Alexandria (city). Alexandria (Kirovograd region)

Modern Arab, the name of El-Iskandaria, since the name Alexander is perceived by the Arabs in the form of Iskandar.

2) city, r.c., Kirovograd region, Ukraine . Originated in the middle of the 18th V. as winter road Usovo; named after the first settler Cossack Us. In 1784 G. transformed into the city of Aleksandriysk, named after led. book. Alexander Pavlovich, future Emperor Alexander I (1777-1825) ; the name was soon changed to Alexandria.

Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. - M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001 .

Alexandria

1) (alexandria, Arab. Al-Iskandariyah) Al Iskandariya , city and largest port us. Egypt, a major cult. and economy. center of the country. 3891 thousand inhabitants (2002). Located in zap. hours of delta Nile on the Mediterranean coast, 183 km to the northwest. from Cairo. Founded by Alexander the Great in 332-331. BC e. In 305-30 years. BC e. the capital of Egypt and the largest stronghold ancient culture(in the 3rd century BC, the Alexandrian museion, a scientific and educational center, was established here). From 30 BC e. to 639 AD e. the main city of the Roman, later Byzantine province, one of the centers of early Christianity. In the 7th century came under the rule of the Arabs. Subsequently, one of the centers of the national liberation movement against British colonialism. A rich historical past, a peculiar appearance and a wonderful climate make A. major center tourism. On about. Faros was the famous lighthouse of Alexandria (one of the 7 wonders of the world in the ancient world), which was built in 280 BC. e. and destroyed in the 14th century. during an earthquake. The Library of Alexandria was also located here (the largest collection of handwritten books in antiquity - from 100 to 700 thousand volumes), founded in the 3rd century. BC e., destroyed in the VIII century. In appearance cities intricately combine elements of Egyptian, Greek and Roman architecture; many mosques (XVII-XIX centuries), palaces (XIX-XX centuries); Pompey's Column (27 m), carved from red granite; the catacombs of Kom-el-Shuguf, which are considered by historians as the burial place of the nobility in the Greco-Roman period (they consist of three tiers, each of which has its own style). Library of the Patriarchate of Alexandria (952), Greco-Roman Museum (1891), University (1942). Machinery, shipbuilding; paper, oil, chemical, cement, text. prom-st, fish-in. Prom. the district of the city has the status of free prom. zones;
2) Oleksandria , city in Kirovograd region (Ukraine), 71 km to NE. from Kirovograd, on the river Ingulets. 93 thousand inhabitants (2001). In 1754, the village was founded. Usovka (trench Bech), since 1784 the city of Alexandria. In the 1950s, the prom. extraction of brown coal in open cuts. Breaking of granite and processing of ozocerite. Machining, light and food. (flour-grinding) industry. Branch of Mining Institute. Museum of Local Lore. Homeland of Marshal P.K. Koshevoy, cosmonaut L.I. Popov. In the vicinity, in Razumovka, is the tomb of the Raevskys.

Dictionary of modern geographical names. - Yekaterinburg: U-Factoria. Under the general editorship of Acad. V. M. Kotlyakova. 2006 .

Alexandria

Alexandria (arab. Al-Iskandaria) (Alexandria) - a city in northern Egypt (cm. Egypt) and a port on the Mediterranean Sea, 225 km northwest of Cairo, in the western part of the Nile Delta. The second largest city in Egypt. A major transport, commercial and industrial center of the country. main seaport. Enterprises of the oil refining, chemical, cement, textile, machine-building industries. Various crafts. University.
Alexandria is one of the pearls of the Mediterranean. Mild climate throughout the year, wonderful sandy beaches, stretching for 40 km along the coast, attract thousands of tourists here. Alexandria, has more Mediterranean than eastern features. The spirit and culture of the city is different from the rest of the country.
Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 332-331. BC e. on the Mediterranean coast at the site of the small village of Rakoda, on a spit between the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Mareotis (Mariut). Thanks to trade, which was extremely favored by the unusually advantageous position of the city, Alexandria quickly grew and rose. During the time of the Ptolemies (305-30 BC), it became the capital of Egypt and the center of Hellenistic culture, the center of famous scientists and writers of an entire era (Alexandrian) and a lively trading center ancient world. There were also the Museion of Alexandria, one of the main centers of science and culture of antiquity (beginning of the 3rd century BC - 272-273 AD), and the Library of Alexandria (about 500 thousand scrolls, among which - manuscripts of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, etc.), created on the initiative of the philosopher and statesman Demetrius of Phaler (the library burned down during the time of Caesar). Strabo, Euclid, other scientists and philosophers drew inspiration for their work here. Cleopatra, the last queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty, bewitched Caesar here with her beauty, and then his successor Mark Antony.
As part of the Roman Empire (from 30 BC) and Byzantium (from the end of the 4th century AD), Alexandria continued to be a major cultural and economic center. In the 1st century n. e. Alexandria was the second largest (after Rome a) city of the Roman Empire with a population of about 1 million people. Alexandria was one of the main centers of early Christianity, and then became the center of Christian theology and the seat of the patriarch. It is from here in the 1st century. n. e. the Christianization of Egypt began, but at the same time the persecution of Christians under the emperor Diocletian, who in 295 ordered the destruction of the city. Since that time, the decline of Alexandria began, which accelerated with the rise of Constantinople.
Alexandria continued to be the first trading city of the Byzantine Empire, but a 14-month siege and the capture by the Arabs under the leadership of Amru in December 641 dealt a decisive blow to its trade, leaving Alexandria only trade with India, which was conducted along the old route through the Red Sea. After the founding of Cairo (969), the decline of Alexandria intensifies, and with the discovery sea ​​route around the Cape of Good Hope, trade with India also departed from Alexandria.
During the Turkish conquest of Egypt in 1517, Alexandria was severely destroyed, and in 1777 there were no more than 6 thousand inhabitants. In 1798, Alexandria was taken by Napoleon Bonaparte. The revival of Alexandria dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. Under Muhammad Ali, a new shipyard was built in Alexandria, the Mahmudiye Canal (1820). In 1856 it was connected by railway to Cairo.
During the Anglo-Egyptian war in 1882 Orabi Pasha (Arabi Pasha) took possession of the city. On July 11, 1882, Alexandria was subjected to a barbaric bombardment from British ships, and on July 15, the landing took possession of the city. After the occupation of Egypt by Great Britain, Alexandria was turned into a colonial port, from where Egyptian cotton was exported. Foreign banks, companies and agencies were concentrated in the city. The port was used as a parking lot for British warships. In the first half of the 20th century Alexandria became one of the centers of the national liberation movement in Egypt. And in the 1920s. Alexandria also became a refuge for European dissidents, avant-gardists and freethinkers who drew their creative strength from it.
Alexander the Great instructed to plan new town to his architect Deinocrates (4th century BC). This city (5.5 km long and 1.7 km across) was surrounded by strong walls. The city has retained its original regular layout to our time: long main highways run parallel to the sea coast, and short transverse ones cross them at right angles.
Directly opposite the city lay the island of Pharos (now an inseparable part of the mainland), connected by a dam to Alexandria by a long pier called the septastadeion (7 stages). The pier divided two very spacious harbours: the large or new harbor in the northeast and the old or harbor of Einosto in the southwest. Both harbors were connected by bridges built at both ends of the pier. At the northern tip of the island stood the famous Pharos (or Alexandria) lighthouse, ranked among the "seven wonders of the world." The lighthouse was built in 280 BC. e. on the rock: on the approaches to the harbors of Alexandria there are a huge number of pitfalls and shoals. The construction was carried out by the architect Sostratus of Knidos. The lighthouse was a three-story tower about 120 m high. Its first floor was made of limestone slabs. The second is lined with marble slabs. The upper floor had a round shape, and was crowned with a bronze statue of the god of the seas, Poseidon, 7 meters high. A fire burned under the dome, the light of which was amplified many times over by a cunning system of metal mirrors. Fuel for the fire was delivered by a spiral staircase, so gentle that the fuel was carried on loaded donkeys directly to the top of the lighthouse. In 1326, the lighthouse of Alexandria collapsed from a strong earthquake. In its place in the 15th century Sultan Ashraf built a fortress - Fort Kite Bay with round towers and loopholes overlooking the sea.
On the other side of the harbor in the 2nd c. BC e. built in Greco-Egyptian style rock tombs Anfushi. The coloring of the walls of the underground complex imitates marble, alabaster and wood. On south side the city, on the now shallow and deserted lake Mareotis, there was a trading harbor called Bolotnaya; in the southwest, at the mouth of the Nile Canal, which runs along the southern city wall and also connects with this lake, there was also the artificial harbor of Kibotos. Most of the public buildings of ancient Alexandria faced the great harbor and were located in the eastern and richest part of the city - Bruchia or Bruchium; here stood the Ptolemaic palaces, surrounded by parks and gardens. Outside the city wall lay a necropolis.
On the hill next to the modern Arab cemetery is one of the most important sights of the city - the so-called Pompey's Column. This name, given by the Crusaders, is in all probability erroneous. It was believed that Pompey's tomb was located here. A 27-meter column of red Aswan granite is all that remains of the famous Serapium of the 3rd century BC. BC e. Zealots of Christianity in 391 AD e. destroyed this sanctuary of the god Serapis, revered by both the Egyptians and the Greeks. Near the column from the library adjoining the temple, a scarab beetle made of red granite was perfectly preserved.
In the Rushdi area, four tombs from the Ptolemaic era (end of the 2nd century BC) have been perfectly preserved to this day. In 1901, five more tombs of the Ptolemaic era (3rd century BC) were discovered in El Andouchi, opposite the entrance to the palace of Ras el-Tin. Catacombs of Kom el-Shuqafa, related to the 1st and 2nd centuries. n. BC, located near the port, were accidentally discovered in 1900. They consist of 3 tiers, cut into the rocks at a depth of about 100 feet. The last tier is below sea level (the two lower tiers are filled with water). The design of this largest Roman underground burial in Egypt combines elements of Egyptian, Greek and Roman styles. Here you can meet different types burials, including tombs-wells in rocky corridors. The painting of the chapel shows scenes of Christian funerals, and the chapel is “guarded” by the jackal-headed Anubis and a dragon with the head of either a dog or a monkey. In the town of Kom el-Decca, a Roman amphitheater with 800 seats, with galleries and mosaics, was excavated. It has 12 marble terraces forming a semicircle and is considered the only structure of this type in Egypt. Work is underway to restore the Library of Alexandria.
Modern Alexandria consists of an old part with narrow Ottoman streets and houses decorated with mashrabiya - carved wooden lanterns on the windows, and a new part with wide paved avenues, beautiful waterfront, comfortable mansions and high-rise buildings modern architecture(including the marina, decorated with mosaics and reliefs). On At-Tahrir Square (Freedom Square) with an equestrian statue of Muhammad Ali (2nd half of the 19th century, French sculptor A. Jacmar) there are the Church of St. Mark, the Stock Exchange and the Ministry of Justice. The center of the city is Saad Zaghlul Square with a monument to this national hero. Once upon a time, this place was the Caesarium, the construction of which was begun by Cleopatra. Two famous obelisks also stood here. One of them known as "Cleopatra's Needle" now adorns the embankment in London.
There are many mosques in the city. In the El Afoush area, the mosque of Abu el-Abbas is located - the largest and most beautiful in Alexandria. Built in the 18th century. on the site of its collapsed predecessor over the tomb of the Muslim "saint" Abu el-Abbas el-Mursi (1219-1287). Almost completely rebuilt in 1944, the mosque is considered a masterpiece of building art. The ornaments of the four domes and the 73 m high minaret, the decor of the facades and the carved minbar (pulpit from which Friday sermons are read) are masterfully executed. On the eastern outskirts of the city, on a hilltop in a park with an area of ​​15 hectares, there is the El Montaza Palace (early 20th century) - the former summer residence of the royal family. The palace itself consists of several buildings: a large one for men and a small one for women. The Grand Palace, which was once the summer residence of King Farouk, is distinguished by the richness of its decoration and the luxury of its interiors. The entrance to it is closed: this is the guest residence of the President of the country. A small, more modest and comfortable palace has been turned into a hotel. There is a lot of activity in the park on Fridays and weekends. Palaces (now museums): Ras-et-Tin (early 19th century), Muhammad Ali (20th century).
The Greco-Roman Museum (founded in 1891) presents 40 thousand exhibits, including a collection of coins (4th century BC - 4th century AD), statues, sarcophagi, earthenware vessels, papyri and paintings, a hall with a mummy of a crocodile and the remains of the sanctuary of the crocodile god Sebek. Famous Russian artist Ivan Bilibin, who lived in the 1920s. in exile in Egypt, he loved this museum very much and spent long hours in it. In the halls of the Museum of Fine Arts (located in the Moharam Bey area) there is an interesting collection of paintings, exhibitions of Egyptian and foreign artists are regularly held there and the "Alexandria Biennale" is held - an exhibition of works by artists from the Mediterranean countries.
The Fatima el-Zahraa Palace (in the Zezenia region) houses the Museum of Royal Jewels collected by the ruler of Egypt in the mid-19th century. Muhammad Ali and his heirs. Sculptures and paintings from the collection of this dynasty are also exhibited there. The building of the Fatima el-Zahraa Palace is considered one of the remarkable architectural monuments of Alexandria. In the 50 aquariums of the Hydrobiological Museum, located near the fort of Kite Bay, live fish, shellfish and corals caught in the Nile, the Mediterranean and the Red Seas. The biggest attraction of this museum is the skeleton of a 17-meter whale washed ashore east of Alexandria in 1936.
The city stretched along the Mediterranean Sea. The winding embankment starts from East Bay and runs through the city center. In winter, here the sun shines on white sand and yachts ply the sea; in summer, vacationers sunbathe on numerous beaches. The most famous of them are Montaza and Maamura in the eastern part of the city. Not far from them is the town of Aboukir.

Encyclopedia of Tourism Cyril and Methodius. 2008 .

See what "Alexandria" is in other dictionaries:

Alexandria ... Collier Encyclopedia

Alexandria- (Tbilisi, Georgia) Hotel category: 2 star hotel Address: Pushkini Street 10, 0105 Tbilisi … Hotel catalog

Alexandria was founded in 332 BC. e. Alexander the Great, built according to the plan of the architect Deinocrates, was the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt and one of the most important centers of the Hellenistic world.

During his reign over Egypt, Alexander the Great took a liking to the natural harbor between the sea and Lake Mariut, beautiful place for the port, the fertile Egyptian fields and the close Nile. The architect Deinocrates was ordered to build a city here.

Alexandria grew at an unprecedented rate. At first, the city was about 5 kilometers long and a little more than one kilometer wide, from east to west it was crossed by a central street 30 meters wide, which intersected at right angles with another street running from north to south. Trees were planted in the middle of the street, which divided the road, as it were, into two parts. Fifty years after its founding, Alexandria was already a large city with a population of 300,000 people, and by the beginning of our era, the number of its inhabitants reached a million.

After the death of Alexander the Great, during the reign of the Ptolemies, Alexandria for almost five centuries became the largest scientific and philosophical center, which housed the world's largest library and Museion - the Temple of the Muses, created by Cleopatra and gathered many talented scientists, poets, philosophers and masters. The Ptolemaic kings made great efforts to carry out Alexander's plans.

The library to a large extent contributed to the further spread of Hellenic culture to the East. Its construction was completed at the beginning of the 3rd century. BC e. collected collection in different time numbered from 200 to 700 thousand manuscripts.

Alexandria was known not only for its library, but also for its 100-meter lighthouse. However, only a few of the ancient monuments have survived to this day. Old Alexandria was gradually destroyed by several powerful earthquakes that occurred in the 4th-14th centuries. The decline of Alexandria began in the 4th-5th centuries AD, and throughout the Middle Ages, Alexandria had only a local significance.

The revival of the city began in the 19th century under Muhammad Ali. In 1820, he reconnected Alexandria with the Nile by means of the Mahmudiya Canal and built his residence there.

The status of the largest scientific and cultural center of Alexandria has long been lost. The idea to at least partially revive the former glory arose more than 20 years ago. In 1990, the heads of a number of states signed the Aswan Declaration on the construction of a new library. Revived, it is called upon to become "a link between the past and the future."

The main attractions of Alexandria

Alexandria is the second largest city in Egypt. northern capital ancient state with a population of about 6 million people. The city is located on the Mediterranean coast in the western part of the Nile Delta.

The current capital of Egypt, Cairo, in terms of beauty and grandeur of architecture and historical value, is significantly inferior to Alexandria.

The city was opened in 331 BC. Alexandria is almost 1400 years older than Cairo and has received the status of a cosmopolitan and cultural center of the world.

Today, only a part of the artifacts that testify to the former greatness of the capital have remained in Alexandria. Natural disasters, countless conquests and sieges. The city was repeatedly destroyed to the ground and rebuilt.

Many ancient and historical sights of the city are hidden under the waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the desert, but Alexandria has remained a beautiful place with magnificent beaches.

When he took control of Egypt in 331 BC, he built a new imperial capital to link the Nile Valley and his native Greece by sea. The city became the seat of the royal court until the Arab conquest in 642 BC. The culture absorbed elements of Greek art and became an important strategic center due to its geographical location.

For a century since its founding, Alexandria was second only to Rome in terms of population, economic and cultural influence.

During the reign of the Ptolemaic dynasty, Alexandria became famous for the greatest treasury of books in the world - the Library of Alexandria. Near its shores in the Mediterranean Sea was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world - Faros lighthouse, towering 138 meters above the water level.

From the Library of Alexandria, which burned down during the uprising, only ruins remain today. The lighthouse, along with numerous luxurious Greco-Roman palaces and other important architectural monuments destroyed by earthquakes and tsunamis.

Alexandria was the Egyptian capital for the Greeks. Several generations of Greeks and other ethnic groups lived here. During the rise of Christianity, the city became a home and shelter for Egyptian Christians. The papacy of the Coptic Orthodox Coptic Egyptian Church is located in one of the most beautiful places modern Alexandria. Although the city was badly damaged by floods and was badly destroyed in 1882 during a three-day attack by the British, from the end of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, Alexandria became a thriving center cultural life on the shores of the Mediterranean.

The era of the cosmopolitan center came to an end with the Nationalist Free Officers Revolution in 1952.

The new government banned non-Egyptian foreigners from opening and owning businesses and property. This led to the outflow of large international and Jewish capital companies from Alexandria.

Modern cities of Egypt - beautiful Alexandria

Most of The archaeological wealth of Alexandria today lies under the sand or streets of the cities, which are used to erect building projects. Alexandria is densely populated, it is characterized by noise and traffic jams, like other major cities Egypt.

The appearance of the city is represented by modern buildings, only a few historical sights remind of the ancient past.

On coastline in the city center you can see the remains of the Great Synagogue. On the peninsula with the embankment is the citadel Keith bay, built in the XV century on the site of the collapsed lighthouse Pharos.

The ruins of the Library of Alexandria are located in the center of the city and include Pompey's pillar, Roman baths, two red marble sphinxes, and an ancient amphitheater. The building of the new Library of Alexandria is located on the waterfront of the city. It houses a research center, a huge collection of books, reading room.

Alexandria Attractions

The tombs of Kom al-Shokaf, one of the wonders of the Middle Ages. The name is translated from Arabic as "mounds of dishes." Broken vans and plates were found at the excavation site.

It is assumed that the tomb originally belonged to a wealthy Roman family and was used for burial from the 2nd century BC. AD In reality, the premises of the complex were expanded in the 4th century. AD

The contents of the tombs were the remains of animals and people transported to Alexandria by order of Caracalla in 215 AD. The center leads to the tomb spiral staircase in several levels. The lower floors were flooded, but on the upper floors you can see examples of Roman, Greek and Egyptian iconography.

At the beginning of the 1st century AD The Roman Empire took control of the territory of Ancient Egypt, borrowing elements of the culture of Alexander the Great and the Ptolemies, expressed in Greek art.

The numbers carved on the walls of the tombs were often associated with Egyptian, Roman and Greek cults from mythology and symbols of the pharaoh.

New Library of Alexandria

The new library can be seen from afar - its roof is made of glass. The building is a prime example architecture of Egypt in the 21st century. The Cultural Center and Book Hall opened in 2002 as part of a massive restoration project. cultural heritage Alexandria as a center of education and culture of the world in antiquity.

Velikaya was founded in the 3rd century. BC. in part of the founding of the new capital of ancient Egypt by Macedonian. By right, it is considered one of the most valuable assets of the city, while Museion received more status educational institution ancient world.

Exact date of destruction Great Library and Mouseion is unknown. It is assumed that this happened at the beginning of the onset of the Roman era in ancient Egypt (31 BC). Countless ancient knowledge that was destroyed by fire. New Alexandria borrowed the image of the amazing treasury of Egyptian knowledge, containing about 9 million valuable books under the roof. The building houses several specialized libraries, a conference hall, a planetarium, rooms for temporary exhibitions and art galleries.

The Library contains books in 120 languages ​​from all over the world, from where sources of literature were once collected.

Montaz Palace and Alexandria Park

Alexandria is a traditional vacation spot for wealthy Cairo during the summer heat. mediterranean climate is characterized by softness. From northern city removed only 225 km.

For the ruling dynasty of Egypt, Khedive Abbas II, the ruler of Egypt and Sudan, a summer residence was built on the coastline between 1892 and 1914 - Montaza Palace.

In 1952, as a result of a coup, the Free Officers removed the dynasty from power. The palaces of Montaz turned into a public park on the Mediterranean coast. The entrance fee is more than modest - only 50 Egyptian piastres (about 25 cents).

The territory of Montaza Park consists of two palaces. The first, Al-Salamlik, was built in 1892 as hunting lodge for the ruler of Egypt. It was renovated in 1970 and is used as the official residence of the presidents during the summer months.

Prior to the construction of the Sharm el-Sheikh resort, the former head of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, used it as a summer holiday residence until the 1990s. The building has recently been converted into a luxury hotel.

King Fuad, the successor of the ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali, before the 1952 revolution, built a large Al-Haramlik Palace (1932) with a unique architectural style embodying Turkish and Florentine styles. Today, the palace is a museum of the history and art of the Muhammel Ali dynasty.

Kite Bay Citadel in Alexandria

Sultan Qaitbay built this picturesque fortress at the beginning of the 14th century to protect against invasion. His efforts were in vain, in 1512 the Ottomans took control of Egypt. But the fortress on the embankment of Alexandria remained.

The shape of the building was changed after the British bombardment of Alexandria in 1882. The restoration of the architectural monument of Egypt took place at the turn of the 20th century.

Keith Bay was built on the foundation faro monument damaged by a strong earthquake.
The citadel performed protective defensive functions. Today it houses the Naval Museum, open to tourists.

The embankment next to the citadel is popular place for families and fishermen. Along the sea line there are many cafes, restaurants and shops.

In 332 B.C. Alexander the Great, on the site of a small fishing settlement Rakoda, founded a city called Alexandria, which is now one of the oldest cities in the world. Here once stood the famous Alexandria (Faros) lighthouse - one of the "Seven Wonders of the World". Numerous artifacts related to the history of the ancient city have been found in the Aboukir Bay.

In this place, where the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Faros) once stood, the fort of Kite Bay, built in 1480, is located. From the remaining ruins of the lighthouse, Sultan Ashraf built a fortress with round towers and loopholes overlooking the sea.

• 

  It can be seen with the naked eye that the wall of the Kite Bay fort is made up of blocks of different colors - another proof that the fort was built from building materials that belonged to another structure.

The courtyard and square of the Kite Bay Fort.

The slit of the fort of Kite Bay overlooking the pier connecting the island with Alexandria.

New Library of Alexandria, erected on the site of the famous ancient library. From the side it seems that the building rises from a huge pool in the form of a solar disk. The library is located in such a way that it is directly opposite the sun rising from the Mediterranean Sea. As conceived by the architects, the building was supposed to symbolize the rising of the "sun of knowledge".

The inner vault of the Library of Alexandria rests on thin concrete columns with lotus-shaped capitals that rise above the reading room. The area of ​​the library is designed to accommodate 7 million books. Three floors of the building are above the level of the pool, the other four floors are below.

Planetarium - part of the new Library of Alexandria.

Library guests are happy to demonstrate the principle of the sundial. This clock cannot show local time. They do not take into account the division of the Earth into time zones. It was possible to use such watches only during the day, and in the presence of the sun.

Pool with fresh water near the building of the Library of Alexandria.

Embankment of the new Library of Alexandria. sculptural composition"The Abduction of Europe".

Royal Palace of Montazah. This former residence of Khedive Abbas and King Farouk is located on the seafront and combines Turkish and Florentine architectural styles.

The park of the Royal Palace of Montazah overlooks the seafront.

The National Museum was opened on December 31, 2003. Located near the city center. Contains about 1,800 artifacts that tell about the history of Alexandria and Egypt. Most of the exhibits are provided by other Egyptian museums.

In one of the halls of the Alexandria National Museum.

Alexandrian Opera theatre or Seyid Dervish opened in 1921. The theater is named after Mohammed Ali.

On the site of the Roman Amphitheater (Kom el-Dikka) located near central station excavations have been ongoing since the early 1960s.

Ruins of the former temple of the Serapeum. These sculptures were most likely architectural ensemble temple.

On the ruins of the former temple of the Serapeum. Now it is difficult to imagine what this largest and beautiful temple Alexandria.

On the ruins of the former temple of the Serapeum. sculptural composition.

Pompey's Column is located on the territory of the former temple of the Serapeum. It has nothing to do with Pompey himself. The largest built outside of Rome and Constantinople.

The territory of the former temple of the Serapeum. Sculpture of the Sphinx next to Pompey's Column. Most likely created during the era of the Ptolemaic dynasty in IV-I centuries BC.

Facade of the building of the Greco-Roman Museum. The museum was founded in 1892. The exposition is replenished through excavations within the city and its environs, as well as through donations from wealthy Alexandrians.

Portraits of Cleoptara VII on various coins minted during her reign in Alexandria and Tripolis (Syria) 1st century BC. Contrary to Hollywood cliches, Cleopatra had European features, was not so much beautiful as charming and very educated for her time: she knew several languages ​​and proved to be a competent and prudent politician.

The mosque of Abu el-Abbas is the largest and most remarkable in Alexandria. It was built in the XVIII century on the site of its collapsed predecessor over the tomb of the Muslim saint Abu el-Abbas el-Mursi.

The exterior ornament of the Abu el-Abas el-Morsh mosque is not rich in colors. He is strict, handsome and impeccable.

Interior of the mosque Abu el-Abas el-Morsh.

The Underwater Club of Moscow State University organized an expedition of divers who touched the secrets of ancient Alexandria and the Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty. These items could be part of a building.

Archaeologists believe that most of ancient Alexandria, destroyed by the earthquake, is buried under many meters of natural sediment - not far from this place, the Nile River flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Some of these items may have been part of the destroyed Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the world.

Video Information

1. Alexandria
2. Library of Alexandria

Hints

• Markers on the map mark the main sights of the city;
• Use the +/- buttons to change the scale of the map;
• Drag the little yellow man on the map to switch to street view;

Sights of Alexandria

Brief information

As a result of the conquests of a number of countries by Alexander the Great in the middle of the 4th century BC. the sixth satrapy was conquered, which is one of the regions of the Persian empire of the Achaemenids, located on part of the territory of modern Egypt.

After the death of the legendary commander in 323 BC. the territories of the conquered states were divided among his former commanders - the "Diadochi". Among them was the founder of the new Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty - Ptolemy I. According to legend, he was the half-brother of Alexander the Great, and the illegitimate son of King Philip II.

Alexandria (Al-Iskandariyah) - the second largest city in Egypt, located at the confluence of the Nile River in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a major industrial, commercial and tourist center of the country. In the city: two airports - Al Nozha and Borg al Arab, Train Station, sea port and bus station. Along the coast there is an international highway - Alexandria - Port Said (Port-Said). The city is connected with the capital of Egypt, Cairo, by rail, and by the road "Desert Road" (220 km). developed in the city passenger transport: metro, tram, minibuses, taxi.

The ancient city that eclipsed Rome

Under Ptolemy, Alexandria became the capital, the main educational center of Egypt, as well as the second largest city after Rome. The favorable geographical position allowed Alexandria to grow and grow rich quickly, turning into one of the largest shopping centers. ancient world. According to the descriptions of contemporaries, the city was so beautiful and grandiose that its beauty overshadowed Rome.

In the III century BC. Thanks to the efforts of Demetrius of Phaler, a student of Aristotle, Museion appeared in Alexandria - the prototype of the modern Academy of Sciences. The brilliant inventor Archimedes, the mathematician and geometer Euclid, the famous ancient geographer Strabo worked here. He wrote that in the city "there are the most beautiful public buildings and royal palaces”, which occupied almost a third of the entire territory of Alexandria.

Under Museion, the famous Library of Alexandria was created, the largest library of the ancient world, in its best times numbering up to a million scrolls. There were many others in the city luxury buildings, temples and countless statues.

Lighthouse of Alexandria and Fort Kite Bay

The architectural appearance of Alexandria is somewhat different from other cities in Egypt. The city has more Mediterranean than eastern features. In the sea, directly opposite Alexandria, lay the island of Pharos, connected to the city by a long pier. On this island stood the famous Pharos (Alexandria) lighthouse, described by the Greeks as one of the seven wonders of the world.

The lighthouse was built of white marble in the III century BC, and was a grandiose (about 120 m) tower with a large statue of Poseidon on top. The light from the flame of the lighthouse was visible for several tens of kilometers from it. Old Alexandria was gradually destroyed by several powerful earthquakes that occurred in the 4th-14th centuries. Most of the wreckage of the Lighthouse of Alexandria fell into the water. For some time, the skeleton of the tower remained, but it was used for other building needs.

In 1480, the same place where the Pharos lighthouse once stood was the fort of Kite Bay, built from the remaining ruins of the lighthouse in the 15th century. Sultan Ashraf built this fortress with round towers and loopholes overlooking the sea. Faithful guardian of the bay, Kite Bay Fort has resisted the formidable " White Sea"- so the Arabs called the Mediterranean Sea.

Cleopatra

In 47 B.C. Cleopatra VII, the last of the Ptolemaic dynasty, became the ruler of Egypt under the Roman protectorate. The reign of this queen is associated with big historical names ancient rome- Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. According to the descriptions of Cleopatra's contemporaries, the queen was not so much beautiful as charming and highly educated for her time: she knew several languages ​​and proved to be a competent and prudent politician. From the sculptures and portraits on the coins, it is clear that Cleopatra VII had European features.

Lost Monuments of Alexandria

Alexandria continued to develop in the era of accession to the Roman Empire (30 BC). Later, the first signs of decline began to appear due to the rise of Constantinople, the capital of Christian Byzantium. What was once considered beautiful and worthy of praise was now being rebuilt or destroyed. The struggle of Christianity against paganism acquired the first signs of violence. The transition of the pagan part of the population to a new faith was often associated with great sacrifices and bloody massacres.

There are documents that depict events that describe the destruction of the Alexandrian temple of the Serapeum. In the 4th century, Patriarch Theophilus acted in Alexandria. The decrees of the Byzantine emperor Theodosius I prohibited the observance of any religious rites, except for Christian ones. Holy holidays gradually turned into working days, public sacrifices to the gods were forbidden, temples were closed, Christians were secretly encouraged to disrespect pagans. places of worship. The decree of 391 led to the final desolation of the temples, on the site of which Christian churches arose.

Center for Alexandria Studies

In 1990, the Alexandria Research Center was created, the main task of which is to restore the appearance and topography of the Ptolemaic capital, from the founding of the city, to Cleopatra (30 BC). The most famous find of the "Center" is the ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.

This discovery might not have taken place. It so happened that in 1993 work began to strengthen the western end of the bay, at the foot of the fort Kite Bay. Archaeologists discovered and recovered from the sea a bust of a woman made of red granite. It was the first salvaged artifact. It was followed by other finds: thousands of columns, capitals, fragments of an obelisk from the era of Pharaoh Seti I, sculptures of sphinxes, huge statues.

The ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were hidden under water at a depth of eight meters for centuries. In total, more than 2000 blocks were counted on an area of ​​more than 2 hectares. To complete underwater excavations, scientists will need more than one year.

Serapeum Temple

The Temple of the Serapeum in Alexandria was built by Ptolemy III (3rd century BC), and is dedicated to Serapis, considered the protector of Alexandria. According to the descriptions, the Serapeum was the largest and most majestic of all the temples in the Greek part of Alexandria. In addition to the image of God, the temple housed a branch of the Library of Alexandria. According to the testimony of the ancient Greek geographer Strabo, the temple was located in the west of the city. Now only architectural and sculptural fragments remain from the temple.

Pompey's column

The thirty-meter Pompey's Column is located on the territory of the former temple of the Serapeum. The column was constructed from pink Aswan granite. It has nothing to do with Pompey himself. According to one version, the grateful inhabitants of Alexandria erected it in honor of the emperor Diocletian, who, having pacified the rebellion, did not destroy the city and destroy its inhabitants. Most of the finds made at the foot of the column are exhibited in the Greco-Roman Museum.

Roman amphitheater Kom el-Dikka

At the site of the Roman amphitheater (Kom el-Dikka), located near the central station, excavations have been underway since the early 1960s. During this time, various public buildings located in the center of the ancient city were discovered: a theater, public baths, water tanks and a residential area. At the entrance are statues recovered from the sea near the fort of Qait Bay by a group of archaeologists led by Jean-Yves Amperer.

Catacombs of Kom el-Shugafa

The catacombs of Kom el-Shugaf belong to the I-II centuries. AD They were discovered at the beginning of the 20th century quite by accident: the ground collapsed under the weight of a donkey. The unfortunate animal "flew" more than 10 meters down. Thanks to this accidental fall, more than 300 burials were discovered, built in a spiral on three tiers carved into the rocks.

The catacombs are located in three floors (the two lower ones are filled with water). The architecture of the tombstones of this largest Roman underground burial in Egypt combines elements of Egyptian, Greek and Roman styles. Scenes of Christian funerals are depicted in the murals of the chapel. Here you can find different types of burials, including tombs-wells in rocky corridors.

Within the city limits is the Royal Palace of Montazah. This former residence of Khedive Abbas and King Farouk is built on the seafront and eclectically blends Turkish and Florentine styles. The building is rich in decoration and luxurious interiors. Now it is the guest palace of the President of the country. It is surrounded by a vast park with various types of trees, sculptures and beautiful alleys.

Anfushi quarter

Once between the fort and the palace there was a quarter of sailors - the Anfushi Quarter, popular among other things for its brothels. Today they are closed, but now, walking along the streets of this "people's quarter", you can find pretty cafes decorated with faience tiles, or wonderful fish restaurants where you can choose your favorite fish.

The mosque of Abu el-Abbas is the largest and most remarkable in Alexandria. It was built in the XVIII century on the site of its collapsed predecessor over the tomb of the Muslim saint Abu el-Abbas el-Mursi. The mosque is considered a masterpiece of building art. The ornaments of the four domes and the 73 m high minaret, the decor of the facades and the carved “minbar” (pulpit from which Friday sermons are read) are masterfully executed.

Greco-Roman Museum and Museum of Fine Arts

The Greco-Roman Museum has 40,000 exhibits, including an outstanding collection of coins covering the period from the 4th to the 4th centuries. AD Statues, sarcophagi, earthenware vessels, papyri and paintings show a mixture of art styles from ancient Egypt, the Ptolemaic period, the Romans and the Greeks. The marble and wood figures depict the most important deities of Alexandria.

In the halls of the Museum of Fine Arts there is an interesting collection of paintings, exhibitions of Egyptian and foreign artists are regularly held there, and the "Alexandria Biennale" is held - an exhibition of works by artists from the Mediterranean countries.

New Library of Alexandria

In October 2002, the new Library of Alexandria was opened. The unusual building is made in the form of a huge cylinder of glass and aluminum. The inner vault rests on thin concrete columns with lotus-shaped capitals that rise above the huge reading room.

The library complex also includes a building of a spherical shape, which houses a conference room, a planetarium with a dome and Archaeological Museum. More than 8,000 ancient manuscripts and rare books have been collected in the library's vaults. They are studied and digitized so that visitors can familiarize themselves with them.

Alexandrian cafes

Alexandria cafes are a kind of "brand name" of the city. Huge halls with darkened paintings and large old mirrors, spacious terraces overlooking the sea. The old-timers of Alexandria sit there for hours and look at the sea, indifferent to the bustle around them. When a strong wind picks up, they go inside and immerse themselves in endless games of backgammon or dominoes, or spend hours reading newspapers.

The city founded by the great conqueror Alexander the Great is the only one of the many "Alexandria" founded by him, which has become an influential city of our time, one of major ports African Mediterranean. The famous Pharos lighthouse once stood here - one of the seven wonders of the world - and the legendary queen Cleopatra ruled.

OASIS OF KNOWLEDGE

For several centuries, Alexandria was cultural center ancient world.

Founded personally by the great conqueror of the ancient world Alexander the Great in January - April 331 BC. e., Alexandria immediately became the capital of a new, Macedonian dynasty of rulers of Egypt. Having received Egypt after the death of Alexander in fact in his personal lot, Ptolemy I, one of the closest associates of the great commander, ensured that the grave of Alexander the Great was in Alexandria. According to legend, for this, Ptolemy even had to deceive another Macedonian commander, Perdiccas. In a golden sarcophagus, a doll was allegedly sent to Perdikka, and the real body of Alexander the Great was urgently delivered to Alexandria.

Alexandria was originally created as a city of ancient civilization - the Egyptian population even refused to use the name "Alexandria", preferring to call the new capital the word "Rakotis" - "construction site". Alexandria was originally built according to a single plan, with wide streets, beautiful temples, palaces and squares. The Egyptians were skilled builders and even succeeded in implementing the plans of another civilization.

The wealth of Egypt, which fell into the hands of the Ptolemaic dynasty, allowed them to patronize scientists, artists, sculptors, architects, poets and give Alexandria a real metropolitan gloss. Alexandria Museum as an international antique science Center, and the Library of Alexandria created under him were famous throughout the cultural world of the 3rd century BC. BC e. This period became the "golden age" of Alexandria. From all over the Hellenistic world, young people sought education here, already well-known figures of science and culture went to present their achievements to the Ptolemaic court, and booksellers brought lists of new books from here.

The famous scientist Archimedes of Syracuse was educated in Alexandria. He, according to legend, left memories of the “Father of Geometry” Euclid, who lived and worked in Alexandria, and told Ptolemy I, who wanted to quickly study geometry, that there were no royal ways in science. major discoveries in human anatomy, the astronomer Aristarchus of Samos put forward the idea that the Sun is at the center of the universe, Straton of Lampasak created the theory of vacuum, and so on and so forth ... Hero of Alexandria already in the 1st century. BC e. created automatic devices, programmable devices (for example, a roller on which a rope was wound and pins were applied to regulate its tension) and even steam turbine. In a word, Hellenistic world was on the verge of a technological revolution. And this “threshold” was located precisely in Alexandria.

Many inventions from this city were used throughout ancient civilization. This was greatly facilitated by the Library of Alexandria, in which, according to the most conservative estimates, at least 400 thousand papyrus scrolls were stored and actively used. In 2003, on the site of the long-destroyed Library of Alexandria, whose collection perished in numerous wars, the Alexandrina Library, or the New Library of Alexandria, was built. Funds for its creation were allocated by UNESCO, the government of Egypt and many countries of the world. The new library is designed for 8 million volumes. So modern Alexandria continues the cultural traditions of the ancient city.

In Hellenistic times, up to a million people lived in Alexandria, however, when the future emperor Napoleon landed here in 1798, only ruins remained of its former greatness. new life V ancient city breathed in by the ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha in the 19th century.

EMPLOYEE OF THE MUSLIM OIKUMEN

Alexandria was declared a tourist capital in 2010. Arab world- and by right.

In 2010 tourism ministers Arab countries chose Alexandria as the tourist capital of the 12 cities that claimed this title. "This city in its history has been the center of different civilizations - Roman, Greek, Coptic and Muslim," Egyptian Tourism Minister Zuhair Gharana said at the celebration. And the governor of Alexandria, Adel Labib, emphasized that “Alexandria has all the components tourist city- this is a beautiful landscape, and clean air, and historical monuments various civilizations, not to mention the pillar of world culture - the Library of Alexandria.

Anyone who is interested ancient history and how it is preserved, many discoveries await here. New hotels are being built in the city, monuments are being restored and the airport is being modernized, the embankment and the main streets of the city are being put in order, facades are being restored historical buildings, the Greco-Roman Museum has also been restored. The plans of the city include the restoration of one of the seven wonders of the world - the famous Faros lighthouse. For a thousand years (from 283 BC to 1375), this lighthouse illuminated the way for sailors. Its height is 140 m - it made the lighthouse the most tall building of his time.

Although not so much has been preserved from ancient Alexandria, and most of it today is located on seabed, anyway, this city can be imagined, for example, by visiting the Greco-Roman Museum, where there are tens of thousands of exhibits from the Ptolemaic era.

The so-called Pompey's column (in fact, having nothing to do with Pompey) made of red granite on the Alexandrian acropolis was installed under the emperor Diocletian (245-313). In Alexandria, you can see the burials of the Ptolemaic era, and in recent years, excavations have made it possible to see a whole archaeological complex in the Kom ad Dik-ka area - an ancient university, which until 2008 was mistaken for an amphitheater, ancient baths, residential buildings and villas with mosaic decorations.

From all periods of the history of Alexandria, the city has its own memories. Thus, the Christian Church of Egypt is called the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, and it was founded by the evangelist Saint Mark himself, who was martyred in Alexandria in 68 AD. e. It is believed that the Cathedral of St. Mark in Alexandria was built on the site of the house of the first Christian of Alexandria, the shoemaker Ananias. The cathedral was rebuilt more than once, but ancient murals have been preserved in it. And the mosque of Abu-El-Abbas-El-Mursi (XVIII century) is considered a masterpiece of building art.

The Museum of the Royal Jewels of Alexandria, located in the Fatima El Zahraa Palace and opened after restoration in 2006, displays the collections of precious artifacts collected by Muhammad Ali Pasha and his heirs. Here you can see a platinum crown adorned with thousands of diamonds, Mohammed Ali Pasha's own diamond, King Farouk's golden chess set, as well as the king's gardening tools, they are adorned with diamonds.

In 2005, the National Museum of Alexandria was opened, which, in addition to other exhibits dedicated to different periods of the history of Egypt, demonstrates objects raised from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea during excavations on the site of the areas of ancient Alexandria that went under water.

CURIOUS FACTS

■ Alexandria is the city of the famous Queen Cleopatra, whose fate and love stories with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony are repeatedly described in books and films. In fact, Cleopatra was not alone - this, the last queen of Egypt, went down in history at number "seven" - Cleopatra VII Philopatra.

■ In the center of Alexandria, according to ancient historians, two years after the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC), a magnificent tomb of the late king was erected right on the territory of the palace complex of the Macedonian rulers of Egypt. Later, the Ptolemaic dynasty combined the burial places of all its representatives with the grave of the great commander. Alexander the Great was deified, his cult was maintained in Alexandria, and the new pharaohs of Egypt tried in every possible way to present him as a member of the ruling dynasty and its patron. The historian Suetonius has preserved the testimony of how the body of Alexander was shown to Octavian Augustus.

■ In Alexandria lived, worked and died the first female mathematician Greek Hypatia (370-415). She taught at the Alexandrian School of Neoplatonism and was murdered by religious fanatics.

■ Much of ancient Alexandria was submerged by earthquakes, which is why underwater archaeologists may have recently found the 15-ton granite threshold of Cleopatra's tomb in the sea off the coast of modern Alexandria. It is already clear that the restoration of the appearance of ancient Alexandria will be possible only after large-scale underwater research. So, the remains of the legendary Faros lighthouse are still at the bottom of the Eastern Bay.

ATTRACTIONS

■ Necropolis of El-Anfushi;
■ Serapeum and Pompey's column;
■ Catacombs of Kom-El-Shuqaf;
■ El-Attarin Mosque;
■ Mosque of Abu-El-Abbas-El-Mursi;
■ Fort Kite Bay;
■ Montaza Palace and Park;
■ Greco-Roman Museum;
■ Museum fine arts;
■ Museum of Royal Jewels;
■ Hydrobiological Museum;
■ National Museum of Alexandria;
■ Alexandrina Library;
■ El Silsila Fort;
■ El-Shatbi Christian cemetery;
■ Fort El-Atta;
■ Ras El-Tin Palace;
■ St. Catherine's Church;
■ Cathedral of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God;
■ St. Mark's Cathedral;
■ Archaeological complex "Alexandria University and the Roman Baths" (Kom-ad-Dikka).

Atlas. The whole world is in your hands №43

Read in this issue: