Alexandria
Alexandria
is the second largest city in Egypt and one of the country's
major ports. It was founded by Alexander the Great in 332
BC., and planned by his architect Deinocrates on the same
spot of an old village named Rhacotis. It's culturla,
spiritual and economical bloom surpassed all expectations
and found it's highlight in the location of the legendary
lighthouse on the Island of Pharos, which was one of the
Seven Wonders of the world. The once world-renowned library
of Alexandria, containing 500,000 volumes, was frequently
visited
The
Graeco-Roman Museum
This beautiful museum contains about 40,000 exponents,
dating back to the beginning of the 3rd century BC. through
to the 7th century AD. The collection includes a splendid
black granite sculpture of Apis, many statues of Serapis
and busts and statues of various Greeks and Romans. There
are also sarcophagi, mummies, pottery, bas-reliefs, coins,
jewellery and tapestries.
around
297 AD, amidst the Serapeum complex for Diocletian.
The
Tomb of Al-Shatby
The architectural style of this interesting necropolis
is built after the model of the old Greek houses. The
tombs date back to the 3rd century BC, and are the most
ancient tombs so far discovered in Alexandria.
The
Tombs of Moustafa Kamel
These tombs data back to the 3rd century BC and
differ from other Ptolemaic tombs in their inscriptions,
telling of the daily activities and
lighthouse to build the fort of Mamaluke Sultan Qait Bay.
Today it also houses the marine museum.
Transport
to Alexandria
Alexandria can be reached from Cairo daily transportation
such as airplane, train and bus. The are also bus connections
to Marsa Matruh and Al Alemien.
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philosophers, poets, artists and scientists of all fields
of knowledge and was destroyed by fire during the reign
of Queen Cleopatra. On the same site a modern library
is built on an area of 40,000 square metres.
The city was also the most powerful and prosperous provincial
city of the Roman Empire and remained the capital of Egypt
for the next 900 years under Ptolemaic, Roman and Byzantine
rule. Nowadays, one can visit many monuments of the Graeco-Roman
period.
The
Tombs of Kom Al-Shoquafa
These catacombs, the largest known Roman burial
site in Egypt, were constructed in the 1st and 2nd century
AD, probably as a family crypt. They consist of three
stories of tombs and chambers cut into the rock, unique
both for their architecture and decoration which is a
mixture of Egyptian and Graeco-Roman elements.
The
Pompey Pillar
The massive nine metres high pillar, was erected
in
religious
beliefs of the deceased. Four of the subterrenean rock-hewn
tombs can still be visited.
The
Roman Theatre
This small Roman theatre with it's 13 white marble
terraces, arranged in a semi-circle is th e only one of
it's kind in Egypt. It was discovered quite recently and
is situated in the heart of Alexandria.
The
Fort of Qait Bay
Today's impressive medieval defence fortress
of the 15th century, was built at the site of the Pharos
lighthouse, using the foundations and debris of the
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