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Founded over 2,300 years ago, Alexandria, Egypt has stood witness to the rise and fall of civilizations, maintaining it's unique character and ageless charm. Today, Alexandria is Egypt's second largest city, with a population of over 3 million, and it is the country's main seaport. Located on a narrow strip of land between the mediterranean sea and the lake Marotis and 223 kilometers from Cairo, Alexandria has a history as rich and varied as Cairo's.
Attractions include:
The Catacombs
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.
Roman Amphitheatre
This is the only Roman amphitheatre in Egypt, which dates back to the second century AD. Also known as the Roman Theatre it was discovered in 1963, when the foundations for a new apartment building were being dug. The terraces, arranged in a semicircle around the arena, are extremely well-preserved. An earlier theatre is believed to exist underneath the Medical University.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Above water, the newest attraction is the Bibliotheca Alexandrina . The ancient library was founded by Aristotle's pupil, Demetrius of Phalerum, in the fourth century BC. By the middle of the first century BC, the Library contained perhaps 700,000 manuscripts on papyrus, all fully catalogued with a summary of their content and shelved alphabetically by author.
Fortress of Qait Bey
The fortress of Qait Bey is is located on the island of Pharos. This impressive 15th century fortress stands on the site where the Great Lighthouse (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) once stood. Recent discoveries around the fortress have revealed many more artifacts, some of what experts beleive may be parts of the Great Lighthouse.
Recommended Hotels in Alexandria
CAIRO ACCOMMODATION
HURGHADA ACCOMMODATION
LUXOR ACCOMMODATION
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