Alexandria

Alexandria is a major city in Egypt. It is near the Nile River Delta and along the northern coast. Alexandria is Egypt’s main seaport and its second largest city after Cairo.

Founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, Alexandria grew to be very important in the ancient world. It was known for advances in science, culture, and scholarship.

Today, Alexandria is still important for industry, finance, and tourism. It is called the “Bride of the Mediterranean.” Visitors enjoy its beautiful coastline and modern amenities. The city holds events like the Alexandria Mediterranean Film Festival. Famous places include the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Alexandria Opera House, along with several museums. Over 6 million people live there, making it a key center in the Arab world, the Middle East, and Africa.

Long ago, Alexandria was famous for wonders like the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Great Library. The city also helped spread early Christianity and was a major place for learning and trade for many years.

Name

Alexandria was built on an earlier settlement called Rhacotis. Alexander the Great founded it and named it Alexándreia hḗ kat' Aígypton, meaning "Alexandria by Egypt," because it was near Egypt. During Roman times, the name changed to Alexandrēa ad Aegyptum. Later, after the Rashiduns took control in AD 641, the name became al-ʔiskandariyya in Arabic.

History

Main article: History of Alexandria

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Alexandria.

Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in April 331 BC. He picked this place to build a city that would link Greece with the Nile River valley. The city grew fast and became an important spot for trade and learning.

After Alexander left, his general Ptolemy Lagides made Alexandria the capital of Egypt. The city became busy and rich with people from many places, like Greeks, Egyptians, and Jews. It had a famous library and was a home for scientists and thinkers. Over time, Alexandria saw many changes with new rulers, but it stayed an important city in the Mediterranean world.

Geography

Alexandria is a big city in Egypt. It is on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The city is in the western part of the Nile delta area. Alexandria has many people and covers a large area.

The ground in Alexandria is made of sand, clay, and limestone from long ago.

The city has a climate that is influenced by the Mediterranean Sea. Summers are warm and dry. Winters are mild and rainy. Alexandria gets more rain than other places in Egypt. Sometimes there are storms, especially in the cooler months. Because the city is near the Nile delta, it could be affected by climate change and sea level rise. Scientists think rising sea levels might affect buildings in the city in the future.

Ancient layout

Greek Alexandria had three main parts. These were Rhakotis, the old city part; Brucheum, the royal area and the most beautiful part; and the Jewish quarter in the northeast.

The city had streets laid out in a grid. Each street had a canal below it. Two wide streets crossed in the center near where the tomb of Alexander once stood. Alexandria started as the island of Pharos. A long mole called the Heptastadion linked it to the mainland. The famous lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, stood on Pharos.

Administration

Alexandria grew a lot in the 1900s. It spread out to the east, west, and south. The Abu Qir railway helped people live in areas like Sidi Bishr, Mandara, and Maamoura. To the west, the city reached El-Max and El-Dekheila. To the south, it went toward Kafr El-Dawwar and Amriya.

Now, Alexandria has nine parts. Some main parts are the First Montazah District, the Central District, and the Customs District. Each part has many smaller areas and villages.

Economy

Alexandria is an important city for Egypt's future plans, known as Egypt Vision 2030. The city has a strong economy because it is a big center for industry. Many factories in Alexandria make things like clothes, medicine, iron, steel, food, and home appliances.

Alexandria is also home to Egypt's largest port, which helps with trade and tourism. The city has many new projects that help people start businesses. It costs less to live there than in other big cities like Cairo.

Thanks to its big port, the Port of Alexandria, the city has many factories. These factories make products such as clothes, medicine, iron, steel, food, home appliances, and plant food. Alexandria also grows crops like wheat, cotton, and rice. It is a key place for Egypt's petroleum industry, where oil is cleaned and turned into fuel.

With its nice weather, beaches, and ancient sites, tourism is important for Alexandria. People come to fish in the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Mariout. There are also farms with many cattle and other animals.

Cityscape

Main article: Central District (Alexandria)

Main article: Pompey's Pillar (column)

Main article: Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa

Main article: Kom El Deka

Main article: Taposiris Magna

Main article: Citadel of Qaitbay

Alexandria is a city where old and new come together. You can see ancient buildings like Pompey's Pillar and the Roman Theatre next to modern streets and the seaside Corniche. Famous spots include the Citadel of Qaitbay, Stanley Bridge, and the Alexandria Opera House. The city has been important for many years. It was once known as a Hellenistic center with amazing sites like the Great Library and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

The city's buildings show many different styles. You can see Renaissance, Art Deco, and Neo-Classical designs. Places like Montaza Palace and Saad Zaghloul Square mix Egyptian traditions with European ideas. Alexandria is still growing, careful to keep its history while building for the future. In late 2025, the city celebrated 100 years of beautiful Art Deco buildings. People are working to save old cinemas and buildings, giving them new uses while keeping the city's past alive.

Excavation

People have worked to find the treasures of ancient Alexandria. Explorers, including Greeks looking for the tomb of Alexander the Great, have tried to dig up important places. But it is hard to dig because the modern city is built on top of the old one.

Some parts of the old city are underwater due to earthquakes and changes in the land. French explorer Franck Goddio and his team have studied these underwater areas, finding interesting items like a statue of Caesarion. In other areas, researchers have found big buildings, catacombs, and tombs, such as those near "Pompey's Pillar" and in Kom El Shoqafa. These discoveries help us learn more about the history of Alexandria.

Infrastructure

Alexandria is a big city with many places to learn. It has several universities, such as Alexandria University, which includes famous schools like the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Engineering. There are also special universities like the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport. In 2023, a branch of the Greek University of Patras opened in Alexandria, offering courses in Greek culture, language, and philosophy.

The city also has many schools, including French, English, German, and Italian schools. Some of these schools have been around for a long time, with French missionaries starting schools in the early 1800s. Today, there are many different schools, such as the British School of Alexandria, Schutz American School, and Victoria College, offering various educational programs.

Healthcare in Alexandria includes both public and private hospitals. The city has many hospitals, such as the Alexandria University Hospitals and private ones like Elite Hospital and Hassab Hospital. Alexandria is also becoming a place for medical tourism because of its location by the sea and its specialized healthcare centers.

Transport in Alexandria is varied. The city has an international airport, Alexandria International Airport, with two terminals. There are also many roads, such as the Alexandria Corniche, which connects different parts of the city. Alexandria has four ports, including the main Alexandria Port and the smaller Dekhela Port. The city has a commuter rail system and two main railway stations, Misr Station and Sidi Gaber railway station. Public buses are also common, with many routes operated by the Alexandria Passenger Transport Authority. Trams have been a part of Alexandria's transport since 1860, and the network runs from the El Raml district to the Victoria district.

Main article: Trams in Alexandria

Culture

Libraries

Main articles: Library of Alexandria and Bibliotheca Alexandrina

The Library of Alexandria was one of the biggest libraries in the world. It started in the 3rd century BC. Today, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina opened in 2002 near the old library. It holds a film festival each year.

Museums

The Alexandria National Museum opened in 2003. It is in a beautiful old building and shows many items about Alexandria and Egypt. The Graeco-Roman Museum reopened in 2023 after being fixed up. Other museums in the city are the Royal Jewelry Museum and the Alexandria Museum of Fine Arts.

Music

Alexandria’s music mixes ancient Egyptian styles with new ideas. Long ago, it was a place to learn music. In the 1900s, it became important for African music. Composer Sayed Darwish helped change Egyptian music. The Alexandria Opera House, built in 1918, is still a busy place for shows.

Theaters

The Alexandria Opera House has many kinds of shows, like classical music, Arabic music, ballet, and opera. It was built between 1918 and 1921.

Literature

Alexandria has been important for writing for a long time. Many famous writers lived there, like Theophilus I of Alexandria, Abdullah an-Nadeem, Tawfiq al-Hakim, Ibrahim Abdel Meguid, and Edward el-Kharrat. Some foreign writers, like Constantine P. Cavafy and Lawrence Durrell, also loved the city.

Cinema

Movies set in Alexandria include old stories like Cleopatra and Agora, and modern Egyptian films like Youssef Chahine's series Alexandria... Why?, Alexandria Again and Forever, and Alexandria... New York.

Alexandria Mediterranean Film Festival

The Alexandria Mediterranean Film Festival happens every year. It started in 1979 and shows movies from around the Mediterranean sea. It helps filmmakers meet and share their work.

Holidays and festivals

Alexandria celebrates many holidays, like Eid, Coptic Christmas, and national days. It also remembers July 26 as a special day for Alexandria Governorate.

Painting and sculpture

Alexandria is a key place for art by the sea. The Alexandria Museum of Fine Arts has many paintings and sculptures. Bibliotheca Alexandrina shows modern art, and the Graeco-Roman Museum has ancient pieces.

Poetry

Long ago, during the Hellenistic period, poets in Ptolemy II Philadelphus's court were called the Alexandrian Pleiad. Today, Constantine P. Cavafy often wrote about Alexandria.

Places of worship

Islam

See also: List of mosques in Alexandria

The most famous mosque is Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque in Bahary.

Christianity

Alexandria was very important for Christianity after Rome and Constantinople. The Church of Alexandria was once a big leader in the religion.

Judaism

Alexandria's Jewish community became smaller after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. The main synagogue is the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue on Nebi Daniel Street.

Sports

Football is the main sport in Alexandria, just like in the rest of Egypt and Africa. Alexandria Stadium is the oldest stadium in Egypt, built in 1929. It can hold 20,000 people. It was used for the 2006 African Cup of Nations, which Egypt won. Other sports such as surfing, jet-skiing, and water polo are also enjoyed, though on a smaller scale. The city has several stadiums, including Borg El Arab Stadium, El Krom Stadium, and Harras El Hodoud Stadium.

Alexandria is also home to many sports clubs where people play tennis and squash, such as the Alexandria Sporting Club and Smouha Sporting Club. The city hosts the Cross Egypt Challenge, an international motorcycle rally.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Egypt

Alexandria has friends around the world. It is twinned with cities such as Almaty in Kazakhstan, Baltimore in the United States, Bratislava in Slovakia, and many more. These partnerships help the cities share ideas and support each other.

Notable people

Alexandria has been home to many famous individuals throughout history. Some well-known people from the city include Constantine P. Cavafy, a celebrated Greek poet, and Youssef Chahine, a famous Egyptian filmmaker.

Other famous people from Alexandria are Omar Sharif, a popular actor, and Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was the President of Egypt. The city has also produced talented artists, such as actress Nagwa Fouad, and skilled architects like Hassan Fathy.