Is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about 32 km (20 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country. It is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. Alexandria is Egypt's largest seaport, serving approximately 80% of Egypt's imports and exports. Alexandria is also an important tourist resort. It is home to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (the new Library of Alexandria). It is an important industrial centre because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez.
Alexandria was founded around a small pharaonic town c. 331 BC by Alexander the Great. It remained Egypt's capital for nearly a thousand years, until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in AD 641, when a new capital was founded at Fustat (Fustat was later absorbed into Cairo). Ancient Alexandria was best known for its Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; its library (the largest library in the ancient world); and the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. Ongoing maritime archaeology in the harbor of Alexandria, which began in 1994, is revealing details of Alexandria both before the arrival of Alexander, when a city named Rhacotis existed there, and during the Ptolemaic dynasty.
From the late 19th century, Alexandria became a major centre of the international shipping industry and one of the most important trading centers in the world, both because it profited from the easy overland connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, and the lucrative trade in Egyptian cotton.
QAITBAY CITADEL
Location:
Situated on the entrance to Alexandria’s eastern harbour where the place was exact of the famous Lighthouse.
Who built it?
This Citadel was established by the Sultan Al-Ashraf Abu Alnasr Saif Eldin Qaitbay who came to Egypt as slave not over 20 years of age.
Why it was built:
It was built to be a defensive fortress on the Mediterranean Sea coast.
Explanation:
Sultan Qaitbay visited the site of the old light house in 1447A.D and ordered a tower to be built on the foundations of the light house, it was said that the sultan spent more than a hundred thousand dinars for this tower. The citadel became more famous for its great strategic importance. So Qaitbay citadel was cared for by the sultans and rulers of Egypt from the time it was constructed until the time of Mohammed Ali.
Location:
It is situated 25 km from Alexandria train station.
Who built it?
This palace was started by Khedive Abbas II in 1892, who built a large palace inside the complex called the Salamlek. In 1932, King Fuad built a larger palace and called it the Haramlik. His son, King Farouk, built a bridge to the sea to act as a water front.
Why it was built:
It was built to be a defensive fortress on the Mediterranean Sea coast.
Explanation:
It is now a presidential residence, after being restored for 7 million pounds by President Sadat. It is closed to the public, but there are gardens of Palm trees cover the area around the palace. This is a wonderful spot to enjoy the beauty of Alexandria.
Montazah Palace
Location:
It is situated 25 km from Alexandria train station.
Who built it?
This palace was started by Khedive Abbas II in 1892, who built a large palace inside the complex called the Salamlek. In 1932, King Fuad built a larger palace and called it the Haramlik. His son, King Farouk, built a bridge to the sea to act as a water front.
Why it was built:
It was built to be a defensive fortress on the Mediterranean Sea coast.
Explanation:
It is now a presidential residence, after being restored for 7 million pounds by President Sadat. It is closed to the public, but there are gardens of Palm trees cover the area around the palace. This is a wonderful spot to enjoy the beauty of Alexandria.
