Alexandria, located on the Mediterranean coast, in the Nile Delta, is one of the grandiose projects of the great Alexander the Great. The city was built in the 4th century BC according to the designs of the best architects of that time and still retains an ancient regular layout. Here, Egyptian and Mediterranean cultures are harmoniously combined, as well as modern civilization and a rich historical past, so the choice of what to see in Alexandria is really huge. Many ancient monuments have survived in the city: museums, catacombs, mosques, architectural structures of different periods. Over its more than 2 thousand-year history, Alexandria has experienced many ups and downs, which affected its appearance. Tourists from all over the world willingly come here to combine a seaside resort vacation with a rich excursion program.
TOP-10 attractions of Alexandria
Alexandria library
The famous Library of Alexandria, founded in the 3rd century BC, was at one time the largest repository of ancient manuscripts. Unfortunately, the ancient library was destroyed, and almost all of its books and manuscripts were lost.
The new Alexandrina Library, built under the auspices of UNESCO, is distinguished by its modern original form: a round building surrounded by water, has a sloping glass roof with a diameter of 160 square meters; the walls are decorated with hieroglyphs, pictograms and letters from all languages existing on Earth, and a giant reading room filled with sunlight, which can accommodate 2,500 people, is located on 11 tiers of the building.
The repository holds 8 million books, many of which have been donated by the world's largest libraries.
In addition to the main reading room, the building has:
- 4 specialized libraries (children's, youth, for the blind and multimedia);
- 4 permanent museums;
- several exhibition halls with works by contemporary artists;
- School of Informatics;
- planetarium.
Children under 6 years old are not allowed to enter the library.
Fortress Kaitbey
One of the must-see sights of Alexandria is the Kaitbey citadel. This fortress is located on the island of Pharos and protects the entrance to the Eastern Harbor of Alexandria. It was here that the Alexandria Lighthouse once towered 130 meters - one of the 7 wonders of the world. The base of the lighthouse, which collapsed as a result of the earthquakes of 1303-1323, was completely built into the main tower of the Kaitbey fort, built in the 15th century. During the construction of the citadel, limestone blocks and granite columns preserved from the lighthouse were also used.
The fortress covers an area of 2 hectares. The main tower is surrounded by an inner (middle) wall, and along the perimeter of the entire fortress there are impregnable outer (lower) walls with loopholes, defensive towers and archers' platforms. Between the outer and inner walls, there is a courtyard with gardens, palm trees and ancient cannons. You can climb the walls, inspect the barracks where the defenders of the fortress lived, explore underground passages and passages between buildings. If you climb the tower, then beautiful views of the bay and Alexandria will open from its loopholes.
Royal Jewels Museum
If you have 2-3 hours of free time, you should definitely visit the Royal Jewelry Museum. The museum is housed in a small but luxuriously decorated mansion once owned by the Egyptian princess Fatima al-Zahra, the granddaughter of King Muhammad Ali. The small palace, surrounded by magnificent gardens, is adorned with stucco moldings and exquisite picturesque décor. Visitors are especially impressed by the chic stained-glass windows.
The museum's collection contains treasures accumulated by the royal dynasty during almost 150 years of its reign (from 1805 to 1952). There are art objects, statues and paintings, gifts to kings on the occasion of weddings and important dates. The most valuable exhibits are personal jewelry of the royal family, as well as symbols of state power. Among the luxury items are a platinum crown set with 2,000 diamonds, a chess set of gold and several jewel-encrusted dishes.
Kom el-Shukafa catacombs
An unusually valuable monument of history and architecture that has survived to this day is an underground necropolis-labyrinth in the south-west of Alexandria. The name translates as "a hill of fragments": during excavations inside the dungeon, numerous fragments of broken ceramics were discovered - the remains of earthenware, in which relatives who visited the graves brought food and drinks.
The construction of the underground necropolis began, presumably, in the 1st century AD. It was originally a mausoleum for a wealthy Egyptian family. But then the burial grew and turned into a 3-level branched labyrinth.
The catacombs were built at a time when Greco-Roman rule came to replace the Egyptian kingdom. Their uniqueness lies in the integration and harmonious combination of elements of three styles in architecture and decoration - Egyptian, Greek and Roman. The best way to get to know the catacombs is with a professional guide.
Palace and park complex Montaza
The most, perhaps, the most beautiful corner of Alexandria, locals and tourists call the royal park Montazah. The palace complex, located at the very end of the Alexandria embankment, was built at the end of the 19th century and served as a summer residence for the royal family. Here, in lush gardens on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the rulers of Egypt took refuge from the Cairo heat.
The large palace, towering on a cliff above the sea, was built in the Turkish-Florentine style. Inside there are more than 250 luxuriously decorated rooms. The palace is closed to visitors, as today it is the official residence of the president.
The small (or "female") palace has now been converted into an expensive hotel.
The park of the Montazah Palace is an incredibly popular and unusually beautiful place for walking. It is decorated with bridges and gazebos, sculptures and fountains, tropical greenery and shady alleys. A landscaped beach area adjoins the park.
Abu El Abbas Mosque
The main mosque of Alexandria is named after one of the most revered Egyptian saints, Abu el-Abbas Al-Mursi. The history of the mosque began in the XIV century, when it was decided to build a mausoleum and a mosque over the grave of Saint Al-Mursi Al-Abbas. Gradually, over the centuries, the mosque was upset and, as a result of several major reconstructions, it acquired its modern appearance. Today, this snow-white aerial mosque is one of the most beautiful not only in Alexandria, but throughout Egypt. The high walls of the mosque are decorated with white artificial stone and carvings, the carved minaret rises 75 meters, the stairs to both entrances are decorated with granite. The inside of the building is decorated with granite, stone carvings and mosaics, and the tall vaults are decorated with traditional ornamentation - arabesques.
Anyone can view the mosque (women have access only to the women's section).
Roman amphitheater
The Roman Amphitheater in Alexandria is an architectural heritage of global importance. It is not the largest amphitheater in the world, but a very atmospheric and historically important place. This architectural monument, dating back to the 2nd century AD, was discovered by chance in the middle of the 20th century, during the construction of a building in the city center. As a result of archaeological excavations, the public was presented with a perfectly preserved amphitheater with 13 stone tiers that could accommodate about 800 spectators. Once upon a time gladiator fights were held here, visiting artists performed, meetings and public performances were held. Not far from the amphitheater, archaeologists have discovered the ruins of Roman baths, lecture halls, foundations of residential buildings. The complex is now part of an open-air museum. In addition, visitors can see the stone blocks from which the famous Alexandria lighthouse was built, various statues and mosaic fragments. But most importantly, going down to the amphitheater and losing sight of the modern metropolis, you can get lost in time and imagine yourself in the place of the ancient Romans.
Column of Pompey
The Column of Pompey is the most famous Alexandrian monument of ancient times. This is the only surviving fragment of the ancient temple of the Serapeum, built during the reign of Diocletian in the 3rd century.
The height of the column with the pedestal is approximately 30 meters, the diameter at the base is 2, 7 m. The column is built of pink granite, and the slabs on which it stands are presumably taken from destroyed Egyptian temples. Stone sphinxes are installed near the column; here you can also see the ancient scale by which the water level in the Nile was determined.
National Museum
The National Museum of Alexandria, the second in the country in importance and value of exhibits after the Cairo National Museum, was founded relatively recently, in 2003, but immediately became one of the main attractions of the city. The carefully selected collection is chronologically arranged and well-labeled to give visitors a good idea of the history of Alexandria. The museum occupies the restored Italian-style villa of the wealthy merchant Al Saad Bassili Pasha. The expositions are located on three floors:
- The first floor shows the period of Ancient Egypt. Here you can see statues of ancient gods, sphinxes, mummies of pharaohs and models of tombs, papyrus, writing accessories and much more;
- The second floor is an exhibition dedicated to the Greco-Roman period. In addition to the busts of Venus and Alexander the Great, which were raised from the bottom of the sea, there are ancient coins and sculptures of Greek gods;
- The third floor is dedicated to Coptic and Islamic civilization. Coins, candlesticks, household items and clothing, icons, carpets and weapons are kept here.
Taking pictures in the museum is only allowed with a special permit.
Stanley bridge
One of the symbols of Alexandria is the romantic Stanley Bridge near the city center. This 400-meter bridge spans over one of the city's bays. The bridge is decorated with four Moorish-style towers and decorated with balconies and viewing platforms. Next to the bridge is Stanley Beach. There is quite intense traffic on the bridge, which, however, does not prevent tourists from relaxing on the benches, admiring the city and watching local fishermen. Unusually beautiful photos with views of the bridge are taken at sunrise or sunset, in soft sunlight. At night on Stanley Bridge lights are turned on, towers and spans are beautifully illuminated. A walk across the bridge is a must for tourists: here you can arrange a beautiful photo session, feel the atmosphere of modern Alexandria, spend a pleasant evening in one of the coastal cafes.
