ALEXANDRIA EGYPT

Nourylie
ALEXANDRIA EGYPT

 

Alexandria is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and across the miditerrean sea. The city enrolls the first place as the largest city in the miditerrean sea and the second in Egypt. It was originally found by Alexander the great in 332 BC after he defeated the Persian king in Egypt, the priest of God path crowned him as Egypt’s new pharaoh at the temple of path at Memphis after this defeat.

 

The story behind the historical construction of Alexandria is that Alexander the Great consulted the famous Oracle of God Amon in Siwa about a new capital, after that he took the western branch of the River Nile heading to the Miditerrean sea, where he found a small Egyptian village of fishermen called “Rhakatos”. There he decided that this spot is perfect for his new capital and instantly ordered his chief architect “Dinocrates” to build a city carrying his name (Alexander the Great), that’s why it’s called now Alexandria. Moreover, Alexander headed back to Siwa and built his only temple in Egypt, then went back to Memphis where he stayed for a short period and completed his conquest against the Persian and died in 323 BC.After the death of Alexander, the city was ruled by the Ptolemy family which actually flourished at their era and witnessed a lot of incredible changes, the city stayed as the capital of Ptolemaic, Roman and Byzantine Egypt for almost 1000 years. Until the Muslim conquest in 641 AD.

 

During the Coptic period in Egypt Alexandria lost its importance as the capital and it was deserted until the coming of Mohamed Ali Basha. It was such a frustrating thing as the city had so much value and importance all over the ages as; In the ancient times it was recorded that the city was a trading post in the era of Ramses the great for trade with Crete. And in the 7th century BC, there existed 2 port cities of Canopus and Heracelion, many years later “Heracelion" was later rediscovered under water. Finally, the 18th century, it became a major center of the international shipping industry and one of the most important trading centers in the world, because it easily linked between the Miditerrean sea and the Red sea.

 

However, if you ever came and visited Egypt here are some suggestions of the Top-Attractions in the city of Alexandria:

 

It's one Egypt's most popular monuments in Alexandria which had a great value throughout the ages; In the Roman era it acted as a stadium where musical shows performed and in the Byzantine era it was used as a conference hall where important meetings as public assemblies and governmental summits took place,. Furthermore, The Theatre reflects a high sense of architecture as it has a beautiful white marble audience section,it's symmetrical with extended wing, Consists of 13 rows built with white marble and granite coloumns brought from Aswan some of them are still standing today. The most interesting part of this theatre is the technology the Roman's used then in which, the announcer or the singer stood in a certain spot where his voice echoed in the rows in front of him in a way that made all the audience hear him clearly.

 

 

  • The tomb of kom El -shokafa(the catacomb).

 Basically it's a historical site in Alex and considered as one of the seven wonders of the Middle ages. The necropolis consists of Alexandrian tombs, statues and archaeological objects of the pharaonic funeral with Hellenistic early imperial Roman influences, Its a masterpiece that mixes between the Roman, Greek and ancient Egyptian cultural points; some statues are Egyptian yet are wearing Roman clothes or wigs while other feature similar style. 

 

 

  • Pompei’s 'pillars:

It was a setup in honor of Augustus Diocelatian built around 298-302 AD, It stands at the eastern side of Temnos of the Serapum of Alexandria,beside the ruins of the temple of Serpais itself, and it is considered to be the tallest pillars built at that time.

 

 

  • Montazah palace:

It is a palace,museum and extensive gardens in the Montaza district of Alexandria, built in 1892 by Khedive Abbas II in the last Mohamed Ali dynasty rule to hold  the khedive title over the khedive of Egypt and Sudan. It was used as a hunting lodge and residence for his companions. The palace colors are mind blowing and architecture but unfortunately it's not allowed to visit it from the inside, taking pictures from the outside is allowed.

 

 

  • The new library of Alexandria:

It's a major library and a cultural center on the shore of the mediterrian sea, It is hosts thousands of scholars,scientists,thinkers, bright minds and tourists annually. It serves as a free space of research,study and intellectual complementation, The library was built based on the idea of reviving the old library that was destroyed in ancient times.

 

Other important places:

  • The light house
  • Al Shatby ancient tombs.
  • M Kamel tomb
  • The black head temple
  • The Eastern port.
  • Alexandria National Museum.
  • The Graeco Roman Museum.
  • The Royal Jewellery Museum.
  • Qaitbey citadel.