The City
Alexandria, the “Pearl of the Mediterranean,” is a city to explore
at random; it's as important to enjoy its unique atmosphere, as it is to
see its sights. It was built about 2300 years ago at the orders of
Alexander the Great, and quickly flourished into a prominent cultural,
political and economic metropolis. As in ancient times when it was home
to Pharos, the legendary lighthouse that was one of the Seven Wonders of
the World, Alexandria still has a very special ambience and a character
of its own.
Greco-Roman Alexandria
Alexandria was once the world's intellectual capital, and the center
of learning in ancient times. Its library, built 2400 years ago, was the
world's first university in the world with its college scholars such as
Euclid of Alexandria, who is often referred to as the “Father of
Geometry”, and it also served as a publishing house. Tragically, a fire
destroyed the Ancient Library, but an international project to revive it
was completed in 2000. It now houses over 4 million volumes, 100,000
manuscripts, a conference center, science museum, planetarium and a
school of information studies.
The Roman Theater
Built between the 2nd and the 4th centuries
A.D., the Roman Theater in Alexandria had marble seats for 800
spectators, galleries and sections of mosaic flooring. It was a pleasure
garden surrounded by Roman villas and baths. The well-preserved remains
of the theater were discovered in 1960, and today it is the only
remaining Roman Theater in Egypt.
The Anfushi Tombs
These incredible limestone tombs date back about 2250 years, and
their walls are covered in stucco painted to simulate alabaster and
marble. They are decorated with pictures of daily life and Egyptian
gods, and the funeral chamber's vaulted ceiling is decorated with
geometric designs. The funeral motifs in the tombs show the convergence
of Greek art with traditional Egyptian arts.
Pompeii's Pillar
The tallest ancient monument in Alexandria is an 82-foot-high red
granite column, 29½ feet in circumference, constructed in honor of the
Roman Emperor Diocletian. Nearby there are three sphinxes and
subterranean galleries containing over 60 mummies of sacred Apis bulls.
Kom El-Shougafa Catacombs
This complex was built in the 2nd-century AD as private
tombs for a wealthy family, but was later enlarged for the community,
creating the largest Roman funerary complex known in Egypt. The tomb
decorations show a surprising blend of Egyptian and classical styles, so
typical in Egypt. The tombs have been tunneled into bedrock and they
represent a major engineering feat. A spiral staircase descends down to
the main chambers, which are decorated in an amazing integrated
Greco-Roman style. Small chapels extend from the chambers, and niches
are carved out to hold sarcophagi. Stone benches inside used to
accommodate visitors or mourners bring food and offerings. Some say that
these tombs alone are worth the trip to Alexandria!
The Graeco-Roman Museum
You know that you are about to experience something very unique when
you enter the Greco-Roman Museum and are greeted by a huge black granite
bull (the Egyptian god Apis) and an enormous stone falcon. There is
nothing quite like it in the world. The collection contains relics from
the Greek, Roman and Christian eras in Egypt. Inside there are statues
of all sorts – miniature to life-size – from the various religions
represented. Other items of interest are children's toys, tools, jewelry
and a mummified crocodile. You can even learn about the god known as Bes
(the god of fun), and see a replica of the commemorative “Rosetta
Stone”; an Egyptian stele artifact that allowed the linguists to begin
the process of Hieroglyph decipherment. The original “Stone” is put on
public display in the British Museum since 1802.
The Attarine Mosque
Dedicated to the Christian Saint Athanasius in 370, the structure
was then converted into a Mosque at the beginning of the Arab conquest
in the 14th century. It stands on the site of the famous
Mosque of a Thousand Columns, from which Napoleon removed the seven-ton
sarcophagus now in the British Museum.
The Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi
The Algerian Moslems built Alexandria’s largest mosque in 1775 over
the tomb of the 13th century Andalusian holy man, Ahmed Abu
al-Abbas al-Mursi. Eight monolithic granite columns and a colonnade of
elongated arches support the interior. In 1943, domes and a towering
minaret were added. This important Islamic monument is dedicated to the
patron and protector of Alexandria’s fishermen and sailors.
The Eastern Harbor
Deep inside the harbor of Alexandria rest the astonishing remains of
one of the Seven Wonders of the World, namely the lighthouse “Pharos”.
It amazed the world for hundreds of years until a catastrophic
earthquake brought it cashing down. In present day times, you can see
fisherman and boat builders practicing the skills that they have
perfected over centuries. Graceful colonial mansions surrounded by palm
trees line look upon the bay, cooled by gentle breezes coming from the
Mediterranean.
Montazah Palace and Gardens
The Royal Palace of Al-Montazah is built on a low plateau
overlooking a sandy white beach and surrounded by formal gardens with
trees, palms and flowers. The Palace was designed in a combination of
Turkish and Florentine styles, and is now a state guesthouse. Its 1.4 sq
km of well-tended pleasure gardens are open to the public, and within
the same area are a museum, several beaches, a tourist center, a hotel,
fast-food restaurants and a children's park. |
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