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Alexandria is the second-largest city in Egypt and its principal seaport. Alexandria City is located northwest of Cairo in the Western Delta region near the Mediterranean Sea. Alex is considered one of the most ancient cities in the world. The city remained the capital of Egypt for nearly 800 years.
Alexander the Great
In 322 B.C., Alexander the Great, also known as Alexander III of Macedon, invaded Egypt, which was ruled by his arch-enemies, the Persians. The Egyptians welcomed him because he liberated them from the Persian Empire. In order to gain the respect of the Egyptians, he headed to Memphis to be crowned as a pharaoh at the temple of Ptah according to Egyptian customs. Alexander decided to continue his journey to Siwa Oasis to visit the temple of Amon (also known as the temple of the oracle) to be declared the son of the god Amon and add more legitimacy to his rule.
The Foundation of Alexandria
Alexander the Great decided to establish his own city to supersede Naucratis as a Hellenistic centre in Egypt and be the link between Greece and the Nile Valley. He appointed Dinocrates as the chief architect of the Alexandria project. The site of Alexandria was chosen where the island of Pharos, directly off the Mediterranean coast, opposite the village of Rhacotis on the strip of land extending between the Mediterranean in the north and Lake Mareotis in the south. After Alexander’s departure, his viceroy, Cleomenes, continued the expansion of the city. Dinocrates planned Alexandria to have two main roads intersect at right angles, with other side streets running parallel to these perpendicular axes, forming the shape of a chessboard. The main horizontal road was called Canope Street, while the main vertical road was called Sema Street. He also built a bridge connecting Pharos Island to Rhacotis village, which resulted in the formation of two natural harbours: the western and eastern harbours. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon were the districts of Alexandria.
Alexandria Through History
Following the death of Alexander the Great, his general, Ptolemy I Soter, took possession of Egypt and founded the Ptolemaic kingdom. He also brought the body of Alexander to Alexandria. His son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, built the famous lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as Pharos of Alexandria, which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The old library of Alexandria was built during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. It was regarded as the capital of all knowledge and learning. Alexandria was inhabited by a large population of Jews. The city was also a major centre of Jewish learning; the translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew to Greek, the Septuagint, was produced there.
During the Byzantine period, St. Mark founded the church of Alexandria and became the first bishop of Alexandria. Alexandria also witnessed a growth in numbers and influence among the Christian community, which resisted Rome’s attempts to impose emperor worship.
Although Egypt's capital was relocated to Al Fustat following the Arab conquest, Alexandria continued to thrive as a major trading centre, particularly in textiles. The Coptic patriarchate was transferred from Alexandria to Al Fustat in the 11th century.
The Fatimids and Mamluks treated Alexandria as a naval base. The Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay built a fortress that still bears his name on the exact site of the Alexandria lighthouse. The city suffered a downfall after the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope by the Portuguese.
Under the Ottoman rule, Alexandria lost much of its former importance to the Egyptian port city of Rosetta. Mohamed Ali Pasha revived the city after he was appointed Ottoman viceroy and Pasha of Egypt. Mohamed Ali reopened Alexandria’s access to the Nile by building Al Mahmoudya Canal, as well as an arsenal in which to locally produce the warships intended to rebuild his fleet.
During World War I, Alexandria was the chief Allied naval base in the eastern Mediterranean. Alexandria witnessed the departure of King Farouk as a result of the revolution led by the free officers in 1952. Alexandria benefited from Nasser’s industrialization program, especially in the industries of food processing and textile manufacturing. In 2002, the dream of reviving the city’s ancient library was achieved with the opening of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
Alexandria Nowadays
In modern times, Alexandria is inhabited by more than 4 million people. The city is called "The Bride of the Mediterranean" by locals. The city is the preferred tourist destination for people from Cairo and the Delta during the summer. Alexandria is also an important industrial centre because its location near the sea makes it an ideal place for warehousing exports coming out of nearby ports.
