Egypt Alexandria

Egypt Alexandria

Alexandria is the second largest city in Egypt, and is often regarded as the shining pearl of the Mediterranean. Although it is located only about 140 miles from Cairo, this charming city is significantly different from other parts of Egypt, as it has a culture and a Mediterranean atmosphere. Its great natural beauty and rich cultural heritage and history make it one of the most preferred tourist destinations in the country.

Overlooking the sea , Alexandria, Egypt

Alexandria was founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great. Alexander wanted the city to replace Naucratis as the capital of Hellenistic Egypt, and serve as a link between the Nile Valley and Greece. Soon it grew to become the new commercial center between Europe and the Middle East, and had a population greater than Carthage. In just a century after its founding, it has become the most populous city in the world. He gained recognition as the leading Hellenistic city in Egypt, and it has attracted many people from mainland Greece.

Since the 19th century Alexandria took a new role as a center of commercial and maritime expansion of Egypt. This Alexandria has been immortalized by writers such as EM Forster and Cavafy - . Generations of immigrants from Greece , Italy and the Levant settled here and made the city synonymous with commerce , cosmopolitanism and bohemian culture .

Alexandria is a city to explore at random. It is also important to enjoy the atmosphere as it is to see the sights.

Stanlie Bridge , Alexandria, Egypt

Old town Alexandria

Dinocrates Heptastadion built the causeway between Pharos and the mainland. This divided the ports in the West and the East. The eastern harbor was really where was the old port since the Middle Ages.

Of modern Alexandria, the oldest section is along the causeway which links what was once Pharos island with the mainland and includes the districts of Gumrok (the oldest dating from about the 16th century and known as the district Customs ) Anfushi and Ras el -Tin (Cape of Figs ) . The last two days districts about the period of Mohammed Ali ( 1805-1849 ) . Collectively, these districts are known to westerners as the Turkish Quarter . They had a number of ups and downs over the years, partly because of the plague in the 17th century. The area is a kind of T-shaped dividing the Eastern Harbor Port West .

This section of Alexandria is known to us more books than we can actually see in the area . When the Pharos Lighthouse once stood , is now occupied by the Fort of Quit Bay (1) the area that wraps around the upper part of Port East forming the eastern part of the top of the T. Heading south of Fort Quit Bay, we come to the beautiful Abu El -Abbas Mosque ( 2). West are the tombs Anfushi (3), some of the oldest in Alexandria and well worth a visit .

Underwater discoveries

Relatively new discoveries in the eastern harbor involve two different sites. Around Fort Qaitbey site has unearthed hundreds of objects , including what experts believe to be the remains of the Pharos Lighthouse , one of the ancient wonders of the world in the south -eastern port archaeologists have apparently found the royal chambers , including granite columns and fabulous statues, including one of Isis and a sphinx head thought to be the father of Cleopatra. There may vary well be an underwater exhibit in the future.

En route to the continent after the Abu El -Abbas Mosque and connecting with Shari Faransa street leads to Souk area . Just before entering the area, is the small mosque interesting Terbana (4). In the district of Suq (5), there are only survivors wakalas of Alexandria, which is a part of the complex of El- Shorbagi mosque founded in 1757. It was also the area where the Jewish community of Alexandria lived , but most have now migrated to Israel. Different areas have specialized in different goods and you can find all kinds of products from jewelry to Medicinal plants ( Souk El- Magharba ) to Bedouin clothing ( Souk El- Libia ).

Continuing along Faransa one passes Midan Tahrir ( 6) and the street turns into Salah Salem, and finally connects with Al- Horreya .

However, Midan Tahrir , popularly called Manshiya has a considerable history. Areas once housed diplomats and known as Place des Consuls , but after the statue of Mohammed Ali was placed here in 1873 the name was changed to Midan Mohammed Ali. In 1882, it was bombed by the British and almost entirely destroyed. The Alexandria Stock Exchange was once located here, and it is from Midan Nasser announced the nationalization of the Suez Canal .

The street named Al- Horreya ( Tariq Abd el -Nasser ) which transverses the area from east to west was in ancient times the Canopic Way with the Gate of the Sun at the eastern end and the Gate of the Moon in the western end. At that time, there were probably columns lining the road . The main north south street , now Sharia el- Nebi Daniel , ran from Port East all the way to Lake Harbor on Lake Mariut.

Just south of the intersection of Al Horreya and el- Nebi Daniel was the site traditionally regarded as the burial place of Alexander the Great , but it has not been located, and may in fact be in the mosque Nebi Daniel (7) or in a nearby Greek necropolis . The famous Alexandria Library was probably nearby. However, the only real antiquities site that can be accessed in the area is Kom el- Dikka (8), a small Roman theater that has been excavated . Nearby is also a bath house at the time. To the east, the antiques district where merchants sell antiques , books , old weapons and furniture. Here also Attarine Mosque , which was once a church dedicated to St. Athanasius .

Further south, along the tram line is the pillar of Pompey (9) and near the Catacombs of Kom ash- Shuqqafa (10).

Wondering along el- Nebi Daniel are several other attrations , including the French Cultural Center , and near the Eliahu Hanabi Synagague (11) , which is the only synagogue in Alexandria and houses the combined treasures of the seven ancient synagogues of Alexandria.

Back north on el- Nebi Daniel , next to the harbor where Ramla station is now located at Midan Saad Zaghloul was the location of the Caesareum (12). It was a magnificent temple begun by Cleopatra for her lover Antony and completed by their enemy Octavian , but none of this situ remains.in . Nearby is the well known Cecil Hotel , built in 1930, Smerset Maugham stayed here, as Winston Churchill and the British Secret Service maintained a suite for their operations.

Midan Saad Zaghloul (13 ) is the heart and nerves entertainment center of Alexandria. Here , terminals and stations provide a backdrop for cinemas, restaurants and nightclubs . It was the scene of Lawrence Durrell Alexandria Quartet and the famous Alexandria coffee . The square is dominated by an imposing monument dedicated to Saad Zaghloul , a former national leader.

Greek and Bab Rosetta District

Back to Al Horreya eastward , we pass the Graeco-Roman Museum ( a notable museum well worth a visit) , we enter the Greek quarter of Alexandria , one of the most beautiful residential areas . The wonderful old villas include the massive construction Miclavez , which is opposite the Town Hall and near the Adda Complex built in 1929 . This is where the wealthy Greeks lived at the turn of the century, and the streets are still named after Ptolemy, Pharaonic , Abbasid and Fatimid rulers. Further east is the Greek Orthodox patriarchate andthe Church of St. Saba .

Further east , Al Horreya opens onto a beautiful green space known as Shallalat Gardens , which was once the fortification of Bab Rosetta . But in 1905, Alexandria created a garden here with waterfalls and the only Alexandria cistern which can be accessed . This tank is an example of those who once dotted Alexandria providing fresh water to its inhabitants.

Roman Theatre , Alexandria, Egypt

Corniche

The Corniche is doted with Casinos built on stilts and rows of beach huts . The avenue here did not always exist , because until the 20th century, remained fortified by a five mile long wall with towers which had protected the city from the 13th century. Areas In the 1900s , a strip of land with a width of 100 years was reclaimed from the sea , and the area became popular with beach lovers. This is no longer the case , but there is a lively district of Alexandria.

At the western end of the Corniche near Silsila where the New Alexandria Library is being built are the graves Shatby is said to be the oldest in Alexandria. Nearer the San Stefano across the tram tracks is also the Royal Jewelry Museum.

Panorama of Cornich

Channel Mahmudiya

A walk along the canal Mahmudiya brings face to face with the working class and the industrial districts of Alexandria, and it is pleasant along the old paved road bordered by the canal and trees. South of Greektown along the canal is the Antoniadis garden , which seep history. Here , the poet Callimachus lived and taught , and in 640 AD, Pompilius prvented the king of Syria from capturing Alexandria . But after less than a year , Amr Ibn el -As camped here , before taking the city. The Roundabout water well known , it is also in the region.

Here you will find the zoo , the small natural history museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Muharram Bey area , and a rose garden. The beautiful public gardens extend into the surrounding area where the Antoniadis Palace is located , and there is even a Roman tomb nearby.

MontazahHelnan Palestine Hotel is famous for its numerous restaurants. The " Estacoza Restaurant", located directly on the sea, offers delicious seafood like " the seafood platter ." 

 

Montazah Helnan Palestine Hotel

 There is also the " Alexandrina restaurant " that serves international cuisine and features a dinner open buffet every day of the week. There are Asian and Italian restaurants to specialty dishes. The "Zodiac Restaurant" offers soft drinks and hot drinks, delicious ice cream and desert.The SALAMLEK Palace and HotelThe hotel offers its visitors SALAMLEK the luxurious life style of kings and queens. The hotel was built by Abbas Helmy II as hunting room for him and his little Austrian friend who became his wife and subsequently changed its name to be Gawidan Hanem .Haramlek name in Turkish means: the place where men meet, Haramlek is opposite SALAMLEK , where women remain . Under the reign of King Farouk , the palace was used as a special office and meeting room.The palace was designed by Dmitri Fabersious , one of the most famous architects of the time . It was designed using a large number of rich decorations and contained an artificial forest at the time and there were plenty of animals the Khedive and his companions used to go hunting.The Italian garden of the Palais has guns that King Fouad Ahmed has brought Europe to defend the palace against any attack that might come from the Sea.The palace has been used in a military hospital in the First World War , where British soldiers used to be transferred for treatment . After the 1952 revolution , the Haramlek Palace was converted into a hotel and it was managed by Sphinx Tourism Company. The Company San Giovanni came later and did a lot of restoration and renovations to the hotel.When you enter the main lobby , you are in the Khedive Salon with its luxurious furnishings and contains a collection of photographs of the Khedive with various VIPs. You will definitely spend some time at the reception to be able to choose the best suite the hotel has 14 special suites " Mawlana Al Moheeb " suite which has 5 large bedrooms and a view of the royal garden " Al Sahebat essma " with its three huge bedrooms and large balcony, " Dawlat Al Rais " with two bedrooms and a large balcony or " Afandina " with three bedrooms and a large balcony.The most fascinating hotel suite is the result of crystal, or the royal suite queen. It was so named because all its elements have been made ​​from blue glass and crystal .The Palace HaramlekHaramlek The Palace was built by King Ahmed Foaud in 1925 when he ordered his Italian architect firotche for the build to be the summer of the royal family of Egypt at the time residence.The Palace has a distinctive design that combines different styles with the Byzantine dominant . That's not counting the Gothic , classical , and of course styles of Islamic architecture. Haramlek the word is a term of Turkish architecture used to describe the place where the women are and it was forbidden for anyone to enter the area of special ladies.The Haramlek Palace contains many French antiques and was richly decorated in the baroque and rococo styles that consist of amazing ornaments of plants and geometric designs.The palace consists of a large living outdoors in the middle of it with all rooms and suites surround . The palace has three floors. The first floor consists of many bedrooms and bathrooms and most important of them is the office of the king, the billiard room and living room. The second floor used to house attendants and servants of kings and queens, while the third and top floor suites welcomed the king and queen with a large balcony between the two . This floor also has the following baby prince was designed cork to prevent the baby from being disturbed sleep because of the noise of footsteps.Under the reign of King Farouk , the palace was renovated and restored . King Farouk wanted to dig a crypt which is the palace directly to the sea so that it is used in the case of an attack taking place at the palace. However, he was not able to complete it because of the Egyptian revolution in 1952.