Alexandria, the shining pearl of the Mediterranean, and the beacon radiating its culture and heritage to the world at large
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The second largest city and the main port of Egypt, Alexandria
was built by the Greek architect
Dinocrates (332-331 BC) on the site of an old village, Rhakotis, at the orders of Alexander the Great. The
city, immortalizing Alexander's name, quickly flourished into a prominent cutural, intellectual, political, and economic metropolis, the
remains of which are still evident to this day.
It was the renowned capital of the Ptolemies, with
numerous monuments. It was the site of the Lighthouse,
one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, as well
as the Great Library. It was along these shores that
history took a tragic turn at the time of Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Mark Antony,
and Octavian.
Alexandria lies north-west of the
Nile delta and stretches along a narrow land strip between the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Mariut (Mareotis). It is linked to Cairo by two major highways and a railroad line. It is one
of the most notable summer resorts in the Middle
East, for, in addition to its temperate winters, its beaches, with white sands and
magnificent scenery, stretch for 140 km along the Mediterranean Sea,
from Abu Qir, in the east to Al-Alamein and Sidi Abdul Rahman, in the west.
Quick Reference
History Guide
Visitor Guide
Picture Gallery
Auditorium
Map of Eastern Districts
Map of Western Districts
Links to Related Sites
Internet and E-mail Access
Other Alexandrias Around the World