Category: Alexandria Attractions

The Sultans Qaitbay Fort in Alexandria is a must-see attraction.

Many things to see and do in Egypt, as well as new, delicious Egyptian cuisine, may be discovered, as can true, authentic Egyptian company and hospitality.

Numerous more tourist attractions may be found in Egypt in addition to the Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx, as well as numerous cruises on the river of the Nile and the wet and dry banks. However, it’s just as important as the other attractions on the list.

In Alexandria, the Citadel of Qaitbay is frequently forgotten, despite its importance.

Although it was initially built as a military fortress beside the Mediterranean Sea, the castle has now been transformed into a popular tourist destination instead.

In Alexandria, Egypt, we’ll examine the Qaitbay fort, its location, history, and construction, and its importance.

Qauitbay’s position on the map
The Importance of Qauitbay in History
Developing the Port of Qauitbay
This is the site of Qaitbay’s fortress:

Egypt’s coastal city of Alexandria, home to the Qaiitbay fort, is clearly visible from the fort’s name and location.

Picturesque Alexandria’s Qaitbay Castle, erected in 1477 by Sultan Al-Ashraf al-Din Quit Bay, is a must-stop on any travel to Egypt.

Fortress Qaitbay has a lengthy and fascinating history.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the exact position of the world-famous Alexandrian Lighthouse, the Citadel of Qaitbay is an important element of Pharos Island.

A severe earthquake demolished the lighthouse after it had undergone considerable rehabilitation, making it the last of the famous lighthouses to be lost.

After Al-Ashraf Al Ashraf authorised the building of the Qaitbay Fortifications in 1480AD, they were built to protect Qaitbay against Turkish invasions.

It functioned as a defensive bastion throughout the Mameluke, Ottoman and modern eras but was neglected following the British bombardment of Alexandria, and only returned to prominence in the twentieth century after numerous modifications were done at Qaitbay Fort.

The narrative of Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay, the man who was responsible for the building of the Citadel of Qaitbay, is astounding in and of itself.

He was sold and bought several times as a young guy in Egypt until he was emancipated.

Qaitbay continued to assume a variety of official positions upon his freedom, including that of the military commander and the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

After the 29-year rule of Qaitbay, the attention dedicated to the Citadel of Qaitbay varied, with select golden moments for the cathedral among them, such as the reign of Mohamed Aly and Sultan Qanush Al-Ghuri, being examples of the aforementioned age.

During the twentieth century, the Ministry of Defense rebuilt the upper floors of the Qaitbay fort and transformed the fort into a maritime museum that sits right close to the ocean.

Fortress Qaitbay has a lengthy and fascinating history.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the exact position of the world-famous Alexandrian Lighthouse, the Citadel of Qaitbay is an important element of Pharos Island.

The lighthouse was demolished by a severe earthquake after considerable repair work had been finished, making it the last iconic lighthouse to be lost.

Around 1480AD, the Circassian and Mameluke Sultan Al-Ashraf Al Ashraf ordered the construction of Qaitbay Fortifications near the current position of the Citadel to protect the city from the Turks.

Once abandoned following the British bombardment of Alexandria, Qaitbay Fort was rediscovered in the twentieth century after several rehabilitation projects were carried out at the Qaitbay Fort.

The narrative of Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay, the man who was responsible for the building of the Citadel of Qaitbay, is astounding in and of itself.

He was sold and bought several times as a young guy in Egypt until he was emancipated.

Qaitbay continued to assume a variety of official positions upon his freedom, including that of the military commander and the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

After the 29-year rule of Qaitbay, the attention dedicated to the Citadel of Qaitbay varied, with select golden moments for the cathedral among them, such as the reign of Mohamed Aly and Sultan Qanush Al-Ghuri, being examples of the aforementioned age.

During the twentieth century, the Ministry of Defense rebuilt the upper floors of the Qaitbay fort and transformed the fort into a maritime museum that sits right close to the ocean.

When it came to the building of Qaitbay, there were two phases:

It was Sultan Qaitbay’s passion for art and architecture that propelled him to a prominent position within the government.

Qagmas Al-Eshaqy was the Edifices Mason at this time.

The Qaitbay Fort, which he built in Mecca and Damascus, was the most renowned of the many institutions he built.

Not only was Qagmas Al-Eshaqy responsible for many of the structures created during the reign of Qaitbay, but he was also a modest and intellectual gentleman, and it is believed that Qaitbay himself spent more than a hundred thousand golden dinars on his construction projects.

During the month of Rabi Ul Awal in the Islamic calendar, the construction of the coastal fort began.

Thought to have ordered the building of the stronghold during his stay at qaitBay, while he was visiting Alexandria to examine the lighthouse.

In the month of Shaaban 884 H, around the time of the project’s completion, Qaitbay would return to the construction site.

This has resulted in the citadel of Qaitbay being a very popular tourist attraction.

With little regard for its military and strategic relevance throughout the twentieth century, Qaitbay’s Fort has been repeatedly restored.

There’s little mention of its prior military and strategic significance now that it’s being utilised as a maritime museum.

This pillar was built by Pompey and stands in Alexandria, Egypt.

It stands tall above the city of Alexandria as a reminder of the Roman Empire’s once-impressive magnificence.

There is a national monument dedicated to Pompey’s Pillar.

Location:

Alexandria, Egypt’s second-largest city and the old Roman port city, is just three hours distant by car or train from Cairo.

Alexandria’s Corniche (seafront) is only a few blocks away from Pompey’s Pillar, and it is easily accessible by foot.

History:

There’s no better place to admire Pompey’s Pillar tower than atop a limestone ridge that’s about 25 metres above sea level.

Diocletian’s emperor Diocletian had promised to murder the city’s people “until their blood touched his horse’s legs,” but was forced to back down when his ride slipped and stained itself early.

In 297 AD, this Corinthian column was built to celebrate Diocletian’s victory over a rebellion in Alexandria.

Many believe it originated at Cleopatra’s “Daughter Library,” which contained 42,800 volumes and had outlived the mother library by over a century before being destroyed by Christian mobs in 391.

For everything that was there, there are just three passageways under the surface, where the sacred Apis bulls were interred, a Nilometer, and some underground cisterns.

Com El-underground Shoqafa’s caverns have been designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization as a World Heritage Site.

It’s hard to believe how beautifully preserved and intriguing the ancient Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa are considering the variety of periods represented there.

Found by happenstance in 1900, these rock-cut tombs were discovered by a donkey that fell into a hole in the ground.

Location:

Several Roman remains from Alexander the Great’s time may be seen at Roman Alexandria, a port city three hours north of Cairo.

Located close to Alexandria’s famed Corniche, the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa are a must-see.

History:

The Catacombs are thought to date back to the 2nd century AD, based on archaeological evidence.

100 feet below the surface of the earth is where they’re located.

The chambers are made up of a combination of tombs and a feasting area where a deceased family member’s relatives would gather and dine in commemoration of their lost loved ones.

They included Pharaonic Egyptian, Roman, and Greek themes in their design to pay tribute to Egypt’s long history.

According to historians, academics dubbed the Hall of Caracalla after the Roman emperor who ordered the death of Alexandrian children during a review in 215 AD.

Mourners toasted the departed from stone couches in the Triclinium, where the first archaeologists uncovered wine jars and tableware.

The Central Tomb, which has a doorway guarded by reliefs of bearded serpents with Medusa heads shields and dated from the second century AD when “the old faiths began to merge and disintegrate,” includes muscular bound statues of Sobek and Anubis wearing Roan armour (Forster).

The Goddess Nemesis Hall, which is still accessible, has been submerged, accelerating the decay of the catacombs.

The Roman Amphitheatre in Alexandria is an absolute must-see.

During Alexander the Major’s rule, the magnificent port city of Alexandria was transformed by the construction of a Roman Amphitheatre and other Roman monuments and artefacts that are still visible today.

Location:

From Cairo, you’ll take a three-hour bus ride to the harbour city of Alexandria, where you’ll spend the night.

“The hill of ruins” or “the hill of benches” is the Arabic translation for the Kom El Dikka area, which houses the Roman Amphitheater.

The name “Kom El Dekka” translates to “The Hill of Benches” in Arabic.

History:

Seven to eight hundred marble seats, cruder galleries for the commoners, and a courtyard with two portions of mosaic flooring make up the exquisite Roman Theatre.

Originally a theatre, it now serves as a concert hall.

Chariot races replaced gladiatorial activities in the arena during the Byzantine era.

This theater’s thirteen auditoriums on the northern side of the portico may have once been part of Alexandria’s ancient university, which had an annual enrolment of 5,000 students.

Archaeologists see it as one of the most remarkable sites of achievement since it was discovered by accident in 1960 when construction workers were cleaning the ground for a new building.

Among the treasures of Alexandria’s Great Library lies a wealth of information.
Alexandria Public Library’s location may be found at what address?
In what year and under whose leadership was Alexandria’s Great Library first established?
What contemporary importance does the Bibliotheca Alexandrina have?
We don’t know who or what caused the Alexandria Library’s devastation.
To answer this question, what is the New Bibliotheca Alexandria?

The Pharos Civilization, one of the world’s first civilizations, was founded in Egypt.

Even though there are many amazing sites and locations to visit in Alexandria, there is no place like the Great Library of Alexandria that has been called the “New Alexandria library” because of its historical relevance, significance, and fascinating narrative.

Alexandria, Egypt’s seaside metropolis, has a wealth of activities and attractions for visitors to enjoy.

As it has been for many years, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina remains a beacon of Egyptian tourism in the sky.

Our Alexandria Library specialists will answer all of your burning questions about this must-see attraction on Egypt tours and Nile cruises in 2022.

The Alexandria Library’s location is unknown to me.

The obvious question is where this enormous library is located.

The Captivating City of Alexandria, Egypt’s second-largest city, is located on the Mediterranean’s southern shore, making it an ideal location for tourists.

It was reopened on October 16, 2002, as the “Bibliotheca Alexandrina,” the name it had been known by since its founding, after a thorough rebuilding of the library.

Is it known when and by whom the Great Library of Alexandria was founded?

The Great Library of Alexandria’s precursor, the Alexandria Bibliotheca, led to the creation of the modern-day Alexandria Bibliotheca.

Mouseion, the bigger and more splendid building, was dedicated to the nine female gods of the arts known as the Muses. Previously mentioned structures were part of this larger and more magnificent edifice.

Exiled Athenian politician Demetrius of Phalerum is supposed to be the source of inspiration for building of the Mouseion.

However, the Library’s construction was not complete until the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus.

The city of Alexandria became regarded as the Capital of Knowledge and Mediterranean Cultural Hub in part as a result of the construction of the Great Alexandria Library.

Scholars, philosophers and brilliant minds of their day viewed the city as a gathering point for study and intellectual activity, such as Zenodotus, the text standardizer of the Homeric poems, Eratosthenes, the one who computed the circumference of the world, and many more.

Despite the widespread belief that the Library was completely destroyed by fire in a single day, historical evidence suggests otherwise. The Library’s decline seems to have been ongoing for longer than the 145 BC exile of scholars from Alexandria.

Once the Great Library of Alexandria were gone, it seemed as if it would never be rediscovered.

However, in 2002, Lotfy Dowidar’s proposal and a request from the Egyptian government to the executive board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) authorised a feasibility assessment for the project.

Reclaiming its former role as an important cultural and research hub, it’s on the rise once again.

What contemporary importance does the Bibliotheca Alexandrina have?

Over the course of its history, the Library of Congress has functioned as a gathering place for individuals from a wide range of cultural and intellectual backgrounds. Due of these and other reasons, libraries are essential to society:

Since it was not linked with any philosophical school, the Library served as a neutral space for research, study, and intellectual exchange.

In the Great Alexandria Library, all meals, housing, and stipends are offered free of charge to anybody who is interested in learning.

Another feature of the exhibition was a 120-page catalogue called the “Pinakes,” which listed all of the contributors to the project, along with a brief description of their contributions.

It is said that the Library of Alexandria in Egypt was a major factor in the advancements achieved by philosophers during this time period.

As an example of such ingenuity at work, the Archimedes Screw was invented to transport water from low-lying bodies into irrigation canals.

The ebb and flow of the Nile River is claimed to have inspired Archimedes to come up with this invention.

The Taha Hussein Library for the Blind, as well as a variety of rare books and unusual collections, may be found in the Bibliotheca Alexandria’s library of literature, videos, and websites.

At the same time, it provides access to present history and knowledge via its archives.

The Alexandria Library has also hosted a number of literary, film, and media-related events and occasions.

Who was behind the fire that destroyed the Alexandria Library, and why?

The destruction of the Great Library of Alexandria is without a doubt one of the most tragic and horrible events in human history.

There are many unanswered issues about the Library’s fire destruction, including: who set it, why, and when.

During Caesar’s Civil War in 48 BC, a warehouse near the Docks used by the Library to store grain and books was burned in a fire, and a section of the library was lost.

At a time when Alexandria’s standing as a city and its Library’s prominence were both waning under the Roman Principate, the first cases of real Destruction are claimed to have occurred.

When Queen Zenobia attempted to retake Alexandria in 272 AD, her men burned the Alexandria Library, which was the first physical devastation in the city’s history.

As other libraries in the region grew to prominence, the Roman Empire’s reliance on Alexandria for grain decreased.

Diocletian’s assault of Alexandria in 297 AD obliterated all trace of the Library’s existence, making this the second historic occurrence.

What is the significance of the New Bibliotheca Alexandria?

The newly renamed Bibliotheca Alexandrina looks like a majestic phoenix rising from the ashes of its former incarnation.

UNESCO and a number of notable Egyptian politicians, including Egypt’s previous president, helped build the New Library, which was dedicated on October 16th, 2002. The library is located on a block of land chosen by the Alexandria University Committee.

There is a large collection of books and exhibitions at the library as well as a museum of antiques and manuscripts and unique displays like the Taha Hussein Library for the Visually Impaired.

While Alexandria is an intriguing refuge on the Mediterranean coast, it is also the site of the world-renowned Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which has been a source of light, wisdom, and progress for mankind since its foundation in the first century AD.