Alexandria the Great

Alexandria has amazing history, including being the capital of Egypt for over 1000 years until the Arab conquest in 642 CE.

The area is also called Lower Egypt, which seems backwards. But it is the end of the Nile, which flows north before entering the Mediterranean. The rich soil of the delta region is a large agricultural area.

So then Upper Egypt is south 🙄

Alexander the Great, its namesake, was born in 356 BC. His father was Philip II, the king of Macedonia and his mother was Olympias. He was athletic and intelligent, and tutored by the philosopher Aristotle.

He became the king of Macedonia at the age of twenty. In 332 BC his army of Macedonians and Greeks invaded Egypt, defeated the Persians, and was hailed as a liberator.

He was crowned as the Pharoah of Egypt.

He selected a site to become a new capital, Alexandria, though he died in 323 BC before it became a city to rival Rome in size and wealth.

The Pharos (lighthouse) of Alexandria, built in 299 BC, was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Lighthouse withstood 17 centuries of human attacks and natural disasters, but was destroyed by an earthquake in 1303.

They have been mapping the stones that lie on the ocean floor, and have created drawings of how it looked.

This was the main gate. Some parts of the statues are in a museum I’ll visit.

In 1480 Fort Qaitbey was built on the site of the lighthouse to fill a critical gap in the harbour’s defences.

It’s had it’s share of destruction and reconstruction.

The Machicolation, in the ceiling over the main entrance, was where boiling substances could be poured on the enemy.

The Great Library, also built in the 3rd century BC, was one of largest of most significant in the ancient world.

Unfortunately it was accidentally burnt by Julius Caesar during the civil war in 48 BC.

The ancient library has been reincarnated as the Bibliotheca Alexandria (2002).

Every element of the building is heavily symbolic, from the sun disc shape, the reoccurring pyramid shapes, lotus flower roof supports and materials.

And it’s huge. There is a massive reading room over eleven levels that can seat 2500 people and has 1.8 million volumes.

There is also a Manuscript Museum with ancient scrolls and texts.

And many art exhibitions.

Conference hall.

Amphitheatre.

Alexandria is also famous for it’s 16 km Corniche (seaside promenade).

This was the view from my 17th floor apartment, looking towards Fort Qaitbey.

Every night there was a Sound & Light show that I could watch for free!

There were also beaches I could see and hear, and they were very busy from dawn to past my bedtime.

There was a paid beach area but also an area where ‘no swimming’ wasn’t enforced.

Evenings were jam packed with families out for a walk, roasted corn, ice cream, and other snacks.

Cold drinks. I kept seeing the Tin Man.

The Corniche went past all the beautiful old buildings from around 1900.

Naval Unknown Soldier Memorial

Drinking tea and coffee in any bit of shade.

Everything is dusty and needs a good rain, but that won’t happen for months.

Watching the World Cup. Egypt played the other night and with the time change, it finished at 6 in the morning with lots of yelling and horns to celebrate their win!!

Kom el Dikka with its 4th century Roman Amphitheatre.

Sphinx of Psammeticos was recovered from the old lighthouse.

Villa of the Birds was one of the few Roman houses found in Alexandria. It is an example of a wealthy urban villa with mosaics from 117-138 AD.

Greco-Roman Museum

When Egypt fell under the conquest of Alexander the Great in 332 BC, Egypt consequently became a part of the Hellenistic (Greek) Civilization.

After Alexander’s death, Ptolemy I, one of his most trusted companions, won control of Egypt and declared it an independent Ptolemic Kingdom.

Statue of Ptolemy XII (55 BC)

He was succeeded by his daughter Cleopatra, the last pharaoh. She died by suicide in 30 BC in Alexandria after her forces and those of her romantic partner, Mark Anthony, were defeated by the Romans. She was facing capture and being paraded as a prisoner of war in Rome.

It was interesting that Cleopatra had no Egyptian blood. They kept their Greek bloodline pure with lots of incest. And murdering siblings seemed common too.

Egypt was then absorbed into the Roman Republic.

A gilded cup from 1st-2nd century.

Statue of Alexander with coins of his likeness.

My apartment is in the old souk part of Alexandria where the streets are full of little shops and food markets.

My street was all fabrics.

Evenings were the best time for people watching. Though they were watching me too! And offering me a big smile and a cup of tea.

All day there was a constant greeting of ‘welcome’. From all ages. Without wanting to sell me something.

It’s been very lovely and refreshing!

The evening lighting was also kinder to the crumbling buildings.

Watching the tram from my window. They were launched in the 1860’s and this branch line is the only one left in operation.

The main line was decommissioned a few months ago and the tracks and cars are being replaced.

The pita ovens are busy.

At the market I bought 1/2 kg of shrimp and they cooked them for me. It was packaged with rice, salad and bread. 550 pounds (Cdn$16) for several meals.

I also did the same with a chicken for 280 pounds (Cdn$8)

Another day I had Turkish Menemen (eggs cooked in a mixture of tomatoes, onion and peppers) for 140 pounds (Cdn$4)

And there is always a bakery if you needed a snack!

My ‘Arabian Night(mare) apartment! But with the view and huge windows that I could leave wide open for a breeze, I extended my stay to eight days.

Though the temperature has been around 28, and it’s 10 degrees less than Luxor, the humidity is higher and I appreciate the washing machine!!

Stanley Bridge is on the northern end of the Corniche road.

And north of that was Montaza Palace and gardens. The castle wasn’t open to the public, and the garden was mainly palm trees and paths for the electric carts they wanted you to pay for.

A bit of a ripoff for US$10. Foreigners always pay about ten times local price at all the museums. Fair though when average income is US$135-195 per month.

Fun looking sun umbrellas while driving back along the ocean and all the big hotels.

One thing I can’t get used to is the littering. It’s a losing battle for the street cleaners. But garbage collection is something I am happy to pay taxes for at home. It can be pretty bad otherwise.