Alexandria (El Iskander, in Arabic) owned by Alexander Macedonsky, who founded this city. Today it is a full-fledged megalopolis with a population, the number of which is already exceeding more than five million inhabitants. It is one of the largest ports of the Mediterranean Sea. Today Alexandria is the most Europeanized city of Egypt. There are several reasons for this. Back in the 20s of the last century, the city became a refuge for dissidents from various regions of Europe, avant-gardeists, simply freight people. Despite the fact that many today believe that the brilliance of the Mediterranean pearls, a few dymerk, here you are waiting for many interesting, from a cognitive point of view, objects and historical attractions that will allow you to make a complete and bright picture of ideas about the rich history of this ancient country .
I recommend to get acquainted with Alexandria to start with Tahrir Square (or Freedom Square). Here is the Church of St. Mark, the Ministry of Justice and the Exchange Building. And immediately at the monument to Muhammad Ali, this area goes to the "Golden Market". It is not only more painfully, but also the cost of goods is cheaper here than on the similar "gold market" in Cairo. The sellers of all sorts of small things, fabrics, clothes and products of traditional fishing spread their trays. Do not forget to bargain. After all, bargaining in this area is not only art, but also a lifestyle. Discounts can reach several times the cost of goods.
Next, go to the inspection of the Abu El Abbas Mosque - the biggest and interesting in Alexandria. It was built in the 18th century over the tomb of Saint Abu El Abbas El Mercy. Born in Andalusia, Abu became the sheikh brotherhood Shadheli. The mosque was completely reconstructed in 1944 and, rightly, is considered to be a masterpiece of construction art. You will see masterfully made ornaments of several domes and a minaret, a total height of 73 meters, pay attention to the interesting decor of the facades and the carved department, with which weekly Friday sermons are read.
The next interesting object to visit the city is a hydrobiological museum. This is the largest similar institution in Egypt. In 50 aquariums there are all sorts of sea fauna, caught in the main river of the country Nile, as well as in the Red and Mediterranean seas. Coralles here are presented all sorts of color. Against the background of huge aquariums with bright fish, great photos are obtained. A special landmark of the museum is the skeleton of 17-meter whale, which thrown over to the local shore in 1936.
A visit to the Greek-Roman Museum of Alexandria will be at least interesting and informative for you. Unlike the Egyptian Museum in the capital of the country, the expositions here are located in the premises of much larger area and more clearly. In all of your attention, the exposition of more than 40 thousand interesting exhibits is offered here. You will see a grand collection of ancient coins here, which covers the period from the 4th century BC. for 4 century AD Sarcophages, statues, clay vessels, papyrus will allow you to monitor the difference and mixing styles in the art of ancient Egypt, the period of Ptolemyev, as well as the Romans and Greeks. Be sure to visit the hall where the statues of marble and wood are collected, which personify the most important deities of this area. Here you will see a mummy from the crocodile, as well as the remnants of the sanctuary of Sebeca, whom the ancient Egyptians called the crocodile god. All this reminds about the worship of Divine Reptiles in Egypt. In the next Hall of the Museum, your imagination will form colossal statues, the most famous among which is the head of serapis and a marble bird - a sacred eagle. Ivan Bilibin, the Russian artist, who worked in the 20s of the last century, being in emigration in Egypt, loved to visit the museum and spent quite a long time. Now in his footsteps you can pass and you. True, your visit today is limited by the watches of the museum - from 9 to 16 hours. Moreover, on Friday from 11.30 to 13.30, the museum is closed. The entrance ticket, which will cost you in 20 Egypt pounds, in addition to visiting the premises of this museum, will give you the right to pass to inspection of the Rock Tombs of the Avfsi and the Catacomb com Esh-Shucaf.
The attraction of Alexandria - rock tombs were built in the Greek Egyptian style (2 century BC). Painting the walls of the complex located underground mimics the alabaster, marble and tree at the same time. The catacombs com Eshu-Shucafa, the construction of which refers to 1 and 2 centuries AD, are located on three levels. The lower two of which are completely flooded with water. The architecture of gravestone monuments of the largest Egyptian roman underground burials connected elements of various styles. From Egypt to Roman. Chapel's painting tells visually about the procedure of Christian funerals. "Protece" her shakalogol anubis and a dragon with a dog or a monkey. Here you will meet different types of burials, for example, tomb-wells in rocky corridors. A visit to the object is open to you from 9 to 16 hours daily. Separate ticket only to visit this complex will cost 12 Egypt pounds.
Over the eastern harbor, Alexandria is located Fort Kate Bay. Previously, the famous Faros Lighthouse towered at this very place. Sultan Ashraf in the 15th century from his ruins built a Muslim fortress having round towers and loopholes that went to the sea. Fort you can explore from 9 to 14 hours. The cost of the entrance ticket today is 6 Egyptian pounds.
Getting acquainted with the historic sights of Alexandria, it is impossible to pass by the columns of Pompey. It was believed that the tomb of Pompey was located here. But the 27-meter column made of granite is all that remains today from the famous Siepehaum, which was built in 3r centuries. BC. And at the end of the 4th century. AD The sanctuary of the god of Serapis was destroyed. Although previously revealed and the Egyptians and the Greeks. From the library connected to the temple, the library is surprisingly well to this day, a scarab began to be preserved, made of red granite. You can easily find it without difficulty. It is very close to the column, at the site of mass accumulation of tourists.
