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The second largest city in Egypt, Alexandria, known as "The Pearl of the Mediterranean", has an atmosphere that is more Mediterranean than Middle Eastern; its ambience and cultural heritage distance it from the rest of the country although it is actually only 225 km from Cairo.
KEY ATTRACTIONS IN ALEXANDRIA
Graeco-Roman Museum
The Graeco-Roman Museum houses a collection that includes mummies, sculptures, sarcophagi, pottery, coins and tapestries from as early as the 3rd century BC. Royal Jewellery Museum: This incredible museum has an impressive collection of jewels, formerly part of the royal dressing room from the time of Mohamed Ali’s early 19th-century rule until the dissolution of the monarchy in 1952. As well as ordinary items of jewellery, the collection includes diamond-encrusted garden tools, jewelled watches, and a diamond-
studded chess set. The collection is housed in one of King Farouk’s old palaces, which is fascinating in its own right.
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Catacombs of Kom El-Shokafa
The Catacombs are the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt, consisting of three tiers of tombs and chambers cut into the rock to a depth of about 35 meters. Constructed in the 2nd century AD, probably as a family crypt, they were later expanded to hold more than 300 individual tombs. There is even a banquet hall where grieving relatives paid their last respects with a funeral feast.
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Pompey’s Pillar
Pompey’s Pillar is a 27 meter high and 2 meter thick column of polished Aswan rose granite, which stands before the scant remains of the splendid Temple of Serapis, one of ancient Alexandria’s most important buildings. Erroneously named by the Crusaders, the pillar was actually raised in honor of Diocletian in the 4th century AD, and it probably supported a statue of the emperor.
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Roman Amphitheatre
This is the only Roman amphitheatre in Egypt, discovered quite recently, when the foundations for a new apartment building were being dug. Recent excavations in the area have uncovered incredible examples of Roman mosaic floors with beautiful designs including birds and animals, which are now preserved under cover in a special miniature museum.
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Qait Bay Fort
This 15th century Mamluk fort overlooks the entrance to the Eastern Harbour in Alexandria. It is built on the foundations of the Pharos lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and incorporates both a castle and a mosque within its walls.
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Montaza Palace & Gardens
Montaza Palace was built by Khedive Abbas II. It was the summer residence of the royal family before the 1952 Revolution and King Farouk’s abdication. The palace and its museum are not open to the general public, but the gardens can be explored at leisure.
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Mosque of Abu al-Abbas Mursi
A modern but impressive example of Islamic architecture. The original mosque on the site was built by Algerians in 1767, over the tomb of a 13th century Muslim saint. The present structure was erected in 1943 when the largely decayed original was demolished.
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