name to Alexandria in the
Egyptian languageEgyptian is the indigenous language of Egypt and a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. Written records of the Egyptian language have been dated from about 3400 BCE, making it one of the oldest recorded languages known. Egyptian was spoken until the late 17th century CE in the form of Coptic...
(Egypt.
Ra'qedyet). A few months after the foundation, Alexander left Egypt for the East and never returned to his city. After Alexander departed, his viceroy,
CleomenesCleomenes , a Greek of Naucratis in Egypt, was appointed by Alexander III of Macedon as nomarch of the Arabian district of Egypt and receiver of the tributes from all the districts of Egypt and the neighbouring part of Africa...
, continued the expansion. Following a struggle with the other successors of Alexander, his general
PtolemyPtolemy I Soter I was a Macedonian Greek general under Alexander the Great who became ruler of Egypt and founder of both the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the Ptolemaic Dynasty...
succeeded in bringing Alexander's body to Alexandria.
Though Cleomenes was mainly in charge of seeing to Alexandria's continuous development, the
Heptastadion and the mainland quarters seem to have been primarily Ptolemaic work. Inheriting the trade of ruined Tyre and becoming the center of the new commerce between Europe and the
ArabiaThe Arabian Peninsula , Arabia, Arabistan, and the Arabian subcontinent is a peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia...
n and
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
n East, the city grew in less than a generation to be larger than
CarthageCarthage refers both to an ancient city in present-day Tunisia, and a modern-day suburb of Tunis. The civilization that developed within the city's sphere of influence is referred to as Punic or Carthaginian...
. In a century, Alexandria had become the largest city in the world and for some centuries more, was second only to
RomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated municipality , with over 2.7 million residents in , while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 3.46 million. The metropolitan area of Rome is estimated by OECD to have a population of 3.7 million...
. It became the main Greek city of Egypt, with an extraordinary mix of
GreeksThe Greeks , also known as Hellenes, are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in diaspora communities around the world....
from many cities and backgrounds.
Alexandria was not only a center of
HellenismThe Hellenistic period describes the era which followed the conquests of Alexander the Great. During this time, Greek cultural influence and power was at its zenith in Europe and Asia. It is often considered a period of transition, sometimes even of decline or decadence, between the brilliance of...
but was also home to the largest
JewThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
ish community in the world. The
SeptuagintThe Septuagint , or simply "LXX", referred to in critical works by the abbreviation ...
, a
GreekGreek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
translation of the
Hebrew BibleThe Hebrew Bible is a term referring to the books of the Jewish Bible as originally written mostly in Biblical Hebrew with some Biblical Aramaic...
, was produced there. The early Ptolemies kept it in order and fostered the development of its museum into the leading Hellenistic center of learning (
Library of AlexandriaThe Royal Library of Alexandria, or Ancient Library of Alexandria, in Alexandria, Egypt, was probably the largest, and certainly the most famous, of the libraries of the ancient world...
) but were careful to maintain the distinction of its population's three largest ethnicities:
GreekThe Greeks , also known as Hellenes, are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in diaspora communities around the world....
,
JewThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
ish, and
EgyptianEgyptians is the name of the nationality and Mediterranean North African ethnic group native to Egypt....
.[…] A reading of Alexandrian poetry might easily give the impression that Egyptians did not exist at all; indeed Egypt itself is hardly mentioned except for the Nile and the Nile flood, […] This omission of the Egypt and Egyptians from poetry masks a fundamental insecurity. It is no coincidence that one of the few poetic references to Egyptians presents them as muggers.}} From this division arose much of the later turbulence, which began to manifest itself under
Ptolemy PhilopaterPtolemy IV Philopator , son of Ptolemy III and Berenice II of Egypt was the fourth Pharaoh of the Ptolemaic Egypt...
who reigned from 221–204 BC. The reign of
Ptolemy VIII PhysconPtolemy VIII Euergetes II , nicknamed , Phúskōn, Physcon for his obesity, was a king of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt...
from 144–116 BC was marked by purges and civil warfare.
The city passed formally under Roman jurisdiction in 80 BC, according to the will of
Ptolemy AlexanderPtolemy X Alexander I was King of Egypt from 110 BC to 109 BC and 107 BC till 88 BC.He was the son of Ptolemy VIII Physcon and Cleopatra III. In 110 BC he became King with his mother as co-regent, after his mother had deposed his brother Ptolemy IX Lathyros. However, in 109 BC he was deposed by...
but only after it had been under Roman influence for more than a hundred years. It was captured by
Julius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar , , was a Roman military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
in 47 BC during a Roman intervention in the domestic civil war between king
Ptolemy XIIIPtolemy XIII Theos Philopator was one of the last members of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt.- Co-ruler of Egypt, inner turmoil :...
and his advisors, and usurper queen Cleopatra VII. It was finally captured by
OctavianGaius Julius Caesar Augustus was the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in AD 14.
[These are the contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian after 45 BC...]
, future
emperorAn emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress is the female equivalent. As a title, "empress" may indicate the wife of an emperor or a woman who rules in her own right...
AugustusGaius Julius Caesar Augustus was the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in AD 14.
[These are the contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian after 45 BC...]
on August 1, 30 BC, with the name of the month later being changed to
august to commemorate his victory.
In 115 AD, vast parts of Alexandria were destroyed during the Greek-Jewish civil wars which gave
HadrianPublius Aelius Hadrianus was emperor of Rome from AD 117 to 138, as well as a Stoic and Epicurean philosopher...
and his architect, Decriannus, an opportunity to rebuild it. In 215 AD the
emperorThe Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office: Latin titles such as imperator , augustus, caesar and princeps were all associated with it...
CaracallaCaracalla , born Lucius Septimius Bassianus and later called Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus, was the eldest son of Septimius Severus and Roman Emperor from 211 to 217. He was one of the most nefarious of Roman emperors...
visited the city and, because of some insulting
satireSatire is often strictly defined as a literary genre or form; although in practice it is also found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, or other methods,...
s that the inhabitants had directed at him, abruptly commanded his troops to
put to deathCapital punishment or the death penalty, is the execution of a person by judicial process as a punishment for an offense. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences....
all youths capable of bearing arms. On 21 July 365, Alexandria was devastated by a
tsunamiA is a series of water waves that is caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, such as an ocean. The original Japanese term literally translates as "harbor wave." Tsunamis are a frequent occurrence in Japan; approximately 195 events have been recorded...
(
365 Crete earthquakeThe 365 AD Crete earthquake was an undersea earthquake that occurred at about sunrise on 21 July 365 AD in the Eastern Mediterranean, with an assumed epicentre near Crete. Geologists today estimate the quake to have been 8 on the Richter Scale or higher, causing widespread destruction in central...
), an event two hundred years later still annually commemorated as "day of horror". In the late 4th century, persecution of
pagansPaganism is a word with several different meanings.In its broadest definition, pagan denotes all non-Abrahamic religions, that is to say it denotes all religions other than Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.Other usages are:*Paganism may mean Polytheism: The group so defined includes most of the...
by newly Christian Romans had reached new levels of intensity. In 391, the Patriarch Theophilus destroyed all pagan temples in Alexandria under orders from Emperor
Theodosius IFlavius Theodosius , also called Theodosius I and Theodosius the Great , was Roman Emperor from 379 to 395. Reuniting the eastern and western portions of the empire, Theodosius was the last emperor of both the Eastern and Western Roman Empire...
. The Brucheum and Jewish quarters were desolate in the
5th centuryThe 5th century is the period from 401 to 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in Anno Domini/Common Era.-Overview:This century is noted for being a time of repeated disaster and instability both internally and externally for the Western Roman Empire, which finally unravelled, and came to an...
. On the mainland, life seemed to have centered in the vicinity of the
Serapeum and
Caesareum, both which became
Christian churchesChristian Church and church Christian Church and church Christian Church and church (Greek kyriakon, "thing belonging to the Lord"; also ekklesia (Latinized as ecclesia, "assembly") are used to denote both a Christian association of people and a place of worship. In the phenomenological sense there...
. The
PharosPharos may refer to:Lighthouses:* The Pharos of Alexandria, a tower built on the island of Pharos that became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World* The Pharos, either of two Roman lighthouses built at Dubris...
and
Heptastadium quarters, however, remained populous and were left intact.
In 619, Alexandria
fellBetween 618 and 621 AD, the Sassanid Persian army defeated the East Roman forces in Egypt and occupied the province. The fall of Alexandria, the capital of Roman Egypt, marked the first and most important stage in the Sassanid campaign to conquer this rich province, which eventually fell...
to the
Sassanid PersiansThe Sassanid Empire or Sasanian Empire, known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr, was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty who reigned from 224 to 651 CE...
. Although the
Byzantine Emperor HeracliusFlavius Heraclius was a Byzantine Emperor of Armenian origin, who ruled the Eastern Roman Empire for over thirty years, from October 5, 610 to February 11, 641...
recovered it in 629, in 641 the
ArabArab people or Arabs are an ethnic group whose members identify along linguistic, cultural or genealogical grounds...
s under the general Amr ibn al-As,
captured itAt the commencement of the Muslim conquest of Egypt, Egypt was part of the Byzantine Empire with its capital in Constantinople. However, it had been occupied just a decade before by the Persian Empire under Khosrau II...
after a siege that lasted fourteen months. Alexandria figured prominently in the
military operationThis article describes three distinct, but related terms: military operations, Operations as military events, and operational level of war.-Military operations:...
s of
NapoleonNapoleon Bonaparte later known as Napoleon I, and previously Napoleone di Buonaparte, was a military and political leader of France whose actions shaped European politics in the early 19th century.Born in Corsica and trained as an artillery officer in mainland France, Bonaparte rose to prominence...
's expedition to Egypt in 1798. French troops stormed the city on July 2, 1798 and it remained in their hands until the arrival of the British expedition in 1801. The British won a considerable victory over the French at the
Battle of AlexandriaThe Battle of Alexandria or Battle of Canope, fought on March 21, 1801 between the French army under General Menou and the British expeditionary corps under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, took place near the ruins of Nicopolis, on the narrow spit of land between the sea and Lake Abukir, along which the...
on March 21, 1801, following which they besieged the city which fell to them on 2 September 1801. Mohammed Ali, the Ottoman Governor of Egypt, began rebuilding the city around 1810, and by 1850, Alexandria had returned to something akin to its former glory. In July 1882 the city came under bombardment from
British naval forcesThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
and was occupied. In July 1954, the city was a target of an Israeli bombing campaign that later became known as the
Lavon AffairThe Lavon Affair refers to the scandal over a failed Israeli covert operation in Egypt known as Operation Susannah, in which Israeli military intelligence planted bombs in Egyptian, American and British-owned targets in Egypt in the summer of 1954 in the hopes that "the Muslim Brotherhood, the...
. Only a few months later, Alexandria's Mansheyya Square was the site of a failed
assassination attemptAn Assassination is the targeted killing of a public figure.Assassinations may be prompted by ideological, political, or military reasons. Additionally, assassins may be motivated by financial gain, revenge, personal public recognition, or mental illness....
on
Gamal Abdel NasserGamal Abdel Nasser was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death in 1970. He led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, which removed King Farouk I and heralded a new period of industrialization in Egypt, together with a profound advancement of Arab nationalism, including a short-lived...
.
The most important battles and sieges of Alexandria include:
- Siege of Alexandria (47 BC)
The Siege of Alexandria was a series of skirmishes and battles occurring between the forces of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra VII and Ptolemy XIII between 48 and 47 BC...
, Caesar's civil war
- Battle of Alexandria (30 BC)
The Battle of Alexandria was fought on July 31, 30 BC between the forces of Octavian and Mark Antony during the Final War of the Roman Republic. Although Antony's side was plagued by desertions, he still managed to narrowly win the battle. The desertions continued, however, and, in early August,...
, Final War of the Roman Republic
- Siege of Alexandria (619)
Between 618 and 621 AD, the Sassanid Persian army defeated the East Roman forces in Egypt and occupied the province. The fall of Alexandria, the capital of Roman Egypt, marked the first and most important stage in the Sassanid campaign to conquer this rich province, which eventually fell...
, Byzantine-Persian Wars
- Battle of Alexandria
The Battle of Alexandria or Battle of Canope, fought on March 21, 1801 between the French army under General Menou and the British expeditionary corps under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, took place near the ruins of Nicopolis, on the narrow spit of land between the sea and Lake Abukir, along which the...
, French Revolutionary Wars
- Siege of Alexandria (1801), French Revolutionary Wars
- Alexandria expedition of 1807, French Revolutionary Wars
Climate
Alexandria has an semi arid
Mediterranean climateA hi Mediterranean climate resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes most of the area with this climate type worldwide...
/ Subtropical characterized by mild, variably rainy winters and hot, dry summers. January and February are the coolest months with daily maximum temperatures typically ranging from 12°C (53°F) to 18°C (64°F). Alexandria experiences
violent stormsSevere weather phenomena are weather conditions that are hazardous to human life and property.- Examples Include :Severe weather can occur under a variety of situations, but three characteristics are generally needed: a temperature or moisture boundary, moisture, and , instability in the...
, rain and sometimes hail during the cooler months. July and August are the hottest and most humid months of the year with an average daily maximum temperature of 30°C (87°F). Autumn and spring are the ideal seasons to visit Alexandria, with temperatures averaging about 22°C (71°F).
Layout of the ancient city
Greek Alexandria was divided into three regions:
Brucheum
- the Royal or Greek quarter, forming the most magnificent portion of the city. In Roman times Brucheum was enlarged by the addition of an official quarter, making four regions in all. The city was laid out as a grid of parallel streets, each of which had an attendant subterranean canal;
The Jewish quarter
- forming the northeast portion of the city;
Rhakotis
- occupied chiefly by Egyptians (from Coptic
Coptic or Coptic Egyptian is the final stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the seventeenth century. Egyptian began to be written using the Greek alphabet in the first century...
Rakotə "Alexandria").
Two main streets, lined with
colonnadeIn classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, as in the famous elliptically curving colonnades that Bernini added to the façade of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, which embrace and define the Piazza...
s and said to have been each about
60 metres60 metres is a sprint event in track and field athletics. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes...
(200 feet) wide, intersected in the center of the city, close to the point where the Sema (or Soma) of Alexander (his
MausoleumA mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
) rose. This point is very near the present
mosqueA mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. Muslims often refer to the mosque by its Arabic name, masjid, —...
of Nebi Daniel; and the line of the great East–West "Canopic" street, only slightly diverged from that of the modern Boulevard de Rosette (now Sharia Fouad). Traces of its pavement and canal have been found near the Rosetta Gate, but remnants of streets and canals were exposed in 1899 by
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
excavators outside the east fortifications, which lie well within the area of the ancient city.
Alexandria consisted originally of little more than the island of Pharos, which was joined to the mainland by a
moleA mole is a massive structure, usually of stone, used as a pier, breakwater, or junction between places separated by water.Historically, the term "mole" was used in the San Francisco Bay Area in California to refer to the combined structure of a causeway and wooden pier or trestle extending out...
nearly a mile long (1260 m) and called the
Heptastadion ("seven stadia" — a
stadiumA modern stadium is a place, or venue, for outdoor sports, concerts or other events, consisting of a field or stage partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.-History of the stadium:The word originates from the Greek word...
was a Greek
unit of lengthMany different units of length have been used across the world. The main units in modern use are U.S. customary units in the United States and the Metric system elsewhere. British Imperial units are still used for some purposes in the United Kingdom and some other countries...
measuring approximately 180 m). The end of this abutted on the land at the head of the present Grand Square, where the "Moon Gate" rose. All that now lies between that point and the modern "Ras al-Tiin" quarter is built on the silt which gradually widened and obliterated this mole. The "Ras al-Tiin" quarter represents all that is left of the island of Pharos, the site of the actual lighthouse having been weathered away by the sea. On the east of the mole was the Great Harbor, now an open bay; on the west lay the port of Eunostos, with its inner basin Kibotos, now vastly enlarged to form the modern harbor.
In
StraboStrabo was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born in a wealthy family from Amaseia in Pontus , which had recently become part of the Roman Empire.. He studied under various geographers and philosophers; first in Nysa, later in Rome...
's time, (latter half of
1st century BCThe 1st century BC, also known as the last century BC or 1st century BCE started on the first day of 100 BC and ended on the last day of 1 BC.It is considered part of the Classical era, epoch, or historical period...
) the principal buildings were as follows, enumerated as they were to be seen from a ship entering the Great Harbor.
- The Royal Palaces
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome...
, filling the northeast angle of the town and occupying the promontory of Lochias, which shut in the Great Harbor on the east. Lochias (the modern Pharillon) has almost entirely disappeared into the sea, together with the palaces, the "Private Port," and the island of Antirrhodus. There has been a land subsidenceSubsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
here, as throughout the northeast coast of Africa.
- The Great Theater, on the modern Hospital Hill near the Ramleh station. This was used by Caesar as a fortress, where he withstood a siege from the city mob after the battle of Pharsalus
The Battle of Pharsalus was a decisive battle of Caesar's Civil War. On 9 August 48 BC, the battle was fought at Pharsalus in central Greece between forces of the Populares faction and forces of the Optimates faction. Both factions fielded armies from the Roman Republic...
- The Poseidon
In Greek mythology, Poseidon was the god of the sea and, as "Earth-Shaker," of earthquakes. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
, or TempleGreek temples were structures built to house deity statues within Greek sanctuaries in Greek paganism. The temples themselves did usually not directly serve a cult purpose, since the sacrifices and rituals dedicated to the respective deity took place outside them...
of the Sea GodIn Greek mythology, Poseidon was the god of the sea and, as "Earth-Shaker," of earthquakes. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
, close to the TheatreTheatre is a branch of the performing arts. While any performance may be considered theatre, as a performing art, it focuses almost exclusively on live performers creating a self contained drama. A performance qualifies as dramatic by creating a representational illusion...
- The Timonium built by Marc Antony
- The Emporium (Exchange)
- The Apostases (Magazines)
- The Navalia (Docks), lying west of the Timonium, along the seafront as far as the mole
- Behind the Emporium rose the Great Caesareum, by which stood the two great obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, narrow, four-sided, tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top...
s, which become known as “Cleopatra's NeedleCleopatra's Needle is the popular name for each of three Ancient Egyptian obelisks re-erected in London, Paris, and New York City during the nineteenth century. The London and New York ones are a pair, while the Paris one comes from a different original site where its twin remains...
s”, and were transported to New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
and London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
. This temple became, in time, the Patriarchal Church, though some ancient remains of the temple have been discovered. The actual Caesareum, the parts not eroded by the waves, lies under the houses lining the new seawall.
- The Gymnasium
The gymnasium in ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games. It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits. The name comes from the Greek term gymnos meaning naked. Athletes competed in the nude, a practice said to encourage...
and the PalaestraThe palaestra was the ancient Greek wrestling school. The events that did not require a lot of space, such as boxing and wrestling, were practiced there. The palaestra functioned both independently and as a part of public gymnasia...
are both inland, near the Boulevard de Rosette in the eastern half of the town; sites unknown.
- The Temple of Saturn
Saturn was a major Roman god of agriculture and harvest. In medieval times he was known as the Roman god of agriculture, justice and strength; he held a sickle in his left hand and a bundle of wheat in his right. His mother's name was Helen, or Hel...
; site unknown.
- The Mausolea of Alexander (Soma) and the Ptolemies in one ring-fence, near the point of intersection of the two main streets.
- The Musaeum
The Musaeum or Mouseion at Alexandria , which included the famous Library of Alexandria, was an institution apparently founded by Ptolemy I Soter or, perhaps more likely, Ptolemy II Philadelphus at ancient Alexandria in Egypt which remained supported by the patronage of the royal family of the...
with its famous LibraryThe Royal Library of Alexandria, or Ancient Library of Alexandria, in Alexandria, Egypt, was probably the largest, and certainly the most famous, of the libraries of the ancient world...
and theater in the same region; site unknown.
- The Serapeum
A Serapeum is a temple or other religious institution dedicated to the syncretic Hellenistic-Egyptian god Serapis, who combined aspects of Osiris and Apis in a humanized form that was palatable to the Ptolemaic Greeks of Alexandria...
, the most famous of all Alexandrian temples. Strabo tells us that this stood in the west of the city; and recent discoveries go far as to place it near “Pompey's Pillar” which was an independent monument erected to commemorate DiocletianGaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus , born Diocles and commonly known as Diocletian , was Roman Emperor from 20 November 284 to 1 May 305. Born to a Dalmatian family of low status, he rose through the ranks of the military to become cavalry commander to the emperor Carus...
's siege of the city.
The names of a few other public buildings on the mainland are known, but there is little information as to their actual position. None, however, are as famous as the building that stood on the eastern point of Pharos island. There, the
The Great LighthouseWith a height it was identified as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Antipater of Sidon. It may have been the third tallest building after the two Great Pyramids for its entire life.-History:...
, one of the
Seven Wonders of the WorldVarious lists of the Wonders of the World have been compiled over the ages to catalogue the most spectacular man-made constructions and natural things in the world....
, reputed to be 138 meters (450 ft) high, was sited. The first
PtolemyClaudius Ptolemaeus , known in English as Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Greek ancestry. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer and a poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under the Roman Empire, and is believed to have been born in the town of...
began the project, and the second Ptolemy completed it, at a total cost of 800 talents. It took 12 years to complete and served as a
prototypeA prototype is an original type, form, or instance of something serving as a typical example, basis, or standard for other things of the same category...
for all later
lighthouseA lighthouse is a tower, building, or framework designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire and used as an aid to navigation and to pilots at sea....
s in the world. The light was produced by a furnace at the top and the tower was built mostly with solid blocks of limestone. The Pharos lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake in the
14th centuryAs a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was the century which lasted from 1301 to 1400.-Events:* The transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age...
, making it the second longest surviving ancient wonder next to the
Great Pyramid of GizaThe Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now Cairo, Egypt, and is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that survives substantially intact...
. A temple of
HephaestusHephaestus was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. He was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes. Like other mythic smiths but unlike most other gods, Hephaestus was lame, which gave him a grotesque appearance in Greek...
also stood on Pharos at the head of the mole.
In the
first centuryThe 1st century was the century that lasted from 1 to 100 according the Julian calendar. It is considered part of the Classical era, epoch, or historical period...
, the population of Alexandria contained over 180,000 adult male citizens (from a papyrus dated 32 CE), in addition to a large number of freedmen, women, children, and slaves. Estimates of the total population range from 500,000 to over 1,000,000, making it one of the largest cities ever built before the
Industrial RevolutionThe Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and transport had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions in the United Kingdom. The changes subsequently spread throughout Europe, North...
and the largest pre-industrial city that was not an imperial capital.
Ancient remains
Very little of the ancient city has survived into the present day. Much of the royal and civic quarters sank beneath the harbor due to
earthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes are recorded with a seismometer, also known as a seismograph...
subsidenceSubsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
, and the rest has been built over in modern times.
"Pompey's Pillar" is the best-known
ancient monumentAn ancient monument is an early historical structure or monument worthy of preservation and study due to archaeological or heritage interest. In the United Kingdom it is a legal term, differing from the American term National Monument in being far more numerous and always man-made...
still standing today. It is located on Alexandria's ancient
acropolisAcropolis literally means city on the edge . In Greek, Acropolis means "Highest City". For purposes of defense, early settlers naturally chose elevated ground, frequently a hill with precipitous sides...
— a modest hill located adjacent to the city's Arab
cemeteryA cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term cemetery implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are the place where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
— and was originally part of a temple colonnade. Including its
pedestalPedestal is a term generally applied to the support of a statue or a vase....
, it is 30 m (99 ft) high; the shaft is of polished red granite, 2.7 meters in diameter at the base, tapering to 2.4 meters at the top. The shaft is 88 feet high made out of a single piece of granite. This would be 132
cubic metersThe cubic metre is the SI derived unit of volume. It is the volume of a cube with edges one metre in length. An alternative name, which allowed a different usage with metric prefixes, was the stère...
or approximately 396 tons. Pompey's Pillar may have been erected using the same methods that were used to erect the ancient
obeliskAn obelisk is a tall, narrow, four-sided, tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top...
s.
The RomansAncient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
had cranes but they weren't strong enough to lift something this heavy. Roger Hopkins and Mark Lehrner conducted several obelisk erecting experiments including a successful attempt to erect a 25 ton obelisk in 1999. This followed two experiments to erect smaller obelisks and two failed attempts to erect a 25 ton obelisk. The structure was plundered and demolished in the 4th century when a bishop decreed that Paganism must be eradicated. "Pompey's Pillar" is a
misnomerA misnomer is a term which suggests an interpretation that is known to be untrue. Such incorrect terms sometimes derived their names because of the form, action, or origin of the subject becoming named popularly or widely referenced—long before their true natures were known.- Sources of misnomers...
, as it has nothing to do with
PompeyGnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey /'pɑmpi/, Pompey the Great or Pompey the Triumvir , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
, having been erected in 293 for
DiocletianGaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus , born Diocles and commonly known as Diocletian , was Roman Emperor from 20 November 284 to 1 May 305. Born to a Dalmatian family of low status, he rose through the ranks of the military to become cavalry commander to the emperor Carus...
, possibly in memory of the rebellion of
Domitius DomitianusLucius Domitius Domitianus was a Roman usurper against Diocletian, who seized power for a short time in Aegyptus.Domitianus revolted against Diocletian in, but died in December of the same year, when Diocletian went to Aegyptus to quell with the revolt. Numismatic and papyrological evidence support...
. Beneath the acropolis itself are the subterranean remains of the Serapeum, where the mysteries of the god
SerapisSerapis was a syncretic Hellenistic-Egyptian god in Antiquity. His most renowned temple was the Serapeum of Alexandria. Under Ptolemy Soter, efforts were made to integrate Egyptian religion with that of their Hellenic rulers...
were enacted, and whose carved wall niches are believed to have provided overflow storage space for the ancient Library.
Alexandria's
catacombsCatacombs are ancient, human-made underground passageways or subterranean cemeteries composed thereof. Many are under cities and have served during historic times as a refuge for safety during wars or as a meeting place for cults. The first burial galleries to be referred to as catacombs lie...
, known as
Kom al-Soqqafa, are a short distance southwest of the pillar, consist of a multi-level labyrinth, reached via a large
spiral staircaseSpiral staircase can refer to:* A type of stairway characterized by its spiral shape.* Spiral Starecase, a 1960's music group* The Spiral Staircase, a 1946 film* The Spiral Staircase , a remake of the 1946 film...
, and featuring dozens of chambers adorned with sculpted pillars, statues, and other
syncreticSyncretism is the attempt to reconcile disparate or contrary beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. This may involve attempts to merge and analogise several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, and thus assert an...
Romano-Egyptian
religious symbolsReligious symbolism is the use of symbols, including archetypes, acts, artwork, events, or natural phenomena, by a religion. Religions view religious texts, rituals, and works of art as symbols of compelling ideas or ideals...
, burial niches and
sarcophagiA sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos the word came to refer...
, as well as a large Roman-style banquet room, where memorial meals were conducted by relatives of the deceased. The catacombs were long forgotten by the citizens until they were discovered by accident in the 1800s.
The most extensive ancient excavation currently being conducted in Alexandria is known as
Kom al-Dikka, and it has revealed the ancient city's well-preserved theater, and the remains of its
Roman-era bathsThe Roman Baths complex is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath. The complex is a well-preserved Roman site for public bathing....
.
Antiquities
Persistent efforts have been made to explore the antiquities of Alexandria. Encouragement and help have been given by the local
ArchaeologicalArchaeology or archeology is the science that studies human cultures through the recovery, documentation, analysis, and interpretation of material culture and environmental data, including architecture, artifacts, biofacts, and landscapes...
Society, and by many individuals, notably Greeks proud of a city which is one of the glories of their national history.
The past and present directors of the museum have been enabled from time to time to carry out systematic excavations whenever opportunity is offered;
D. G. HogarthDavid George Hogarth was a British archaeologist and scholar associated with T. E...
made tentative researches on behalf of the
Egypt Exploration FundThe Egypt Exploration Society is the foremost learned society in the United Kingdom promoting the field of Egyptology....
and the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies in 1895; and a German expedition worked for two years (1898–1899). But two difficulties face the would-be excavator in Alexandria: lack of space for excavation and the underwater location of some areas of interest.
Since the great and growing modern city stands immediately over the ancient one, it is almost impossible to find any considerable space in which to dig, except at enormous cost. Also, the general
subsidenceSubsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
of the coast has submerged the lower-lying parts of the ancient town under water. This underwater section, containing many of the most interesting sections of the Hellenistic city, including the palace quarter, is still being extensively investigated by the French underwater archaeologist
Franck Goddio and his
teamUnderwater archaeology is the study of past human life, behaviours and cultures using the physical remains found in salt or fresh water or buried beneath water-logged sediment. It is most often considered as a branch of maritime archaeology...
. It raised a noted head of
CaesarionPtolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar, nicknamed Caesarion Greek: Πτολεμαῖος ΙΕʹ Φιλοπάτωρ Φιλομήτωρ Καῖσαρ, Καισαρίων, Ptolemaĩos Philopátōr Philomḗtōr Kaĩsar, Kaisaríōn was the last king of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, who reigned, as a child, jointly with his mother Cleopatra VII of Egypt...
. These are being opened up to tourists, to some controversy. The spaces that are most open are the low grounds to northeast and southwest, where it is practically impossible to get below the Roman
strataIn geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguishes it from contiguous layers. Each layer is generally one of a number of parallel layers that lie one upon another, laid down by natural forces. They may extend over...
.
The most important results were those achieved by Dr. G. Botti, late director of the museum, in the neighborhood of “Pompey's Pillar”, where there is a good deal of open ground. Here substructures of a large building or group of buildings have been exposed, which are perhaps part of the Serapeum. Nearby, immense
catacombsCatacombs are ancient, human-made underground passageways or subterranean cemeteries composed thereof. Many are under cities and have served during historic times as a refuge for safety during wars or as a meeting place for cults. The first burial galleries to be referred to as catacombs lie...
and
columbaria have been opened which may have been appendages of the temple. These contain one very remarkable vault with curious painted reliefs, now artificially lit and open to visitors.
The objects found in these researches are in the museum, the most notable being a great basalt bull, probably once an object of cult in the Serapeum. Other catacombs and tombs have been opened in Kom al-Shoqqafa (Roman) and Ras al-Tiin (painted).
The German excavation team found remains of a Ptolemaic colonnade and streets in the north-east of the city, but little else. Hogarth explored part of an immense brick structure under the mound of
Kom al-Dikka, which may have been part of the Paneum, the Mausolea, or a Roman fortress.
The making of the new foreshore led to the dredging up of remains of the Patriarchal Church; and the foundations of modern buildings are seldom laid without some objects of antiquity being discovered. The wealth underground is doubtlessly immense; but despite all efforts, there is not much for antiquarians to see in Alexandria outside the museum and the neighborhood of “Pompey's Pillar”. The native tomb-robbers, well-sinkers, dredgers, and the like, however, come upon valuable objects from time to time, most of which find their way into private collections.
Districts
Modern Alexandria is divided into six districts:
- al-Montaza
Montaza is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. It is distinguished by its beautiful gardens and royal palaces...
District: population 1,190,287
- Sharak (Eastern Alexandria District: population 985,786
- Wassat (Middle Alexandria) District: population 520,450
- al-Amriya District: population 845,845
- Agamy (Western Alexandria) District: population 386,374
- al-Gomrok District: population 145,558
There are also two cities under the jurisdiction of the Alexandria governorate forming
metropolitanA metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence, or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central cities and their zone of influence...
Alexandria:
- Borg Al-Arab
Borg El Arab is an industrial city and resort in Alexandria, Egypt. It is located about 45 kilometers south-west Alexandria city centre and some seven kilometers from the Mediterranean coast. North of the Borg El Arab city is King Mayriott resort and Lake Idku. The city has an airport, Borg El...
city: population 186,900
- New Borg Al-Arab city: population 7,600
Neighbourhoods
Agami, Amreya,
AnfoushiAnfoushi is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. It is considered one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and home to lots of old landmarks, and some clubs.Landmarks in Anfoushi include:* Abu el-Abbas el-Mursi Mosque* Citadel of Qaitbay...
, Assafra, Attarine, Azarita (aka
Mazarita; originally
Lazarette), Bab Sidra, Bahari, Bacchus,
BolklyBolkly , is a neighbourhood in Alexandria, Egypt. In speech, the name has been modified over generations into a more pronounceable one for the local tongue: "Bokla"...
(Bokla), Burg el-Arab, Camp Shezar, Cleopatra, Dekheila,
DowntownDowntown is a popular neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. Home to many popular shops and craftsmen.-See also:* Neighborhoods in Alexandria...
,
Eastern HarbourThe Port of Alexandria is on the West Verge of the Nile Delta between the Mediterranean Sea and Mariut Lake in Alexandria, Egypt. Considered the second most important city and the main port in Egypt, it handles over three quarters of Egypt’s foreign trade. Alexandria port consists of two harbours ...
, Fleming, Gabbari (aka:
Qabbari,
Qubbary,
Kabbary), Gianaclis, Glym (short for
Glymenopoulos), Gumrok (aka
al-Gomrok), Hadara, Ibrahimeya, King Mariout, Kafr Abdu, Karmous, also known as
Karmouz, Kom el-Dik (aka
Kom el-Dekka),
LabbanLabban is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. It lies next to the Western Harbor, and was home to the two female serial killers Raya and Sakina....
, Laurent, Louran,
Maamoura BeachMaamoura Beach is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. It is located east of Montaza's royal gardens, and administrated by both the Governorate of Alexandria and the Maamoura Housing and Construction company...
, Maamoura, Mafrouza, Mandara, Manshiyya, Mex, Miami,
MontazaMontaza is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. It is distinguished by its beautiful gardens and royal palaces...
, Muharram Bey,
Mustafa KamelMuṣṭafā Kāmil Pasha was an Egyptian journalist and political figure. The son of an Egyptian army officer, Mustafa Kamil was trained as a lawyer at the French law school in Cairo and the Law Faculty at the University of Toulouse in France...
, Ramleh (aka
el-Raml), Ras el-Tin, Rushdy, Saba Pasha , San Stefano, Shatby, Schutz, Sidi Bishr, Sidi Gaber, Smouha,
SportingSporting is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. Most famous for the club there, "Alexandria Sporting Club"....
,
StanleyStanley is a very important highlight in Egypt's physical beauty. The bridge provides a much more sociable path between the various sections of Alexandria. The bridge withholds an inner beauty with its artistic details and fine craftsmanship. The bridge harbors the beautiful Mediterranean Sea,...
, Syouf, Tharwat, Victoria, Wardeyan,
Western HarbourThe Port of Alexandria is on the West Verge of the Nile Delta between the Mediterranean Sea and Mariut Lake in Alexandria, Egypt. Considered the second most important city and the main port in Egypt, it handles over three quarters of Egypt’s foreign trade. Alexandria port consists of two harbours ...
and Zizinia.
Squares
- (Ahmed) Orabi Square(Mansheya Square), in Downtown
Downtown is a popular neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. Home to many popular shops and craftsmen.-See also:* Neighborhoods in Alexandria...
- Saad Zaghlul Square, in Downtown
Downtown is a popular neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. Home to many popular shops and craftsmen.-See also:* Neighborhoods in Alexandria...
- Tahrir Square (formerly Mohammed Ali
Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas'ud ibn Agha , Muhamed Ali Pasha in Albanian or Kavalalı Mehmet Ali Paşa in Turkish, was born 4 March in 1769 in Kavala in the Ottoman territory of Macedonia - died at Alexandria August 2, 1849, was Wāli of Egypt and Sudan, and is regarded as the "founder of modern Egypt"...
Square, originally Place des Consuls), in DowntownDowntown is a popular neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. Home to many popular shops and craftsmen.-See also:* Neighborhoods in Alexandria...
- Ahmed Zewail
Ahmed Hassan Zewail is an Egyptian-American scientist, and the winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on femtochemistry. He is the Linus Pauling Chair Professor Chemistry and Professor of Physics at the California Institute of Technology. Dr...
Square, near Wabour El Mayah
Palaces
- Montaza Palace
Montaza Palace was one of the palaces of the former Egyptian royal family located in Alexandria, Egypt. It was built in 1892 by Abbas Hilmi Pasha, the last khedive of Egypt.-Location:...
, in MontazaMontaza is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. It is distinguished by its beautiful gardens and royal palaces...
- Ras el-Tin Palace, in Ras el-Tin
- Presidential Palace, in Maamoura
Recreational
- Montaza Royal Gardens
- Antoniades Park
- Shallalat Gardens
Shallalat Gardens is the name of ancient garden located in Alexandria, Egypt. Shallalat Gardens occupy a big area of Al Shatby neighborhood.Parts of the ancient Alexandria Wall are still present at the gardens uptil now.- See also :...
- Alexandria Zoo
The zoo in Alexandria is the second largest zoo in Egypt, after the Giza Zoo in Cairo. Despite having numerous rare and endangered species on display, the zoo does not effectively educate its visitors; its main priority is leisure....
- Green Plaza
- Fantazy Land
- Maamoura Beach, Alexandria
Maamoura Beach is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. It is located east of Montaza's royal gardens, and administrated by both the Governorate of Alexandria and the Maamoura Housing and Construction company...
- Marina Village
Marina, also Marina El Alamein is a tourist village located on the northern coast of Egypt, with a 11 km long beach. It is about 300 km away from Cairo. Marina Village is often recognized by Egyptians as an area which caters to the elite of Egypt. The village is a gated community only accessible...
Christianity
After
RomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated municipality , with over 2.7 million residents in , while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat to be 3.46 million. The metropolitan area of Rome is estimated by OECD to have a population of 3.7 million...
, Alexandria was considered the major seat of
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
in the world. The Pope of Alexandria was the second
among equals, second only to the bishop of Rome, the capital of the
Roman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor,...
until 430. The
Church of AlexandriaThe Church of Alexandria in Egypt is the particular church headed by the Patriarch of Alexandria. It is one of the original four Apostolic churches of Christianity, with Rome, Antioch and Jerusalem ....
had jurisdiction over the entire continent of
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
. After the
Council of ChalcedonThe Council of Chalcedon is considered by the Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, the Old Catholics, and various other Western Christian groups to have been the Fourth Ecumenical Council . It was held from 8 October to 1 November 451 at Chalcedon...
in 451 A.D., the
Church of AlexandriaThe Church of Alexandria in Egypt is the particular church headed by the Patriarch of Alexandria. It is one of the original four Apostolic churches of Christianity, with Rome, Antioch and Jerusalem ....
was split between the Miaphysites and the Melkites. The Miaphysites went on to constitute what is known today as the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. The Melkites went on the constitute what is known today as the
Greek Orthodox Church of AlexandriaThe Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, also known as the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Churches....
. In the 19th century,
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
and Protestant missionaries converted some of the adherents of the Orthodox churches to their respective faiths.
Today, the patriarchal seat of the
Pope of the Coptic Orthodox ChurchThe Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, which has about 16 million members worldwide, including about 12 million in Egypt...
is
Saint Mark CathedralSaint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church in Alexandria is considered a Cathedral as it is the historical seat of the Pope of Alexandria, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church since 60 AD.-Beginning:...
in Ramleh. The most important Coptic Orthodox churches in Alexandria include
Pope Cyril ISaint Cyril of Alexandria was the Pope of Alexandria when the city was at its height of influence and power within the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote extensively and was a leading protagonist in the Christological controversies of the later 4th, and 5th centuries...
Church in Cleopatra, Saint Georges Church in Sporting, Saint Mark & Pope Peter I Church in Sidi Bishr, Saint Mary Church in Assafra,Saint Mary Church in Gianaclis, Saint Mina Church in Fleming, Saint Mina Church in Mandara, and
Saint Tekle HaymanotTekle Haymanot or Takla Haymanot was an Ethiopian monk who founded a major monastery in his native province of Shewa. He is considered a saint by both the Coptic and Ethiopian Churches...
Church in Ibrahimeya.
The most important Greek Orthodox churches in Alexandria are Saint Anargyri Church, Church of the
AnnunciationThe Annunciation is, in Christianity, the revelation to Mary, the mother of Jesus by the angel Gabriel that she would conceive a child to be born the Son of God...
,
Saint Anthony-People:*Anthony of Antioch , Martyr under Diocletian. Feast day: January 9*Anthony the Great , Egyptian Christian saint and Desert Father. Feast day: January 17 or 30...
Church, Archangels Gabriel & Michael Church,
Saint CatherineSaint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is a Christian saint and martyr who is claimed to have been a noted scholar in the early 4th century. In the beginning of the fifteenth century, it was rumored that she had spoken to...
Church, Cathedral of the Dormition in Mansheya, Church of the Dormition, Prophet Elijah Church, Saint Georges Church, Church of the
Immaculate ConceptionThe Immaculate Conception is, according to Roman Catholic Dogma, the conception of the Virgin Mary without any stain of original sin. Under this aspect Mary is sometimes called the Immaculata , particularly in artistic contexts...
in Ibrahemeya,
Saint JosephSaint Joseph is known from the New Testament as the husband of Mary, mother of Jesus...
Church in Fleming,
Saint Joseph of ArimatheaJoseph of Arimathea was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion. A native of Arimathea, he was apparently a man of wealth, and probably a member of the Sanhedrin, which is the way bouleutēs, literally "counsellor", in ...
Church, Saint Mark &
Saint NectariosSaint Nectarios of Aegina , Greek: Άγιος Νεκτάριος Αιγίνης, Metropolitan of Pentapolis and Wonderworker of Aegina, was officially recognized as a Saint by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1961. His Feast Day is celebrated every year on 9 November.- Life :St. Nectarios was born on 1...
Chapel in
RamlehRamleh can refer to:*Ramla, which is a city in central Israel*Ramleh neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt*Ramleh , a UK noise rock group...
,
Saint NicholasSaint Nicholas is the common name for Nicholas of Myra, a saint and Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nicholas the Wonderworker...
Church, Saint Paraskevi Church,
Saint SavaSaint Archbishop Sava , baptised name Rastko Nemanjić was the youngest son of Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja, Eastern Orthodox monk, first archibishop of Serbian Orthodox Church, diplomat, writer, law giver and foundator of several important medieval monasteries.He is consider one of the most...
Cathedral in
RamlehRamleh can refer to:*Ramla, which is a city in central Israel*Ramleh neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt*Ramleh , a UK noise rock group...
, and
Saint TheodoreSaint Theodore of Amasea is one of the Greek military saints of the 4th century, the earlier patron saint of Venice, now outshone there by Saint Mark, but still represented atop one of the two Byzantine columns standing in the Piazzetta of the Piazza San Marco, treading upon the sacred crocodile...
Chapel. In communion with the
Greek Orthodox ChurchThe Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of the Orthodox Church, sharing a common cultural tradition and whose liturgy is traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament....
is the Russian Orthodox church of
Saint Alexander NevskySaint Alexander Nevsky was the Grand Prince of Novgorod and Vladimir during some of the most trying times in the city's history...
in Alexandria, which serves the
RussianRussian is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages, and the largest native language in Europe...
speaking community in the city.
Churches that follow the Latin Catholic rite include
Saint CatherineSaint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is a Christian saint and martyr who is claimed to have been a noted scholar in the early 4th century. In the beginning of the fifteenth century, it was rumored that she had spoken to...
Church in Mansheya and Church of the Jesuits in Cleopatra.
The Saint Mark Church in Shatby, found as part of
Collège Saint MarcCollège Saint Marc is a French Roman Catholic school in Alexandria, Egypt. The school is located in the Shatby neighborhood at downtown Alexandria....
is multi-denominational and hold liturgies according to Latin Catholic, Coptic Catholic and Coptic Orthodox rites.
Islam
Most of the citizens of Alexandria adhere to the religion of
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
. The most famous mosque in Alexandria is Abu el-Abbas el-Mursi Mosque in
AnfoushiAnfoushi is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. It is considered one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city and home to lots of old landmarks, and some clubs.Landmarks in Anfoushi include:* Abu el-Abbas el-Mursi Mosque* Citadel of Qaitbay...
. Other notable mosques in the city include
Ali ibn Abi Talib' was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661...
mosque in Somouha,
BilalBilal ibn Rabah or Bilal al-Habeshi was an Ethiopian born in Mecca in the late 6th century, sometime between 578 and 582.The Islamic prophet Muhammad chose Bilal as his muezzin, effectively making him the first official muezzin of the Islamic faith...
mosque, El-Gamee el-Bahari in Mandara, Hatem mosque in Somouha, Hoda el-Islam mosque in Sidi Bishr, El-Mowasah mosque in Hadara, Sharq el-Madina mosque in Miami, El-Shohadaa mosque in Mostafa Kamel, Qaed Ibrahim mosque, Yehia mosque in Zizinya, Sidi Gaber mosque in Sidi Gaber, and Sultan mosque.
Judaism
Alexandria's once very flourishing Jewish community is now almost extinct after Nasser expelled them from Egypt. The most important
synagogueA synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer....
in Alexandria is the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue.
Colleges and universities
Alexandria comprises a number of higher education institutions.
Alexandria UniversityAlexandria University is a university in Alexandria, Egypt. It was established in 1938 as a satellite of Fuad University , becoming an independent entity in 1942. It was known as Farouk University until the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 when its name was changed to the University of Alexandria...
is a public university that follows the Egyptian system of higher education. Many of its faculties are internationally renowned, most importantly its faculty of engineering. In addition, the
Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime TransportThe Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport is an organization specialized in Science and Technology and Maritime Transport....
is a semi-private educational institution that offers courses o both high school and undergraduate level students.
Université SenghorSenghor University is an international organization for the Francophonie. Located at "Ahmed Orabi Square", Manshiyya, al-, Alexandria, Egypt.-External links:*...
is a private
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
university that focuses on the teaching of humanities, politics and international relations, and which mainly targets students from the
AfricanAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
continent. Other institutions of higher education in Alexandria include
Alexandria Institute of Technology (AIT)Alexandria Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology is a private institute of higher education founded in 1996 and owned by "Mohamed Ragab Foundation for social Development" which is a extremely-profit organization registered under No...
and
Pharos University in AlexandriaPharos University in Alexandria جامعة فاروس بالإسكندرية is a non-governmental and profit making university in Alexandria, Egypt. It is one of only two private universities in Alexandria offering bachelor degrees of 4 and 5 years...
.
Schools
Alexandria has a very long history of foreign educational institutions. The first foreign schools date to the early 19th century, when
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
missionaries began establishing
FrenchFrench is a Romance language globally spoken by about 65 million people as a first language , by 50 million as a second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired foreign language, with significant speakers in 57 countries. Most native speakers of the language live in France,...
charitable schools to educate the Egyptians. Today, the most important French schools in Alexandria run by
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
missionaries include Collège de la Mère de Dieu, Collège Notre Dame de Sion,
Collège Saint MarcCollège Saint Marc is a French Roman Catholic school in Alexandria, Egypt. The school is located in the Shatby neighborhood at downtown Alexandria....
, Ecoles des Soeurs Franciscaines (4 different schools), Ecole Gérard, Ecole Saint Gabriel, Ecole Saint-Vincent de Paul, Ecole Sainte Catherine, and
Institution Sainte Jeanne-AntideInstitution Sainte Jeanne-Antide is a French school for girls located at 1, Rue Platon, Chatby, Alexandria, Egypt.In 1934, the sisters of Charity, known as of "Besançon", built the Holy Institution Jeanne-Antide....
. As a reaction to the establishment of French religious institutions, a secular (laic) mission established
Lycée el-HorreyaLycée Al-Horreya, Alexandria or ‘’’Lycée Liberty, Alexandria’’’ is one of the main old schools in Alexandria, Egypt.- History :...
, which initially followed a French system of education, but is currently a public school run by the Egyptian government. The only school in Alexandria that completely follows the French educational system is Ecole Champollion. It is usually frequented by the children of French expatriates and diplomats in Alexandria.
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
schools in Alexandria are fewer in number and more recently established, in comparison with the French schools. The most important English language schools in the city include Alexandria American School, British School of Alexandria, Egyptian American School, Modern American School, Sacred Heart Girls' School (SHS),
Schutz American SchoolThe Schutz American School is an independent, coeducational day school which offers an educational program from prekindergarten through grade 12 for students of all nationalities. The School was founded in 1924...
,
Victoria CollegeVictoria College, Alexandria, was founded in 1902 under the impetus of the recently ennobled Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of Cromer of the Barings Bank, that was heavily invested in Egyptian stability. For years the British Consul-General was ex officio on the board of Victoria College...
, Kaumeya Language School (KLS) ,
El Nasr Boys' SchoolEl Nasr Boys' School is a famous school in El Shatby, Alexandria, Egypt. It was founded in 1929 by the British people in Alexandria. It is one of the main old schools in the city...
(EBS), and
El Nasr Girls' CollegeEl Nasr Girls' College is a famous school in El Shatby, Alexandria, Egypt. It is one of the main old schools in the city. It includes kindergarten, primary, preparatory, and secondary sections.- History :...
(EGC). Most of these schools have been nationalized during the era of Nasser, and are currently Egyptian public schools run by the Egyptian ministry of education.
The only
GermanGerman is a West Germanic language, thus related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. It is one of the world's major languages and the most widely spoken first language in the European Union. Around the world, German is spoken by approximately 105 million native speakers and also by...
school in Alexandria is the Deutsche Schule der Borromärinnen {DSB of Saint Charles Borromé).
The most notable public schools in Alexandria include Gamal Abdel Nasser High School and
Manar English Girls SchoolEl Manar English Girls School M.E.G.S is a school in El Raml Station , Alexandria, Egypt. It was founded in 1925 as the Scottish school in Alexandria...
.
Airports
Alexandria is served by the nearby Alexandria International Airport, located 7 km to the southeast. Another airport serves Alexandria named
Borg al Arab AirportBorg El Arab Airport is an airport serving Alexandria, Egypt. It is located about southwest of Alexandria, in Borg El Arab . The airport also serves the nearby areas of the Nile Delta. In 2008, the airport served 189,064 passengers Borg El Arab Airport (Arabic:مطار برج العرب الدولي) is an...
located about 25 km away from city center. This airport has been in use since about 2003. It was a
military airportAn airbase is a military airfireld that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
before that, and until now there is a military section there.
Highways
- The International coastal road. (Alexandria - Port Said
Port Said is a northeastern Egyptian city near the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 515,007 ....
)
- The Desert road
Cairo-Alexandria desert road is the main highway that connects Cairo to Alexandria, the two largest cities in Egypt. It is 220 km long.- External links and references :*...
. (Alexandria - Cairo /220 km 6-8 lanes, mostly lit)
- The Agricultural road. (Alexandria - Cairo)
- The Circular road. the turnpike
- Ta'ameer Road "Mehwar El-Ta'ameer" - (Alexandria - North Coast)
Train
Extends from "Misr Station"; the main railway station in Alexandria, to
Abu QirAbū Qīr is a village on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, 23 kilometers northeast of Alexandria by rail, containing a castle used as a state prison by Muhammad Ali of Egypt....
.
Railway stations include:
- Misr Station (the main station)
- Sidi Gaber Station
Tram
An extensive tramway network was built in 1860 and is the oldest in Africa.
Other means of public transport
200px
BusA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. A bus seats a maximum of 8 to 300 passengers...
es and
minibusA minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. Minibuses have a seating capacity of between 8 and 30 seats. Larger minibuses may be called midibuses or light buses...
es.
Port
The
port||-||-||-||-||-||-||-||-|}A port is a facility for receiving ships and/or transferring cargo. It is usually found at the edge of an ocean, sea, river, or lake. The best ports have deep water in channels or berths, and protection from the wind and waves...
is divided into:
- The Eastern Harbour
- The Western Harbour
Libraries
The
Royal Library of AlexandriaThe Royal Library of Alexandria, or Ancient Library of Alexandria, in Alexandria, Egypt, was probably the largest, and certainly the most famous, of the libraries of the ancient world...
in Alexandria,
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
, was once the largest
libraryA library is a collection of sources, resources, and services, and the structure in which it is housed; it is organized for use and maintained by a public body, an institution, or a private individual. In the more traditional sense, a library is a collection of books. It can mean the collection,...
in the world. It is generally thought to have been founded at the beginning of the
3rd century BCThe 3rd century BC started the first day of 300 BC and ended the last day of 201 BC. It is considered part of the Classical era, epoch, or historical period.-Overview:...
, during the reign of
Ptolemy II of EgyptPtolemy II Philadelphus , was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt from 283 BC to 246 BC. He was the son of the founder of the Ptolemaic kingdom Ptolemy I Soter and Berenice, and was educated by Philitas of Cos...
. It was likely created after his father had built what would become the first part of the Library complex, the temple of the
MuseThe Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature are the goddesses or spirits who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
s — the
MuseionThe Musaeum or Mouseion at Alexandria , which included the famous Library of Alexandria, was an institution apparently founded by Ptolemy I Soter or, perhaps more likely, Ptolemy II Philadelphus at ancient Alexandria in Egypt which remained supported by the patronage of the royal family of the...
, Greek
Μουσείον (from which the
modern EnglishModern English is the form of the English language spoken since the Great Vowel Shift in England, completed in roughly 1550.Despite some differences in vocabulary, texts from the early 17th century, such as the works of William Shakespeare and the King James Bible, are considered to be in Modern...
word
museum is derived).
It has been reasonably established that the Library, or parts of the collection, were destroyed by fire on a number of occasions (library fires were common and replacement of handwritten manuscripts was very difficult, expensive, and time-consuming). To this day the details of the destruction (or destructions) remain a lively source of controversy. The
Bibliotheca AlexandrinaThe Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a major library and cultural center located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the Egyptian city of Alexandria...
was inaugurated in 2003 near the site of the old Library.
Museums
- Alexandria Aquarium
Alexandria Aquarium is a small aquarium in Alexandria. It was built in 1930 and is located near by Qaitbay fort on Alexandria's Eastern Harbour. The aquarium exhibits many species from the Mediterranean and Red Seas around Egypt, as well as some freshwater species from the Nile and the Amazon....
- The Graeco-Roman Museum
The Graeco-Roman Museum of Alexandria in Egypt was created in 1892. It was first built in an 5-room apartment, inside one small building in Rosetta Street . In 1895, it was transferred to another building that only had eleven rooms. More rooms were added later to this building, now located near...
- The Royal Jewelry Museum
The Royal Jewelry Museum in Alexandria, Egypt is located in the Zizenia neighborhood. It was once the palace of Fatma Al-Zahra' and is an architectural masterpiece. Its halls contain many rare paintings, statues and decorations. An inestimable collection of jewels of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty 19th...
- The Museum of Fine Arts
- The Cavafy museum
- The Alexandria National Museum
The Alexandria National Museum in Egypt was inaugurated the 31st of December, 2003 by Hosni Mubarak and it's located in a restored Italian style palace in Tariq Al-Horreya Street , near the center of the city.. It contains about 1.800 artifacts that narrate the story of Alexandria and Egypt...
was inaugurated the 31st of December, 2003 by Hosni MubarakMuhammad Hosni Mubarak, Muhammad Hosni Mubarak, Muhammad Hosni Mubarak, , (born 4 May 1928), is the 4th and current President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. He was appointed Vice President in 1975, and assumed the presidency on...
and it's located in a restored Italian style palace in Tariq Al-Horreya Street (former Rue Fouad), near the center of the city.. It contains about 1.800 artifacts that narrate the story of Alexandria and EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
. Most of these pieces came from another Egyptian museums.
The museum is housed in the old Al-Saad Bassili Pasha Palace, who was one of the wealthiest wood merchants in Alexandria. Construction on the site was first undertaken in 1926.
Related words
- al-Iskandareyya(h) (الإسكندرية) (noun) (formal): Refers to the city of "Alexandria", used in formal texts and speech. Its Egyptian Arabic
Egyptian Arabic is a variety of the Arabic language of the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family. It originated in the Nile Delta in Lower Egypt around the capital Cairo...
equivalent is Eskenderreya or Iskindereyya(h). Iskandariyya(h) and Eskendereyya(h) are different in pronunciation, though they have the same spellingSpelling is the writing of a word or words with the necessary letters and diacritics present in an accepted standard order. It is one of the elements of orthography and a prescriptive element of alphabetic languages...
when written in Arabic. In Literary Arabic, Iskandariyya(h) always takes the definite articleAn article is a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun, and may also specify the volume or numerical scope of that reference. there are only three articles, a, an and and. The articles in the English language are the and a...
al-, whereas in Egyptian Arabic, Eskendereyya(h) never takes al-. The optional h at the end of both of them is called a ta' marbuta which is not usually pronounced, but is always written.
- "Alex" (noun): Natives of both Alexandria and Cairo who have a certain knowledge of English refer to Alexandria as "Alex", especially informally.
- Eskandarany (اسكندراني) (adjective): Means 'native Alexandrian' (masc.) or 'from Alexandria' in Egyptian Arabic.
Sports
The main sport that interests Alexandrians is football, as is the case in the rest of Egypt and
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
. Alexandria Stadium is a
multi-purpose stadiumMulti-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed for use by multiple teams playing baseball, American football, soccer, and, in some cases, basketball and ice hockey or other sports...
in Alexandria,
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
. It is currently used mostly for
footballAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
matches, and was used for the
2006 African Cup of NationsThe 2006 African Cup of Nations was the 25th edition of the African Cup of Nations, the soccer championship of Africa . It was hosted by Egypt. Just like in 2004, the field of sixteen teams was split into four groups of four...
. The stadium is the oldest stadium in Egypt and Africa, being built in 1929. The stadium holds 20,000 people.
Alexandria was one of three cities that participated in hosting the African Cup of Nations in January 2006, which
EgyptThe Egypt national football team , nicknamed The Pharaohs , is the national team of Egypt and is administered by the Egyptian Football Association. They are the current African Champions having won the 2008 African Nations Cup...
won. Sea sports such as
surfingSurfing is most commonly known, the term is used for a surface water sport in which the person surfing moves along the face of a breaking ocean wave . However, surfing is not restricted to saltwater, but can sometimes take place on rivers, using a standing wave...
,
jet-skiingA personal water craft is a recreational watercraft that the rider sits or stands on, rather than inside of, as in a boat. Models have an inboard engine driving a pump jet that has a screw-shaped impeller to create thrust for propulsion and steering...
and
water poloWater polo is a team water sport. It is the oldest continuous Olympic team sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper with a maximum of six substitutes. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Gameplay involves swimming, players passing the ball...
are practised on a lower scale.
Alexandria has four
stadiumA modern stadium is a place, or venue, for outdoor sports, concerts or other events, consisting of a field or stage partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.-History of the stadium:The word originates from the Greek word...
s:
- Borg El Arab Stadium
The Egyptian Army Stadium or Borg El Arab Stadium is a brand new stadium commissioned in 2006 in the Mediterranean Sea resort of Borg el Arab; 50 km west of Alexandria, Egypt. It is the largest stadium in Egypt and Africa with a capacity of 86,000 and is an all-seater. It is also the 27th...
- Harras El-Hedoud Stadium
Harras El-Hedoud Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Alexandria, Egypt. It is currently used mostly for football matches, and was used for the 2006 African Cup of Nations. The stadium holds 22,000 people...
- Alexandria Stadium
Alexandria Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Alexandria, Egypt. It is currently used mostly for football matches, and was used for the 2006 African Cup of Nations. The stadium is the oldest stadium in Egypt and Africa, being built in 1929...
- El-Krom Stadium
Other less popular sports like
tennisTennis is a sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court....
and
squashSquash is a racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball.Squash is recognized by the IOC and remains in contention for incorporation in a future Olympic program....
are usually played in private social and
sports clubA sports club, athletics club or sports association is an eclectic institution oriented to multiple sports, which fields many teams and in several sports, working under the same umbrella organization. In a larger sense, it may also refer to any sports institution, even those that have only one...
s, like:
- Alexandria Sporting Club - in "Sporting
Sporting is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. Most famous for the club there, "Alexandria Sporting Club"....
"
- Alexandria Country club
- El-Ittihad El-Iskandary Club
- El-Olympi
- Honors:*Egyptian Premier League: 11966*Egyptian Soccer Cup: 2-Performance in CAF Competitions:* African Cup of Champions Clubs: 1 appearance- Current squad :-Notable former players:...
Club
- Koroum
Koroum is an Egyptian football club based in Alexandria. They were a member of the Egyptian Premier League. Their home stadium is Alexandria Stadium.-Current Squad:...
Club
- Haras El Hodood Club
- Lagoon Resort Courts
- Smouha Club - in "Smouha"
There is also the Alexandria weekly cycling carnival, Organized by Cycle Egypt group, which is held every Friday, Cycling amateurs gather every Friday morning to cycle through El Courniche from El Montazah to El Qalaa.
Writings
- Novels
- The Alexandria Semaphore by Robert Sole.
- Academic Year (1955, set in late 1940s) by D.J. Enright
Dennis Joseph Enright was a British academic, poet, novelist and critic, and general man of letters.-Life:He was born in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and educated at Leamington College and Downing College, Cambridge...
.
- The Alexandria Quartet
The Alexandria Quartet is a tetralogy of novels by British writer Lawrence Durrell, published between 1957 and 1960. A critical and commercial success, the books present four perspectives on a single set of events and characters in Alexandria, Egypt, before and during World War II.As Durrell...
(1957-60, set in 1930s) by Lawrence DurrellLawrence George Durrell was an expatriate British novelist, poet, dramatist, and travel writer, though he resisted affiliation with Britain and preferred to be considered cosmopolitan...
.
- The Bat (part of the Drifting Cities trilogy) (1965, set in 1943-44) by Stratis Tsirkas.
- Miramar
Miramar is a novel authored by Naguib Mahfouz, an Egyptian Nobel Prize-winning author. It was written in 1967 and translated into English in 1978.-Plot summary:...
(1967) by Naguib MahfouzNaguib Mahfouz was an Egyptian novelist who won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature. He is regarded as one of the first contemporary writers of Arabic literature, along with Tawfiq el-Hakim, to explore themes of existentialism. He published over 50 novels, over 350 short stories, dozens of movie...
.
- The Danger Tree (1977, set in 1942, partly in Alexandria) by Olivia Manning
Olivia Mary Manning was a British novelist, poet, writer and reviewer.Manning's youth was divided between Portsmouth and Ireland, giving her "the usual Anglo-Irish sense of belonging to nowhere". She attended art school, and moved to London, where her first serious novel, The Wind Changes, was...
.
- The Beacon at Alexandria (1986, set in 4th century) by Gillian Bradshaw
Gillian Marucha Bradshaw is an American writer of historical fiction, historical fantasy, children's literature, science fiction, and contemporary science-based novels, who currently lives in Britain...
.
- City of Saffron (tr. 1989, set in 1930s) by Edwar Al-Kharrat.
- Girls of Alexandria (tr. 1993, set in 1930s and '40s) by Edwar Al-Kharrat.
- The Book on Fire (2009, urban fantasy) by Keith Miller.
- No One Sleeps in Alexandria (1996, set during World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) by Ibrahim Abdel Meguid.
- Pashazade
The Arabesk trilogy is a sequence of alternate history novels by the British author Jon Courtenay Grimwood.Starting with the 2001 novel Pashazade and continuing with Effendi and Felaheen , the point of divergence is in 1915, with Woodrow Wilson brokering an earlier peace so that World War I never...
(2001) alternate history by Jon Courtenay GrimwoodJon Courtenay Grimwood is a British science fiction author.He was born in Valletta, Malta, grew up in Britain, Southeast Asia and Norway in the 1960s and 1970s. He studied at Kingston College, then worked in publishing and as a freelance writer for magazines and newspapers including The Guardian...
.
- The Alexander Cipher (2007) by Will Adams.
- Flow Down Like Silver, Hypatia of Alexandria (2009) by Ki Longfellow
Ki Longfellow is an American novelist, playwright, theatrical producer, theater director and entrepreneur. In Britain, as the widow of Vivian Stanshall, she is well known as the guardian of his artistic heritage, but elsewhere she is best known for her own work, especially the 2005 novel The...
.
- History
- Alexandria: A History and a Guide (1922; numerous reprints) by E.M. Forster
Edward Morgan Forster OM, CH , was an English novelist, short story writer, essayist and librettist. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy and also the attitudes towards gender and homosexuality in early 20th-century British society...
.
- Alexandria: City of Memory (Yale University Press, 2004) by Michael Haag.
- Vintage Alexandria: Photographs of the City 1860-1960 (The American University in Cairo Press, 2008) by Michael Haag.
- Memoirs
- Out of Egypt (1994; describes family history in Alexandria) by André Aciman
André Aciman is a writer, currently distinguished professor at the Graduate Center of City University of New York teaching the history of literary theory and the works of Marcel Proust. His memoir, Out of Egypt , won a Whiting Writers' Award...
.
Songs
- Songs in French
French is a Romance language globally spoken by about 65 million people as a first language , by 50 million as a second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired foreign language, with significant speakers in 57 countries. Most native speakers of the language live in France,...
:
- Alexandrie by Georges Moustaki
Yussef Mustacchi, known as Georges Moustaki, is a singer and songwriter from France of Greek Jewish origin, best known for his poetic rhythm, eloquent simplicity and his hundreds of romantic songs...
.
- Alexandrie, Alexandra by Claude François
Claude François was a French pop singer and songwriter. He wrote "Comme d'habitude," the original version of "My Way."-Early life:...
.
- Songs in Greek
Greek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
:
- Alexandrinos by Yannis Kotsiras.
- Songs in Arabic
Arabic is a Central Semitic language, thus related to and classified alongside other Semitic languages such as Hebrew and the Neo-Aramaic languages. In terms of speakers, the Arabic macrolanguage is the largest member of the Semitic language family. It is spoken by more than 280 million people as...
:
- Shat Eskendereya by Fairouz
Nouhad Haddad , famously known as Fairuz is a Lebanese diva." "A cultural icon of the Arab world," her songs are constantly heard throughout the region, and still spark Lebanese national pride..She was born in Jabal al Arz to a Maronite Christian family, and converted to Greek Orthodoxy...
.
- Ahsan Nas by Dalida
Dalida was an Italian Egyptian singer and actor. Dalida was born and raised in Egypt, but she lived most of her adult life in France. She received 55 gold records and was the first singer to receive a diamond disc....
.
- Leil Eskendereya by Moustafa Amar
Moustafa Amar is an Egyptian musician and actor.- Early life :Moustafa Amar attended Al-Shaheed Abbas School where his talent and love for music and singing earned him the role of lead singer in the school concert. His father got him a guitar when he was ten and he began taking summer classes...
.
- Ya Wad Ya Eskandarany by Moustafa Amar
Moustafa Amar is an Egyptian musician and actor.- Early life :Moustafa Amar attended Al-Shaheed Abbas School where his talent and love for music and singing earned him the role of lead singer in the school concert. His father got him a guitar when he was ten and he began taking summer classes...
.
- Ya Eskendereya by Mohamed Mounir
Mohamed Mounir is a Nubian-Egyptian singer who was born in Aswan, Egypt. His pop-oriented music has its roots in the various genres of traditional Egyptian and African music Also Reggae, Jazz and Nubian music....
(lyrics by Ahmed Fouad NegmAhmed Fouad Negm is an Egyptian vernacular poet. Born in Sharqia, Egypt in 1929, Negm is well-known for his work with Egyptian composer Sheikh Imam, as well as his patriotic and revolutionary Egyptian Arabic poetry...
).
- Songs in English
English is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
:
- Alexandria by Kamelot
Kamelot is an American metal band from Tampa, Florida. The band was formed by Thomas Youngblood and Richard Warner in 1991. Norwegian vocalist Roy Khan joined for the album Siége Perilous, and has shared song-writing duties with Thomas Youngblood since....
- Songs in different languages:
- Ya Mustafa
Ya Mustafa, also spelled Ya Mustapha, is a famous Egyptian song of unclear origin, whose lyrics are composed in 3 different languages: Arabic, French and Italian. The music of the song is similar to Greek music. It was very popular in the 1950s and early 1960s. The song has been performed in many...
reproduced Dario MorenoDarío Moreno was a Turkish polyglot singer of Jewish origin, as well as an accomplished composer, lyricist and guitarist, who was born in İzmir, Turkey, in 1921, and who attained fame and made a remarkable career centered in France which also included films, during the fifties and the sixties.His...
, Bob AzzamBob Azzam, is an Egyptian Jewish singer who was born in Alexandria on October 24 1925, and died in Monaco on July 24 2004. He witnessed a great success in France in the beginning of the 1960s...
and many others - lyrics in ArabicArabic is a Central Semitic language, thus related to and classified alongside other Semitic languages such as Hebrew and the Neo-Aramaic languages. In terms of speakers, the Arabic macrolanguage is the largest member of the Semitic language family. It is spoken by more than 280 million people as...
, FrenchFrench is a Romance language globally spoken by about 65 million people as a first language , by 50 million as a second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired foreign language, with significant speakers in 57 countries. Most native speakers of the language live in France,...
and ItalianItalian is a Romance language spoken by about 60 million people in Italy, and by a total of around 70 million in the world. In Switzerland, Italian is one of four official languages. It is also the official language of San Marino, as well as the primary language of Vatican City...
Tourism
Alexandria is a main summer resort in the
Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia, southeastern Europe, and northeastern Africa. It has no clear boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, visited by people from all other cities to enjoy the sun and the sea. Beaches become full of umbrellas and families and the city is usually crowded in summer. There are both public beaches (which anyone can use for free, and are usually crowded) and private beaches (which can be used upon paying a small fee). There are also private beaches that are dedicated only to the guests of some hotels.
Notable people
- Ahmed Ramzy
Ahmed Ramzy is an Egyptian actor who played the leading roles in many Egyptian films in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.-Early life:Ramzy was born Ramzy Mahmoud Bayoumi on 1930 to an Egyptian orthopedist and university professor father, his mother was a young Scottish lady.Ramzy graduated from...
(Egyptian Actor)
- Ahmed Nazif
Ahmed Nazif has served as the Prime Minister of Egypt since 14 July 2004. On 27 September 2005, he resigned, enabling President Hosni Mubarak to call for General Elections...
(Egyptian Prime Minister)
- Ahmed Zewail
Ahmed Hassan Zewail is an Egyptian-American scientist, and the winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on femtochemistry. He is the Linus Pauling Chair Professor Chemistry and Professor of Physics at the California Institute of Technology. Dr...
- Winner of Nobel prize in chemistryThe Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
- Alypius
Alypius of Alexandria was a Greek writer on music who flourished c. 360. Of his works, only a small fragment has been preserved, under the title of Introduction to Music .-Works:...
(4th century BC) Greek writer on music
- Alexander Iolas
Alexander Iolas was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on March 25, 1907, to Andreas and Persephone Coutsoudis, who were Greek. In 1924, he went to Berlin as a pianist, and later became a ballet dancer who toured extensively with the Theodora Roosevelt Company and later with the company formed by the...
(1907-1987) Greek art collector
- André Aciman
André Aciman is a writer, currently distinguished professor at the Graduate Center of City University of New York teaching the history of literary theory and the works of Marcel Proust. His memoir, Out of Egypt , won a Whiting Writers' Award...
(American writer)
- Antonis Benakis
Antonis Benakis was a Greek art collector and the founder of the Benaki Museum in Athens, Greece, the son of politician and magnate Emmanuel Benakis and the brother of author Penelope Delta...
(1873-1954) Greek art collectorA museum is distinguished by a collection of often unique objects that forms the core of its activities for exhibitions, education, research, etc. This differentiates it from an archive or library, where the contents may be more paper-based, replaceable and less exhibition oriented...
- Apollos
Apollos was an early Jewish Christian mentioned several times in the New Testament. His special gifts in presenting Christian doctrine made him an important person in the congregation at Corinth, Greece after Paul's first visit there . He was with Paul at a later date in Ephesus . In 1 Cor...
(1st century, Acts 8:24) Early ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
EvangelistEvangelism is the practice of attempting to convert people to a religion. The term is used most often in reference to Christianity's religions, since they mandate that their followers make efforts to recruit as many people as possible into their faith...
- Arius
Arius was a Berber Christian priest from Alexandria, Egypt in the early fourth century whose teachings, now called Arianism, were deemed heretical by the Church....
(4th century) who sparked the Arian controversyThe Arian controversy describes several controversies related to Arianism which divided the Christian church from before the Council of Nicaea in 325 to after the Council of Constantinople in 381...
- Pope Athanasius the Apostolic
Athanasius of Alexandria , also given the titles Athanasius the Great, Pope Athanasius I of Alexandria, and Athanasius the Apostolic, was a Christian theologian, bishop of Alexandria, Church Father, and a noted Egyptian leader of the fourth century. He is best remembered for his role in the...
(Champion of ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
)
- Chaeremon of Alexandria
Chaeremon of Alexandria was a Stoic philosopher and grammarian.Chaeremon was superintendent of the portion of the Alexandrian library that was kept in the temple of Serapis, and as custodian and expounder of the sacred books he belonged to the higher ranks of the priesthood...
(StoicSTOIC was a variant of Forth.It started out at the MIT and Harvard Biomedical Engineering Centre in Boston, and was written in the mid 1970s by Jonathan Sachs...
philosopher and grammarian)
- Claudius Ptolemaus - Soter
Claudius Ptolemaeus , known in English as Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Greek ancestry. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer and a poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under the Roman Empire, and is believed to have been born in the town of...
(Egyptian Ruler) Started Ptolemaic Dynasty
- Cleopatra VII (Egyptian Ruler)
- Constantine P. Cavafy
Constantine P. Cavafy, also known as Konstantin or Konstantinos Petrou Kavafis, or Kavaphes was a renowned modern Greek poet who lived in Alexandria and worked as a journalist and civil servant...
(1863-1933) Greek poet
- Cosmas Indicopleustes
Cosmas Indicopleustes of Alexandria was a Greek merchant and later monk probably of Nestorian tendencies. He was a 6th century traveller, who made several voyages to India during the reign of emperor Justinian. His Topografia Christiana contained some of the earliest and most famous world maps...
(6th century) Greek monk, geographer and writer
- Demis Roussos
Artemios Ventouris Roussos is a Greek-Egyptian singer.He was born in Egypt to ethnic Greek parents George and Olga , and raised in Alexandria. His parents lost everything and moved to Greece after the Suez Crisis. .After settling in Greece, Demis participated in a series of musical groups...
(Greek singer)
- Eric Hobsbawm
Eric John Ernest Hobsbawm, CH, FBA, is a British Marxist historian and author, one of the most influential British historians of the late twentieth century.-Life:...
(British historian)
- Euclid
Euclid , fl. 300 BC, also known as Euclid of Alexandria, was a Greek mathematician and is often referred to as the "Father of Geometry." He was active in Hellenistic Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I...
(Mathematician)
- Farida of Egypt
Queen Farida, born Safinaz Zulfikar was the Queen of Egypt and the first wife of King Farouk.-Personal life:...
(Former Queen of Egypt)
- Farouk Hosny
Farouk Hosny , is an Egyptian abstract painter who was appointed in 1987 to his current position of Minister of Culture.-Early life and career:...
(Egyptian Minister of Culture)
- Princess Fawzia
Fawzia Shirin was the Egyptian princess and Queen of Iran as spouse of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi....
(Egyptian princess)
- Filippo Tommaso Marinetti
Filippo Tommaso Emilio Marinetti was an Italian ideologue, poet, editor, and founder of the Futurist movement.-Childhood and adolescence:...
(Italian poet and artist)
- Georges Moustaki
Yussef Mustacchi, known as Georges Moustaki, is a singer and songwriter from France of Greek Jewish origin, best known for his poetic rhythm, eloquent simplicity and his hundreds of romantic songs...
(Greek-French singer and composer)
- Gideon Gechtman
Gideon Gechtman was an Israeli artist and sculptor. His art is most noted for holding a dialogue with death, often in relation with his own biography.-Biography:...
(Israeli sculptor)
- Giuseppe Ungaretti
Giuseppe Ungaretti was an Italian modernist poet, journalist, essayist, critic and academic. A leading representative of the experimental trend known as ermetismo, he was one of the most prominent contributors to 20th century Italian literature. Influenced by symbolism, he was briefly aligned with...
(Italian poet)
- Haim Saban
Haim Saban is a television and media proprietor. With an estimated net worth of 2.8 billion USD, he is ranked by Forbes as the 102nd richest person in America.-Personal life:...
(American billionaire)
- Hend Rostom (Egyptian actress)
- Hypatia
Hypatia of Alexandria was a Greek scholar from Alexandria in Egypt, considered the first notable woman in mathematics, who also taught philosophy and astronomy. She lived in Roman Egypt, and was killed by a Christian mob who falsely blamed her for religious turmoil...
(4thAs a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400.- Overview :...
-5th century AD) Greek philosopher
- Jean Desses
Jean Dessès , was a world leading fashion designer in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. His designs reflected the influences of his travels, specializing in creating draped evening gowns in chiffon and mousseline, based on early Greek and Egyptian robes.-Biography:Born Jean Dimitre Verginie in...
(1904-1970) Greek fashion designFashion design is the applied art dedicated to clothing and lifestyle accessories created within the cultural and social influences of a specific time.It is considered to have a built in obsolescence usually of one to two seasons...
er
- Konstantinos Parthenis
Konstantinos Parthenis was a distinguished Greek painter. Parthenis broke with the Greek academic tradition of the 19th century and introduced modern elements together with traditional themes, like the figure of Christ, in his art....
(1878-1967) (Greek painter)
- Bayram Al-Tunsi
Mahmud Bayram el-Tunsi was an Egyptian poet who was exiled from Egypt by the British for his nationalist poetry....
(Egyptian poet)
- Mohamed Al Fayed
Mohamed Abdel Moneim Fayed is an Egyptian businessman living in London estimated to be worth £650 Million.Amongst his business interests are ownership of Harrods department store in Knightsbridge and the English Premiership football team Fulham Football Club...
(Egyptian businessman)
- Moustafa Amar
Moustafa Amar is an Egyptian musician and actor.- Early life :Moustafa Amar attended Al-Shaheed Abbas School where his talent and love for music and singing earned him the role of lead singer in the school concert. His father got him a guitar when he was ten and he began taking summer classes...
(Egyptian singer)
- Nikos Tsiforos
Nikos Tsiforos was a Greek screenwriter and film director. He wrote 64 films between 1948 and 1970. He also directed 17 films between 1948 and 1961.-External links:...
(Greek screenwriter and film director)
- Origen
Origen was an early Christian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished of the early fathers of the Christian Church. According to tradition, he is held to have been an Egyptian who taught in Alexandria, reviving the Catechetical School of Alexandria where Clement of Alexandria had...
(Greek Christian Scholar)
- Omar Sharif
Omar Sharif is an Egyptian actor who has starred in many Hollywood films. He is most famous for his roles in Doctor Zhivago, Funny Girl and Lawrence of Arabia...
(Egyptian actor)
- Pappus
Pappus of Alexandria was one of the last great Greek mathematicians of antiquity, known for his Synagoge or Collection , and for Pappus's Theorem in projective geometry...
(4th century AD) Hellenized Egyptian Mathematician
- Penelope Delta
Penelope Delta was a Greek author of books for older children.Delta was born in Alexandria, Egypt, to the wealthy cotton merchant Emmanuel Benakis and Virginia Choremi...
(1874-1941) Greek author
- Rudolf Hess
Rudolf Walter Richard Hess was a prominent figure in Nazi Germany, acting as Adolf Hitler's Deputy in the Nazi Party. On the eve of war with the Soviet Union, he flew solo to Scotland in an attempt to negotiate peace with the United Kingdom, but instead was arrested...
(German deputy fuhrer of the Nazi PartyThe National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party , was a political party in Germany between 1919 and 1945...
)
- Sayed Darwish
Sayed Darwish was an Egyptian singer and composer who was considered the father of Egyptian popular music. He was born in Alexandria on March 17, 1892...
(Egyptian music composerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
)
- Tawfiq al-Hakeem (Egyptian writer)
- Youssef Chahine
Youssef Chahine was an Egyptian film director active in the Egyptian film industry since 1950. He was credited with launching the career of actor Omar Sharif...
(Egyptian film directorA film director, or filmmaker is a person who directs the making or production of a film. Some also consider a film producer to be a filmmaker....
)
Twin towns — sister cities
Alexandria is twinned with
BratislavaBratislava is the capital of the Slovak Republic and, with a population of about 429,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River...
in
SlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe with a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia borders the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south. The largest city is its capital, Bratislava...
OdessaOdessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .Odessa was founded by Hacı I Giray, the Khan of Crimea, in 1240...
in
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east; Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south. The city of Kiev is both the capital and the largest city of...
ClevelandCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately 60 miles west of the Pennsylvania border...
in
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ConstanţaConstanţa is the oldest living city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast...
in
RomaniaRomania is a country located in Southeastern and Central Europe, North of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea. Almost all of the Danube Delta is located within its territory...
KazanlakKazanlak is a Bulgarian town located in the middle of the plain of the same name, at the foot of the Balkan mountain range, at the eastern end of the Rose Valley. Kazanlak is the 10th biggest industrial center in Bulgaria, with a population of 79,464 people as of 2007...
in
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a country in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe. Bulgaria borders five other countries: Romania to the north , Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, and Greece and Turkey to the south...
DurbanDurban is the third most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. It is the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal and is famous as the busiest port in Africa. It is also a major centre of tourism due to the city's warm subtropical climate and...
in
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
St. Petersburg in
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
ShanghaiShanghai is the largest city in China, and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people. Located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality of the People's Republic of China with province-level...
in
ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
Baltimore in
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
External links