The Catacomb of Kom El Shoqafa Alexandria, Egypt | History, Facts, Descriptions The Catacomb of Kom El Shoqafa Alexandria is one of top tourist attractions and it is considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. This Catacomb is the oldest one in the world before the Italian catacombs of Rome. Meanwhile, Alexandria Catacombs are unique as it is a mixture of ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman architectural styles. Where is the Catacomb of Kom El Shoqafa? The Catacomb of Kom El Shoqafa is located in Alexandria, Egypt in the district of Karmouz south of the neighborhood Mena El Basel area near Pompey’s Pillar. Who built the Catacomb of Kom El Shoqafa? It is not known for sure who built the Catacomb till now even though we found the statue of the owner and his wife in its burial chamber but without names. Most probably it was for a rich family during the Roman Period, and some believed that it was for the governor of Alexandria during the 2nd century AD. Why it was called Kom El Shoqafa? The word Kom el Shoqafa means "Mound of Shards" or "Potsherds Hill" in Arabic. In the Roman era, the visitors to the Catacomb often eat and drink wine inside the tomb. Later on, they broke the containers and terracotta jars and through them outside the catacomb’s entrance. At the time of the discovery, they found hills of these jars on the site. When the Catacomb was discovered? The Catacomb of Kom El Shoqafa was first discovered in 1892 by the locals but the head of the Italian mission Giuseppe Botti working in the area thought it was a Christian cemetery and he did not pay attention to the local words. In 1900, Alexandria Catacomb was rediscovered but this
The Catacomb of Kom El Shoqafa Alexandria, Egypt | History, Facts, Descriptions The Catacomb of Kom El Shoqafa Alexandria is one of top tourist attractions and it is considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. This Catacomb is the oldest one in the world before the Italian catacombs of Rome.
