ALEXANDRIA GUIDE visit Alexandria www.visitalex.net GUIDE History 3 CITY HISTORY Where to go 7 What to do 13 Alexandria was founded around a small, ancient Egyptian town founded on 332 BC by Alexander Where to stay 24 the Great. Guide 26 It became an important center of Hellenistic civili- zation and remained the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt Donate 40 and Roman and Byzantine Egypt for almost 1000 years, until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in AD 641, when a new capital was founded at Fustat. Hellenistic Alexandria was best known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Won- ders of the Ancient World; its Great Library ; and Police .....122 the Necropolis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ambulance ..... 123 Middle Ages. Tourists Police ..... 126 Alexandria was the second most powerful city of the ancient world after Rome. HISTORY 2 ALEXANDRIA FROM ITS FOUNDING ALEXANDRIA FROM ITS FOUNDING HISTORY THE FAMOUS PHARAOHS WHOSE MONUMENTS WERE FOUND IN ANCIENT ALEXANDRIA. THE FAMOUS PHARAOHS WHOSE MONUMENTS WERE FOUND IN ANCIENT ALEXANDRIA. HISTORY Horemheb (1323 – 1295 B.C) Alexander The Great (356 – 323 B.C) Horemheb had been of military career, he was an Officer during Alexander is the son of Philip of Macedonia, he was educated amarna period, and a contemporaneous notable figure of the when he political crises of the age being enthroned as a Pharaoh he began was a boy by Aristotle. Alexander expelled Persians from Egypt. numerous reforms to salvage Egypt of political and administrative corruption. He planned a new city in the site neighboring (the Egyptian city, Rahkotis) thus created a new capital and port for Egypt. As skillfully sculptured of black basalt of Horemheb as Sphinx was found in the Serapeum of Alexandria. He went to the Oasis of Siwa, where he was recognized as the son of Amun, and promised him domination over the whole world. He was crowned in Memphis A king of Egypt, he reorgan- Seti I (1294 – 1279 B.C) ized both a demonstrative and military power in Egypt, and order The father of Ramses II, he is a great Pharaoh, and military leader. restoration of Luxor Temple. He left Egypt after six months and at The walls of Karnak decorated by scenes celebrating the king’s last was buried in Alexandria. victories over the enemies of Egypt. (303 – 285 B.C) He built many fine monuments. The memnonium of Alydos is Ptolemy I (Soter) admired by Strabo.The tomb of Seti in valley of the kings is worth The founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, reorganized the seeing, as. It is the most enigmatic and beautiful tomb in the val- administration of the state, and founded the museum he resumed ley numerous of his monuments where found in ancient Rahkotis, the city constructions planned by Alexander, and founded a Greek and elsewhere in Alexandria. settlement named, Ptolemais in upper Egypt. Ptolemy too estab- lished the Library, and the Light House. Ramses II (1235 – 1351 B.C) Ptolemy’s most genius political deeds was the creation of the new Ramses II was a great builder of monuments throughout Egypt, cult of Serapis in Egypt. He built the tomb of Alexander the great and the neighboring countries, he had planned new towns. His in Alexandria. monuments still attract attention, in Tanis Delta, Luxor, and Abu Simbel. He waged war against enemies of Egypt, in Asia, and (282 – 246 B.B) Africa. In order to protect the west border of Egypt, he built a Ptolemy II (Philadelphus) series of forts in west of the Delta. His monuments were found in The son of Ptolemy 1, his reign was distinguished by the accom- ancient Rahkotis (The Serapeum Temple) and elsewhere in Alex- plishment of the Library, and the Light House (the Pharos) Ptole- andria. my also founded the suburb of Eleusis to the east of the city. He followed a talented financial policy, and did agricultural activ- Psamtek I (664 – 610 B.C) ity in Egypt specially in Fayoum. During the reign of Ptolemy the A strong and a talented politician Pharaoh who could unit Egypt royal quarter (in Chatby) was the scientific cultural center of the and drove bath Assyrian, Ethiopians from Egypt. He founded the world. 26th dynasty which is characterized by the renewal of the nation- al, and arts of the glorious past of the ancient Egypt, at the same Ptolemy III (Eurgetes) (246 – 220 B.C) time. The builder of the great Ptolemaic Serapeum (in karmouz), and Edfu Temple in upper Egypt, and tried to reform the Egyptian calendar. He waged a successful war in Syria. Ptolemy’s reign is considered the apex of the Ptolemaic rule. 4 5 ALEXANDRIA FROM ITS FOUNDING ALEXANDRIA FROM ITS FOUNDING HISTORY THE FAMOUS PHARAOHS WHOSE MONUMENTS WERE FOUND IN ANCIENT ALEXANDRIA. THE FAMOUS PHARAOHS WHOSE MONUMENTS WERE FOUND IN ANCIENT ALEXANDRIA. HISTORY Ptolemy IV Philopator (221 – 205 B.C) Octavian (Augustus) (30 B.C – 14 A.D) He recruited the Egyptian in the Ptolemaic army for the first time The founder of the Roman Empire, defeated Cleopatra, and Mark during Ptolemaic dynasty, as a result he achieved great military Antony, and annexed Egypt to the Roman Empire. success in Raphia Augustus favored the development of the city, he resumed the Ptolemy built a Temple for Serapis and a shrine for The God building of the caesareum which was began by Cleopatra and Harpocrates insid the enclosure of great Serapeum. dedicated it to the worship of the Emperors. He founded a new suburb to the east of the city known as ne- Ptolemy V Epiphanes (205 – 180 B.C) (187 – 186 B.C) cropolis (now Mustafa Kamel district). During his reign the rule of the royal family began to weaken. Under Ptolemy rule, a decree was issued at Memphis, represents The greatest event during his reign was the birth of the Christ. a record of benefits conferred on Egypt, written in three scripts: Hieroglyphic, Demotic, and Greek. Pharos Light House The famous copy of decree was that found on the Rosetta-stone. The Pharos Light House is the age-long of the Mediterranean mar- vel. It had been planned by Ptolemy I (304 – 282 B.C) and inaugu- rated by his son Ptolemy II (282 – 246 B.C). Cleopatra (51 – 30 B.C) The last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was the only Ptolema- The main material used in its construction, is the multicolumn ic ruler who limestone brought from Mex, granite, imported marble, and spoke the Egyptian language. Cleopatra inherited the rule of bronze, were used for ornamentation. Egypt with her brother Ptolemy XIII as coregent when they were both too young, she was ousted of power, and restored to the The monument stood in colonnaded court, and entered from the throne as coregent with her brother Ptolemy XIV. south, through a rather height long bridge, Strabo the Greek historian mentioned the light – house but in brief the Light House She married Caesar, and bore him a son, Ptolemy Caesarion, after consisted of 4 storys the first story was square in shape and was Caesar assassination in Rome, she married Mark Antony and bore about 60 meters height. him twins. It is said that after he had successfully attacked Armenia in 34 B.C.he brought with him members of the royal family of Armenia. The captives were presented to Cleopatra who sat on a throne of gold (or gilded) in a platform in front of the Serapeum. Cleopatra was dressed as the Godess Isis. She began to build the great Caesareum Temple in favour of Mark Antony but he was defeated at the naval battle of Actium, by Augustus in 31 BC, An- tony committed suicide, and Cleopatra followed him and commit- ted suicide by an asp it is said, and her grandson Caesarion was killed. Marble, and limestone, variants of statues of her were found, and she was depicted on Dendra Temple wall in upper Egypt. 6 7 FAMOUS PEOPLE IN ALEXANDRIA FAMOUS PEOPLE IN ALEXANDRIA HISTORY IMPORTANT FACES FROM ALEXANDRIA IMPORTANT FACES FROM ALEXANDRIA HISTORY Gamal Abdel Nasser Muhammad Abdel-Qader Hatem 15 JANUARY 1918 – 28 SEPTEMBER 1970 VICE PRIME MINISTER He is the former President of Egypt. He was born in Qanawati He was one of the Free Officers. Even though he was the vice Street, Bachus, Alexandria, at his father’s Hussein, employee Prime Minister during the Sadat era, during the October war at the Post Office. He quit studying law and joined the Military 1973, i.e. deputy to the head of the War Cabinet, he had numer- College instead. He took part in the Palestine War and was be- ous contributions in the field of media. sieged in Faluja in 1948. He established the Television, chaired the board of Al-Ahram Nasser led the 23rd of July Revolution, 1952, when the monar- newspaper, and then became Minister of Information. He estab- chy was ousted and the Republic declared in 1954. He abolished lished the State Information Service (SIS) and the News Agency. feudalism via agricultural reform laws-distributing lands on the He studied military and strategic sciences as well as law, eco- crushed poor. nomics and politics. His name and memory are still resonating in Egypt, the Arab He was awarded many national and international decorations, World, Africa, Asia and Latin America, to date. in addition to academic degrees throughout the course of his contributions in the A work in an official and parliamentary Abdel-Razeq el-Senhouri capacity. CHAIRMAN OF THE EGYPTIAN COUNCIL OF STATE He is the imam of Fiqh (Jurisprudence) and law.