DISCOVER ALEXANDRIA, Egypt

Alexandria is the second-largest city in Egypt, and its largest seaport. Alexandria extends about 20 miles (32 km) along the coast of the Mediterranean sea in north-central Egypt. It is home to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the New Library of Alexandria, and is an important industrial centre because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez.

A picture of modern Alexandria shot from on of the windows of Quitbay's Citadel to the west of the City. Author: Ahmed Dokmak. February, 2006

In ancient times, the city was known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) and the Library of Alexandria (the largest library in the ancient world).

Ongoing maritime archaeology in the harbour of Alexandria (which began in 1994) is revealing details of Alexandria both before the arrival of Alexander, when a city named Rhakotis existed there, and during the Ptolemaic dynasty.

The city of Alexandria was named after its founder, Alexander the Great, and as the seat of the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt, quickly became one of the greatest cities of the Hellenistic world — second only to Rome in size and wealth.

However, upon the founding of Cairo by Egypt's medieval Islamic rulers, its status as the country's capital ended, and fell into a long decline, which by the late Ottoman period, had seen it reduced to little more than a small fishing village. The current city is Egypt's leading port, a commercial and transportation center, and the heart of a major industrial area where refined petroleum, asphalt, cotton textiles, processed food, paper, plastics and styrofoam are produced.

ANCIENT REMAINS IN ALEXANDRIA

Very little of the ancient city has survived into the present day. Much of the royal and civic quarters sank beneath the harbour due to earthquake subsidence, and much of the rest has been rebuilt upon in modern times.

Pompey's Pillar is the most well-known ancient monument still standing. It is located on Alexandria's ancient acropolis — a modest hill located adjacent to the city's Arab cemetery — and was originally part of a temple colonnade. Including its pedestal it is 30 m (99 feet) high; the shaft is of polished red granite, roughly three meters in diameter at the base, tapering to two and a half meters at the top. The structure was plundered and demolished in the 4th century when a bishop decreed that Paganism must be eradicated.

Pompey's Pillar is a misnomer, as it has nothing to do with Pompey, having been erected in 293 for Diocletian, possibly in occasion of the rebellion of Domitius Domitianus. Beneath the acropolis itself are the subterranean remains of the Serapeum, where the mysteries of the god Serapis were enacted, and whose carved wall niches are believed to have provided overflow storage space for the ancient Library.

Alexandria's catacombs, known as Kom al Sukkfa, are a short distance southwest of the pillar, consist of a multi-level labyrinth, reached via a large spiral staircase, and featuring dozens of chambers adorned with sculpted pillars, statues, and other syncretic Romano-Egyptian religious symbols, burial niches and sarcophagi, 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 theatre, and the remains of its Roman-era baths.

THINGS TO SEE IN ALEXANDRIA

Fort Qait Bey. Built by Mameluke Sultan Abdul-Nasser Qait Bey in 1477 AD but razed and reconstructed twice since.This citadel was built in 1480 by Sultan Qaitbey on the site of the Pharos Lighthouse, to protect the city from the crusaders who used to attack the city by sea.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina. A huge modern library and research center constructed on the site of the former Library of Alexandria (destroyed c. 400 AD), located just to the east of the Corniche.
Bibliotheca Alenandrina. Located near the site of the ancient library of Alexandria, this modern version is an eleven-story, cylindrical-shaped building that houses more than eight million books.
Graeco-Roman Museum. This vast collection mostly dates from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD, spanning the Ptolemaic and Roman periods.
Roman Catacombs at Kam-el-Shuqqafa. Advice is to go early in the morning when no one else is around which can be a great experience. There are guards up above. So go early and hope there are no other tourists around to make the experience way more enjoyable. Bring a flashlight and shoes that can get muddy.
Roman Amphitheater.
Pompey's Pillar. This 25-meter-high granite column was constructed in honor of the Emperor Diocletian in AD 297.
Alexandria National Museum. More than 1800 archaeological pieces are exhibited chronologically from one floor to the next: the basement is devoted to Prehistoric and Pharonic times; first floor to the Graeco-Roman period; second floor to the Coptic and Islamic era that highlights artifacts raised during recent underwater excavations.
Corniche. The Corniche is a glorious 3km walkway along the harbour dotted with restaurants, markets and historic sights.
Kom El-Dikka. Built in the 2nd century AD, this Roman amphitheater has 13 semicircular tiers made of white and gray marble.

ALEXANDRIA AS A SUMMER RESORT

Alexandria is considered a main summer resort in the Middle East, visited by people from all the other cities to enjoy the sun and sea there. Beaches become full of umbrellas and families and the city is usually crowded in summer.

Beaches of Alexandria are famous for having lots of cafeterias and umbrellas. 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.

From Wikitravel

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