Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria, which has weathered invasions, fires, and earthquakes since Alexander the Great founded it more than 2,000 years ago, now faces a new threat in the form of climate change. The threat to Alexandria - named for its proximity to the Mediterranean and its location at the mouth of the Nile - extends far beyond its coastal borders and inland to Egypt's east coast.
It is the second largest city in Egypt after Cairo and is located 225 kilometers northwest of Cairo. It is also one of the oldest cities in Egypt and has a lot to offer to seduce visitors and locals alike.
It was founded by the Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great and developed into the largest Greek city in Egypt and quickly grew into Egypt's second largest city after Cairo a century later. It was a place where Jews and Greeks lived and worked alongside their Egyptian counterparts, which meant the places where Western civilization clashed with African and Asian cultures. Alexandria has grown rapidly over the centuries and is home to many of the world's most famous artists, writers, musicians, poets, artists and musicians. Egyptian culture and has since developed into one of the largest number of museums, galleries, theatres, restaurants, hotels and other cultural institutions in the country.
After leaving Egypt, Alexander Kleomenes (Greek Naukratis) appointed to build and settle the new city. The chief architect Dinocrates was appointed to lead a project aimed at replacing Alexandria Naukratis as the Hellenistic center of Egypt. When Alexandria replaced the former Egyptian capital Memphis, it filled a vacuum of political and economic resources after Alexander destroyed Tyre, a major port city. After Alexander had plundered tyres in 332 BCE, Alexandria profited from the growing trade between Egypt and Greece through a canal that connected Rome with the Red Sea, which represented a link between Greece and the rich Nile Valley.
A few months after the foundation of the city Alexander left Egypt for the East and never returned to his city. Although Alexander was greatly admired by the Egyptians (the Oracle of Siva even declared him a demigod), he left Egypt for Tyre, which was on its way to Phoenicia, and left it for the east. After becoming governor of Egypt, Ptolemy managed to bring Alexander's body back to Alexandria and bring it back in 332 BC. After the war against Diodachi he began the rule over Egypt in 331 BC and displaced the old capital Memphis.
Alexandria's position as a Mediterranean port city meant it was occupied for thousands of years, but its rule ended when the Arabs conquered Egypt in 641 and decided to establish a new capital south of Cairo. Today Alexandria is the main economic centre of Egypt and it is inevitable that you will find the busy and bustling fish market.
No matter which city resonates with you, Alexandria and Cairo will show you another side of modern Egyptian life. Do you think Alexandria has become your favorite city in Egypt, or do you like Cairo as much as Alexandria?
Today Alexandria is Egypt's second largest city, boasting a thriving port, a major tourist attraction and a vibrant culture. It houses some of the world's most popular tourist attractions, such as the Royal Palace, the Grand Mosque and the National Museum.
Alexandria's beaches are among the best in Egypt, if not the Mediterranean, and visitors spend their holidays here in sun, sand, beach and sunsets.
If you are looking for reasons why you should visit Alexandria, Egypt, then this post is for you. Alexandria is saturated with heritage, culture and architecture and it has long been one of the things visitors have seen and experienced during one or both of their trips to Egypt in 2019. If there are two cities you know in Egypt, it is because they are Cairo and Alexandria - two of them are stops in Jordan and Egypt. They are only a few hours drive from each other and arrive in time to enjoy an authentic Egyptian lunch in a local restaurant. This tour takes you to some of Egypt's most important archaeological sites, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza and the ancient city of Alexandria.
You can fly to Alexandria, but I have heard that the journey takes only 3 hours by car, so it seems worthwhile if you have a death wish - minibuses from Cairo and Alexandria are his death wishes.
The Greek rulers who built Alexandria took over the ancient Egyptian monuments from the Nile and gave their new-rich city gravitas. Under Roman control, Alexandria remained the capital of Egypt, and the city remained so until it passed from Rome to the Byzantines and finally to Persia. In the 4th century AD, civil war, famine, and disease had afflicted the country's population, and Alexandria never regained its former glory. Alexandria is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with beautiful architecture and a rich history.