Alexandria (/ˌælɪɡˈzændriə/ or /-ˈzɑːnd-/;[5] Arabic: الإسكندرية‎ al-ʾIskandariyya;[6] Egyptian Arabic: اسكندرية‎ Eskendereyya; Coptic: ⲣⲁⲕⲟϯ Rakodī;[7] Greek: Αλεξάνδρεια Alexandria)[7][8] is the second-largest city in Egypt and a major economic centre. It is said that Mark Antony gave Cleopatra 200,000 books for the library but this claim has been disputed since antiquity. | Founded in 331 BC by 25-year-old Alexander the Great, Alexandria (Al Iskendariyya) is the stuff of legend. [11] From ancient sources it is known there existed a trading post at this location during the time of Rameses the Great for trade with Crete, but it had long been lost by the time of Alexander's arrival. Discover (and save!) Alexandria, Egypt. your own Pins on Pinterest And yet a man's religion or philosophy, while it is but the product of his own mind, exerts a reflex influence upon his character. Sheikh Yakut was another great man. As the rest of Egypt's northern coast, the prevailing north wind, blowing across the Mediterranean, gives the city a less severe climate from the desert hinterland. It was left to his commander, Cleomenes, to build the city Alexander had envisioned. There were many Alexandrias founded during Alexander the Great's conquering trips, but none so famous, large, or wealthy. It is usually frequented by the children of French expatriates and diplomats in Alexandria. This article is about the city in Egypt. The latter was recently rediscovered under water. Some drivers also drive only a segment of a route rather than the whole path; such drivers generally stop at a point known as a major hub of the transportation system (for example, Victoria) to allow riders to transfer to another car or to another mode of transport. According to historians Oakes and Gahlin, “There was room for up to 70,000 papyrus scrolls. It remains at the site of the Serapeum, Alexandria's acropolis. 1 day in Alexandria Cruising to Egypt . Member churches include Saint Catherine Church in Mansheya and Church of the Jesuits in Cleopatra. Alexandria is a port city located on the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt founded in 331 BCE by Alexander the Great. Under the reign of Theodosius I (347-395 CE) paganism was outlawed and Christianity encouraged. Fare is generally L.E. It also became infamous for the religious strife which resulted in the martyrdom of the philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria in 415 CE. In 1994 CE the first discoveries were made known of a number of relics, statuary, and buildings in the harbor of Alexandria. These have been steadily excavated by Professor Jean-Yves Empereur and his team who continue to bring to light the lost golden age of Alexandria. This single pillar represents the elaborate temple which once stood in Alexandria. 1 day in Alexandria Cruising to Ancient Egypt. Alexandria Walking Tour-Walk Like Egyptian. Cite This Work Here every part of egypt has a different taste of food .. U must go portsaid . Much of the royal and civic quarters sank beneath the harbour and the rest has been built over in modern times. Some smaller yellow-coloured vehicles have further routes beyond the two main endpoints. Most Jewish residents of Egypt fled to the newly established Israel, France, Brazil and other countries in the 1950s and 1960s. 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. Its volume is 132 cubic meters (4,662 cubic feet) and weight approximately 396 tons. Alexandria, which had been a city of prosperity and learning, became an arena of religious contention between the new faith of the Christians and the old faith of the pagan majority. In the 1st century, the population of Alexandria contained over 180,000 adult male citizens,[26] according to a census dated from 32 CE, in addition to a large number of freedmen, women, children and slaves. It has been reasonably established that the library, or parts of the collection, were destroyed by fire on a number of occasions (library fires were common and replacement of handwritten manuscripts was very difficult, expensive, and time-consuming). Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization. The large gardens surrounding the palace are now a public park overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Greeks, followed by other Europeans and others, began moving to the city. The network begins at the El Raml district in the west and ends in the Victoria district in the east. [9] A small Egyptian fishing village named Rhakotis (Egyptian: rꜥ-qdy.t, 'That which is built up') existed since the 13th century BC in the vicinity and eventually grew into the Egyptian quarter of the city. Alexandria is known as the yearly starting point of Cross Egypt Challenge and a huge celebration is conducted the night before the rally starts after all the international participants arrive to the city. After the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451, the Church of Alexandria was split between the Miaphysites and the Melkites. It is a large tourist destination, today. Gold Octadrachm of Ptolemy II & Arsinöe IIby The British Museum (Copyright). Construction of the Alexandria Metro is due to begin in 2020 at a cost of $1.05 billion.[52]. The light was produced by a furnace at the top and the tower was built mostly with solid blocks of limestone. It was conquered by the Sassanid Persians in 619 CE. The Melkites went on to constitute what is known today as the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria. 3 reviews. Most of the vehicles are blue in colour. The Septuagint, a Greek version of the Tanakh, was produced there. Here, substructures of a large building or group of buildings have been exposed, which are perhaps part of the Serapeum. It was not one building, but a vast body of buildings, all grouped about a central one of vaster dimensions, rising on pillars of huge magnitude and graceful proportions. The city became his base of operations over the next thirteen years until he and Cleopatra were defeated by Octavian Caesar at the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE. "Alexandria, Egypt." Hellenistic Alexandria was best known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; its Great Library (the largest in the ancient world); and the Necropolis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. The Skateboarding culture in Egypt started in this city. The tower was an exact scale replica of the destroyed Alexandrine Pharos Lighthouse. There are only two German schools in Alexandria which are Deutsche Schule der Borromärinnen (DSB of Saint Charles Borromé) and Neue Deutsche Schule Alexandria, which is run by Frau Sally Hammam. The Saint Mark Church in Shatby, founded as part of Collège Saint Marc, is multi-denominational and holds liturgies according to Latin Catholic, Coptic Catholic and Coptic Orthodox rites. Estimates of the total population range from 216,000[27] to 500,000[28] making it one of the largest cities ever built before the Industrial Revolution and the largest pre-industrial city that was not an imperial capital. The commuter line's locomotives operate on diesel, as opposed to the overhead-electric tram. Persistent efforts have been made to explore the antiquities of Alexandria. Alexandria has of course been around a few years. It is a commercial port for general cargo and phosphates. The only school in Alexandria that completely follows the French educational system is Lycée Français d'Alexandrie (École Champollion). Required fields are marked * Name * Email * Miriam hanna 2 years ago . To this day the details of the destruction (or destructions) remain a lively source of controversy. The Serapeum, which stood for ancient tradition, conflicted with the rise of Christianity. It became, in time, the home of a wonderful library and schools of philosophy, representing all the phases and the most delicate shades of thought. It is considered the most reputable university in Egypt after the AUC American University in Cairo because of its worldwide recognition from board of engineers at UK & ABET in US. "Alexandria, Egypt." He then declared martial law, took over the royal palace, and sent for the exiled co-regent Cleopatra VII. [48] Coptic Christian churches are most common churches .There are also other Christian churches as: Greek, Latin and Armenian . It is located in Abusir, the western suburb of Alexandria in Borg el Arab city. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 02 May 2018. In 391 CE the Christian Patriarch Theophilus followed Theodosius’ lead and had all the pagan temples in Alexandria destroyed or converted into churches. Every book found was taken to the Library where it was decided whether to give it back or confiscate it and replace it with a copy” (230). Other catacombs and tombs have been opened in Kom El Shoqafa (Roman) and Ras El Tin (painted). Abu abbas al mursi mosque in alexandria egypt | © Jerrye & … Alexandria - Alexandria - Transportation: Alexandria is linked to other Egyptian cities by railway, road, and air service. Traces of its pavement and canal have been found near the Rosetta Gate, but remnants of streets and canals were exposed in 1899 by German excavators outside the east fortifications, which lie well within the area of the ancient city. The incredible Egyptian discovery was made by Polish archaeologists in the ancient city of Marea, southwest of Alexandria. The Christian religion, as soon as it got into power, turned the world about. The catacombs were long forgotten by the citizens until they were discovered by accident in 1900.[43]. The library of Alexandria was completed by Ptolemy II (285-246 BCE) who sent invitations to rulers and scholars asking them to contribute books. The Kom el shoqafa Catacombs are considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages and date back to the 2nd century. The city became steadily impoverished after the rise of Christianity, both financially and culturally, and became increasingly a battlefield for warring faiths. The most notable public schools in Alexandria include El Abbassia High School and Gamal Abdel Nasser High School. Alexandria consisted originally of little more than the island of Pharos, which was joined to the mainland by a 1,260-metre-long (4,130 ft) mole and called the Heptastadion ("seven stadia"—a stadium was a Greek unit of length measuring approximately 180 metres or 590 feet). Transport within the city is provided by tram service, as well as a system of taxis and buses. Today, the Patriarchal seat of the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church is Saint Mark Cathedral . Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. The stadium is the oldest stadium in Egypt, being built in 1929. [14] By the time of Augustus, the city walls encompassed an area of 5.34 km2, and the total population during the Roman principate was around 500,000–600,000, which would wax and wane in the course of the next four centuries under Roman rule. He founded Alexandria in the small port town of Rhakotis by the sea and set about the task of turning it into a great capital. 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