City of Alexandria

Alexandria, founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, is the second largest city in Egypt and the largest on the Mediterranean coast. It grew rapidly and became a major center of Hellenic civilization, eventually replacing Memphis as Egypt's capital. Alexandria is known as the "Bride of the Mediterranean" and is a popular tourist destination and industrial center due to its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez. The city extends about 40 km along the northern coast of Egypt and is the largest city on the Mediterranean, the second-largest in Egypt, the fourth-largest city in the Arab world, the ninth-largest city in Africa, and the ninth-largest urban area in Africa. Alexandria is best known for its Lighthouse of Alexandria, Great Library, and Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa. It was a major center of early Christianity and the Patriarchate of Alexandria, which was one of the major centers of Christianity in the Eastern Roman Empire. By 641, the city had lost its significance before re-emerging in the modern era.

The ancient city of Alexandria, known for its royal and civic quarters, has had few historical buildings survive due to constant war. The most notable monuments in the city include the Roman Pompey's Pillar, a triumphal column, and the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, a multi-level labyrinth with sculpted pillars, statues, and other Romano-Egyptian religious symbols. The catacombs were discovered by accident in 1900 and are now part of the Roman Amphitheater.

The Temple of Taposiris Magna, built in the Ptolemy era, is located in Abusir, the western suburb of Alexandria. The temple was dedicated to Osiris and was built in the Ptolemy era. Archaeologists found an animal necropolis near the temple, a Christian church, public baths, a seawall, quays, and a bridge. A tower built by Ptolemy II Philadelphus was an exact scale replica of the destroyed Alexandrine Pharos Lighthouse.

The Citadel of Qaitbay, established in 1477 AD by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa'it Bay, is a defensive fortress on the Mediterranean sea coast. It was built on the exact site of the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and covers an area of 17,550 square meters.