Fort Qaitbey (The Citadel of Qaitbey) in alexandria

Fort Qaitbey (The Citadel of Qaitbey)

The island of Pharos was a major port having two huge harbors. The Fort was built in the 1480's by Sultan Qaitbey, on the site of Alexandria's ancient lighthouse.

 Parts of the remains of the lighthouse can be seen in the construction of the old fort. One of the seven wonders of the ancient World, the lighthouse was an astonishing 125m in height with approximately three hundred rooms at the bottom for workers.

 Running through the center was a double spiral ascent and hydraulic machinery that raised fuel to the top. The lantern at the top of the lighthouse remains a mystery. Some say it contained a polished steel mirror that reflected light by day, and fire by night.

 Others say it was made of transparent glass. The lantern and the top two stories fell around 700 AD according to many reports, and the rest of the lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake around 1100. In its place a Mosque was built, which was damaged by an earthquake in the 14th century.

The entrance is through a gateway made of red Aswan granite. Located beside the mosque is a cistern that was used to store water in case of a siege. Also located inside the fort is the Naval Museum which contains artifacts from the Roman and Napoleonic sea battles.

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Muntazah Palace in alexandria

This 115 acre complex is surrounded by great walls from the south, east and west, and with the beach on its north side. This area used to belong to the Mohamed Ali family, that ruled Egypt from the mid 19th century until 1952.

 The construction was started in 1892 by King Abbas II, who built a large palace inside the complex called the Salamlek.

 In 1932, King Fuad built a larger palace and called it the Haramlik. His son, King Farouk, built a bridge to the sea to act as a water front. The rest of the 115 acres is nothing but beautiful gardens. Palm trees and gazelles cover the area. This is a wonderful spot to enjoy the beauty of Alexandria.

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Old Alexandria

Dinocrates built the Heptastadion, the causeway between Pharos and the mainland. This divided the harbors into

the Western and Eastern. The Eastern harbor was really where the old harbor from the Middle Ages was located.

Of modern Alexandria, the oldest section is along the causeway which links what was once Pharos island with the mainland and includes the districts of Gumrok (the oldest dating to about the 16th century and known as the customs district) Anfushi, and Ras el-Tin (Cape of Figs). The latter two districts date to about the period of Mohammed Ali (1805-49). Collectively, these districts are known to westerners as the Turkish Quarter. They have had a number of ups and downs over the years, particularly due to the plague during the 17th century. The area forms somewhat of a T-shape, dividing the Eastern Harbor from the Western Harbor.

This section of Alexandria is known to us more from books then what we may actually see in the area. Where the Pharos Lighthouse once stood, is now occupied by the Fort of Quit Bay (1) out on the area that circles up around the top of Eastern Harbor forming the eastern section of the top of the T. Heading south from the Fort of Quit Bay, we come to the stunning Abu El-Abbas Mosque (2). West of this is the Anfushi Tombs (3), some of the oldest in Alexandria and well worth a visit.

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alexandria in egypt

The second largest city in Egypt, Alexandria, called "The Pearl of the Mediterranean", has an atmosphere that is 

more Mediterranean than Middle Easte

 Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Alexandria became the capital of Graeco-Roman Egypt, its status as a beacon of culture symbolized by Pharos, the legendary lighthouse that was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The setting for the stormy relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony, Alexandria was also the center of learning in the ancient world. But ancient Alexandria declined, and when 

Napoleon landed, he found a sparsely populated fishing village.

From the 19th century Alexandria took a new role, as a focus for Egypt's commercial and maritime expansion. This Alexandria has been immortalized by writers such as E-M- Forster and Cavafy. Generations of immigrants from Greece, Italy and the Levant settled here and made the city synonymous with commerce, cosmopolitanism and bohemian culture.

Alexandria is a city to explore at random. It's as important to enjoy the atmosphere as it is to see the sights.

to know more about alexandria old alexandria

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