Alexandria, facts, history, location

Alexander city has a rich history; not only was Alexandria founded by ‘Alexander the Great but also was one of the leading beacons of Christianity and had one of the biggest Cathedrals at some time.

Alexandria location

The city is located in the northern part of Egypt, some 225 km to the northwest of Cairo directly on the Mediterranean Sea. The city of Alexandria lies at the western edge of the Nile River delta. Alexandria’s location extends 32 km on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea from El Montazah Palace to El Corniche and ends west at the Qaitbay Castle.

For one thousand years, Alexandria served as the capital of Egypt during the Ptolemaic, Roman, and Byzantine until the Arab conquest in 641 AD when the official capital became the city of Fustat.

Alexandria Facts

Alexandria is the second largest city in Egypt after Cairo
The city has a population of 5 million people on a 2,679 km²
It was built by Alexander the Great himself in 332 BC
The fourth-largest city in the Arab world, and the ninth-largest urban area in Africa
Egypt’s largest seaport and the center of much of its maritime activity
Once, it had One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Pharos Lighthouse
The Citadel of Qaitbay is built on the same site as the popular lighthouse on the sea coast of the Mediterranean
The legendary Library of Alexandria was the biggest and the most famous in its time
Locals call it the ‘Bride of Mediterranean
This city became the Hellenic Civilization’s major center during the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Kom Al Shoqafa tomb or Catacomb is treated as the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages and the Greek Noble family’s final resting place.
Roman Amphitheatre in the city contains a stage with 700-800 seats around it
the number of papyrus scrolls housed in the library; an estimate was between 40,000-400,000
Apollonius of Rhodes, Callimachus, and Zenodotus of Ephesus worked in the Alexandria library
Egypt and Alexandria became under his Roman rule in 30 BCE by the emperor Augustus
Alexandria fell under the rule of Muslim conquest by the army of Amr ibn al-As
In 1801, the British expedition arrived and took control, and Alexandria was free after 150 years of British rule
Alexandria was one of the leading beacons of Christianity and had one of the biggest Cathedrals at some time

The foundation of Alexandria

Alexander knew that the conquest of Egypt meant securing his back in the West and closing the Mediterranean Sea to the Persians. Alexander began by seizing the secret city of Tire after a nine-month siege, then he seized the city of Gaza, the border city of Egypt, after two months of siege.

The fall of Gaza meant the fall of the Persian fortress that protected Egypt, and then the Persian rule withdrew to Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt. Alexander set out towards the Egyptian capital, and the Egyptians welcomed the conquerors, saying that he was the new ruler of Egypt and the heir of King Nectanebo II.

Alexander arrived at the end of 332 BC in Memphis, and the Persian ruler surrendered. He respected Egyptian culture and religion, then Alexander the Great was crowned king of the country by the priest of the Ptah temple in Memphis in a pharaonic way. Meanwhile, he carried the title of Beloved Ra, the chosen one of Amun. As an Egyptian king, it was necessary to visit Egyptian temples and make offerings to the Egyptian gods.

Then Alexander came to the Temple of Amun in Siwa, which is known as the Temple of Oracle, in the year 331 BC. At the gathering area of 16 villages, he gave orders to establish a new capital bearing his name in the Greek style.

Alexander established twenty cities that carry his name, the most popular is Alexandria in Egypt. Alexandria emerged as a great city in the Mediterranean and a center of Hellenism, spreading Greek learning and culture

Why Alexander established Alexandria?

While Alexander was on his way from Memphis (the oldest capital of Egypt) to the Oasis of Amun (Siwa Oasis) to consult the famous oracle at the temple of Jupiter, Amun in 331 BC. He marched with his army to the western branch of the Nile known as the canopic branch until he reached the Mediterranean Sea where he found two ports. One to the east (the Portus Magnus) was more important than the other one to the west called Portus euastous.

He was shuck by the perfect location offered by the small village of Rhacotis, which was inhabited by the local Egyptian fishermen with an island of Pharaoh’s opposite. It offered an ideal site for the establishment of a port for trade and a link between Egypt and the rest of the world.

It was on that narrow ship of land, situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north and lake Rhacotis to the south. Historians generally agree that Rhacotis, or Râ-Kedet, was a settlement established before the fourth century B.C. in the area subsequently developed as Alexandria. That was the city that carried the name of Alexander.

Its location helped the Macedonian army in its conquests across the Mediterranean.
To be a center of trade in this region.
responsible for transmitting Hellenic culture to the rest of the Mediterranean.
The Macedonian entrusted its construction to the Greek engineer, the Rhodesian Dinocrates drew it in a style approaching the style of architecture in the ancient Greek cities.

Alexandria after Alexander the Great

After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, his empire was divided among his generals. Ptolemy declared himself king of Egypt and started the Ptolemaic dynasty which ruled Egypt for more than 300 years(323-30BC).

After the death of Cleopatra VII, the last queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty at the battle of Actium in 30 bc, by the Romans under Octavian, Egypt became a province of the Roman empire. The Romans ruled Egypt till the middle of the seventh century when the Arabs under the leadership of Amr Ibn El Ass conquered the country. During that period which historians call the Greco-Roman period, Alexandria was the capital of Egypt and reached the highest of its importance.

At the time of his death, the work on building the city was not advanced, and in spite of the activity of Ptolemy I, the city does not seem to have been completed till the time of Ptolemy II (285-246 BC)

The architect of Alexandria

The architect of the new city was Dinocrates. first of all, he connected the island of Pharaohs with the mainland by a dyke that was called Heptastadium because it was seven stadia long, nearly one mile. The dyke disappeared due to the accretions of soil and the filling up of the port of the sea. So, it became part of the modern city.

Dinocrates chose to use the hippo-dame theme for the city which consisted of two main roads intersecting at right angles, while other side streets were planned to be parallel to these perpendicular axes.

As a result of the construction a third of the whole area of the city overlooks the eastern harbor. It contained royal buildings, many palaces, and gardens. Moreover, the famous Museum with its library and the royal cemetery.

Alexandria Quarters

Alexandria was divided into five quarters, bearing the first five letters of the Greek Alphabet. Quarters included the Royal Quarter (Brucheion), and the Jewish Quarter (with the Great Theater extending across the center of town from East to West. A district known as Canopus Street (currently known as Fouad Street), bordered by Canopus Gate to the East, Sedra Gate to the West, and the long street stretching North to South intersecting with Nabi Daniel Street, bordered to the North by the Moon Gate and to the South by the Sun Gate.

The Royal quarter: In the east of the city, it was bounded from the west by Sima Street, from the east by the Jewish Quarter, and Canopus Road from the south.

Alexandria plan

According to the 19th-century excavations, there were 7 main streets going from west to east, each 7 meters wide. But the main one or the middle one was 140 meters with a distance of 280 meters between every street and another.

Also, 11 streets were found going from north to south, and the distance between the streets was 330 meters with a width of 7 meters.

The Alexander the Great tomb was in the heart of the town where the two main streets meet and the tombs of the Ptolemaic kings were beside it.

Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II moved the tomb of Alexander to the area of the royal palace and Caracalla visited the area and offered sacrifices to them but it was destroyed in the time of Marcus Aurelius.

The Greeks lived in the northeastern part of the city

Egyptians lived in the Southwestern part

The cemetery was in the west of the city

The Serapeum of Alexandria was in the south of the city

The library and The Philosopher’s Assembly were in the northeastern part established by Ptolemy

Alexandria had its eastern entrance called the sun gate plus 3 more as Alexandria had four entrances gates in total

Alexandria during The Ptolemaic Era

After the death of Alexander the Great, who did not see the city that was named after him and which immortalized him throughout history. The city did not grow much, but since Ptolemy I “Soter” the city was taking rapid steps until it became in the era of Ptolemy II “Philadelphus” who ruled from 285 BC. In 246 BC, the largest and greatest capital in the world.

it surpassed all contemporary Greek and Egyptian cities and became the subject of admiration for all the ancient world.

Alexandria has become the first Egyptian port in deep waters, as it is located directly on the sea. It has become the meeting and crossing point for trade routes that connect Egypt to the areas it deals with, and the first center for Egyptian commercial transactions, import, and export

Two important institutions were established in Alexandria during the Ptolemaic era, between 288 and 280 BC. And these two institutions are:

The University of Alexandria or the Muses (the House of the Wisdom of Wisdom) and those in charge of the study at this university represented the elite of society from the people of knowledge, thought and literature all over the world, as the Ptolemies used to bring them in from all parts of the world.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The library contained a large number of volumes of written scrolls, which amounted to about seven hundred thousand scrolls, to which Cleopatra VII added about two hundred thousand other scrolls.

It had also become the meeting point and transit for trading routes connecting Egypt with other regions

Alexandria was distinguished from the rest of the cities of Egypt until it became known as “The City”, similar to the city of “Thebes” during the era of the Pharaohs.

In addition, Alexandria had its own courts and its own law, which was known as civil law, and these courts and laws were recognized even in the royal courts.

The Ptolemies divided the country into 42 regions, the region into centers, and the centers into a group of villages called Kom, and they used the Greek language as the official language of the country.

The Ptolemies realized the importance of religious belief in the lives of the Egyptians. So, they added the characteristic of worshipping to their rulers and admit the Egyptian religion as the official religion of the country. They also cared about establishing many temples such as the Temple of Horus in Edfu – the Temple of Isis in Philae.

The Ptolemaic king was considered the owner of Egypt and the absolute master of his subjects. They also relied on the Greeks to assume important positions in the country and considered themselves kings, pharaohs, and gods.

Religion in the Ptolemaic era

When Ptolemy I Soter made himself king of Egypt, he created a new god, Serapis, to garner support from both Greeks and Egyptians. Serapis was the patron god of Ptolemaic Egypt, combining the Egyptian gods Apis and Osiris with the Greek deities Zeus, Hades, and Asclepius.

His growth and popularity reflected a deliberate policy by the Ptolemaic state and was characteristic of the dynasty’s use of Egyptian religion to legitimize their rule and strengthen their control.

Ptolemy I also promoted the cult of the deified Alexander, who became the state god of the Ptolemaic kingdom. Many rulers also promoted individual cults of personality, including celebrations at Egyptian temples.

Alexandria language during the Ptolemaic era

The population spoke several languages, and the Greek language with all its dialects was the dominant language, but in the national neighborhoods the conversation was in the Egyptian language, while the Jews spoke in Hebrew and Aramaic, which was still their dominant language, and unlike the Hebrew language, there was another Semitic language, and from It is likely that there were some Indian dialects.

Alexandria in The Roman Era

In the period when the Ptolemaic state was weakened, the Roman Empire began to emerge and was able to control most parts of the Mediterranean. Only Egypt was left in front of them, which they managed to control in 30 BC.

The capital of Egypt during the rule of the Roman Empire was Alexandria, which was considered a “second Rome” for the emperors of Rome, as the rich Egyptian lands became the property of Rome after the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC, which led to the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, which ruled Egypt since the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC.

and the reason for choosing Alexandria as the capital of Egypt at that time is that it contains a major seaport and industrial center, in addition to the fact that the city is located near the western end of the Nile Delta on the Mediterranean Sea

Augustus considered Egypt a private estate, as the Ptolemies considered it before, even if the administration of Egypt was in the era of the Ptolemies’ aims to enrich the ruling Ptolemaic family in Egypt. while it differed during the reign of the Roman emperors. so, they considered it a warehouse of wheat to meet the needs of the population of Rome to gain their support.

Egyptian law & Roman law

The Romans kept Egyptian laws and applied them to the Egyptians. As for the Romans who resided in Egypt, Roman law was applied to them.

The Romans also kept the systems and laws of the Greek cities such as (Nokratis – Ptolemys – Alexandria) after introducing some amendments to them. They also applied Greek laws to the city of Antipolis (the village of Sheikh Ubadah). Malawi Center in Minya), which was founded by Emperor Hadrian and issued some laws regulating relations between the Romans and the Egyptians

Alexandria maintained its cultural and scientific status in the era of the Romans. Many sciences advanced in it, especially engineering, mechanics, geography, history, and philosophy.

Alexandria was one of the most important cities in the ancient world and the largest city in Egypt for more than two thousand years. It was an important trade center between Europe and Asia connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

It was also a leading cultural center in the world and home to people of different religions and beliefs. Greek scholars, Roman emperors, mathematicians, philosophers, scholars, poets, and other thinkers flocked to it.

In addition to the fame of its vast library, which was said to have contained 500,000 volumes in the third century BC. Emperor Augustus used a wise policy when he invaded Alexandria, where he declared a general amnesty for the city’s citizens.

Alexandria and Christianity

Christ was born during the time of the Roman Emperor Augustus in Bethlehem, Palestine. Meanwhile, Christianity began with humility among his apostles and disciples who were loyal to him and pledged to his teachings until Christ died in the year 30 AD. His followers continued to practice Christian rituals and worshiped in Solomon’s temple and gathered in his corridors. Although, they were all from the lower classes of society and from Different parts and multiple cities.

Christianity entered Egypt, half a century after the beginning of the call of our master Jesus, peace be upon him, and it was introduced by Mark the Messenger. Alexandria and its church are considered one of the four major global patriarchates (the Patriarchate of Antioch, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem). Meanwhile, it is one of the historical national churches, which suffered from persecution by the Byzantine state.

Roman persecution

During the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284-305 A.D.), the worst religious persecution took place. Christians were expelled from the court and from the ranks of the army, exiled to remote destinations, deprived of their citizenship rights, burned their holy books, and demolished their churches.

Terrible human massacres in which many Christians were executed in exile in Egypt and Alexandria in particular until the era of this emperor was called (the era of the martyrs). The spread of Christianity because of the heroism of these martyrs attracted the attention of many pagans and aroused their interest in the new faith. Soon after they entered into it, Christianity spread and prevailed in Alexandria and other parts of Egypt.

Alexandria suffered from extreme poverty at the advent of Christianity and after that, it was invaded by the Persians in the year 619 AD. In the year 628 AD the Christian Byzantine Empire was placed under the rule of Heraclius until Caliph Omar came and took it in 641 AD. the wars continued between Christianity, Muslims, and the Byzantines until it occurred Officially under Islamic rule, and by the year 1323 AD.

Alexandria in the Islamic era

The Arabs defeated the Byzantines and occupied the key cities of Syria and Palestine, and they defeated the Persian army on the eastern front in Mesopotamia and Iraq. The next obvious step was to secure Syria against a possible attack launched from the Byzantine province of Egypt.

Muslim General Amr ibn al-As take over the fortress of Babylon on the Nile in April 641. After that, he marched north against Byzantine Alexandria. The Muslims laid siege to Alexandria in March 641.

Emperor Heraclius gathered a large army at Constantinople. He intended to lead this army personally to Alexandria. But he died and the help never came.

This demoralized the Byzantines completely. The siege dragged on for six months, and finally, the city was captured by the Muslims in September 641. Thousands of Byzantine soldiers were killed or taken captive while others managed to flee to Constantinople on ships that were ready in the port. Some wealthy traders also left.

On behalf of the Christians, Patriarch Cyrus of Alexandria sued for peace, and his request was granted.

Alexandria attractions

Alexandria was the pearl of the Mediterranean Sea and the second-largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. While you are in Egypt, you do not have to miss the top tourist attractions in Alexandria such as

The Catacombs of Kom el-Shuqafa
Fort Qaitbay
Kom el-Dikka – Roman Amphitheatre
Pompey’s Pillar
Alexandria National Museum
Mustafa Kamel Tombs
Shatby necropolis
Anfushi Tombs
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Serapeum
Al Mursi Abu Al Abbas
Montazah Palace Complex
Royal Jewelry Museum
Cavafy Museum
Mahmoud Said Museum
El Alamein War Memorials
Alexandria’s Underwater Ruins
Stanley Bridge
Church of the Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate sieve
The Cathedral of St. Mark
St George & St Anthony Coptic Orthodox Church
Mary Coptic Orthodox Church
Abu sateen Coptic orthodox church
Church of the Great Martyr George and St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of cobblestone in Alexandria
Blessed Virgin Mary Church and St. Simeon Kharraz Babuyousef Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate in Alexandria
Eliahu Hanavi Synagogue
Menasce Synagogue
Ras El-Tin Palace
Alexandria Aquarium
Souq Market
Antoniades Palace
Saint Catherine Cathedral
El Nabi Daniel Mosque
Mozaieque Museum

Alexandria weather

Alexandria enjoys long warm, muggy, arid, and clear summer. While, the winter is cold, dry, windy, and mostly clear. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 50°F to 86°F and is rarely below 44°F.

The coldest month of the year in Alexandria is January, with an average low of 13°C and a high of 18°C. Meanwhile, August is the hottest month in Alexandria with an average temperature of 26.5°C

When to visit Alexandria

Alexandria witnesses a Mediterranean climate with warm summer and cold winter. Best time to visit Alexandria is in the spring season from March to June and in the autumn from September to November and check My Experience in Egypt.

Where to eat in Alexandria

Byblos

Sea Gull Restaurant

Chicken Tikka

Farag Abou Khaled

Negro

Fish Market Marina

Abo Shakra

Ibn Hamido

Teatro Eskendria

El Lol

Best night life places in Alexandria

Spitfire

Eros

Cap D’Or (Sheikh Ali)

Sky Roof

Déjà vu

Calithea

Monty Bar

Mermaid

The Kraken

Jeeda

Nefertiti

Top Shopping places in Alexandria

Souq District

Green Plaza Mall

Deeb Mall

Attareen Antique Market

San Stefano Grand Plaza

Zahran Mall

Matajer Mall

Souq Ibrahimia

Top Beaches & Islands in Alexandria

Cleopatra Beach

Abu Qir, Aida Beach

Bianchi Beac

El Maamoura Beach

Helnan Palestine Beach

Montaza Beach

Stanly beach

Tolip Beach

Glime Beach

San Stefano Beach

Al Anfushi Beach

Miami Beach

Where to Stay in Alexandria?

Luxurious Hotels

Hilton Alexandria Corniche

Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria

Steigenberger Cecil Hotel

Radisson Blu Hotel, Alexandria

Alexandria Mediterranean Suites

Sheraton Montazah Hotel

Paradise Inn Le Metropole Hotel

Mid-Range Hotels

Romance Alexandria Hotel

Hilton Alexandria King’s Ranch

Plaza Hotel

Paradise Inn Windsor Palace Hotel

The Grand Plaza Hotel Smouha

San Giovanni Hotel

Budget Hotels

Cherry Maryski Hotel

Alkadi Hotel

Alexander The Great Hotel

Miramar Boutique Hotel

Fouad Hotel