The city of Alexandria is considered the second largest city in whole of Egypt in terms of geographical area and its number of population. It is situated near the capital of the country which is Cairo. Despite its closeness to the city center, its spirit and culture is quite different from the rest of the region. The way of life in this part of Egypt is somewhat Mediterranean rather than the traditional eastern kind of lifestyle. This uniqueness made Alexandria one of the favorite destinations in this side of the world.
The city was founded in 332 BC. It was the time when Egypt was under the great ruler Alexander the Great. He appointed Denocrat, his trusted architect to make the city plan. Until today the city still keeps its original architectural design. Over centuries, Alexandria became an important center for trading. It has also become a center for the Hellenic spirituality as well.
Today, it is serving almost 80% of the imports and exports of Egypt. It has also become an industrial center because of its gas and oil. There are lot of tourist attraction that can be seen in Alexandria including the Lighthouse of Alexandria, Library of Alexandria and Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa.
The Library of Alexandria is one of the most notable places to visit in the city. Its history began in the reign of Alexander. The library was build to store billions of books from different countries with different languages and religion. Much of the books were destroyed during the reign of Julius Caesar. Some were also destroyed during the time of the Arab. In 2002, the library was opened again to the public. This new 11 storey building also got a planetarium, science museum, calligraphy museum and other kinds of museum. There is also a congress center and exhibition halls found in the said building.
In Alexandria, you will find one of the world’s miracles called the Pharos lighthouse. It is considered as one of the seven wonders found in the ancient world. This ruin was built by sultan Ashraph serves as a fortress overlooking the sea. It was for the purpose of navigational landmark for voyagers. There is a statue of Poseidon that stood in this famous place.
Kom al Sukkfa catacombs are considered the largest Egypt Roman burial site located in the city. These magnificent burial sites got nice architectural schemes that combine three different styles – Egyptian, Greek and Roman. The paintings in the chapels are all scenes depicting the gods and goddesses.
The Abu el-Abbas is the most beautiful mosque found in Alexandria. It was built in 1944 as a sanctuary for the Muslims. Its construction is definitely a masterpiece. Another place that is worth seeing is the Greek Roman museum of Alexandria that houses over thousands of exhibits.
Truly, Alexandria is considered as one of the most important resorts found in the Middle East. It is not only known for its mild winter but also for its beautiful landscape and beaches along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
