The city of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, more than 2,000 years ago. It was the capital of ancient Egypt and was its greatest city for many years. Today it is Egypt's principal seaport. It is also the country's second largest city after Cairo.
Alexandria lies on the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea about 110 miles (177 kilometers) northwest of Cairo. An hourglass-shaped projection links the city center with the island of Pharos. On the island stood a great lighthouse that was one of the Seven Wonders of the World in ancient times. The lighthouse was destroyed in the 14th century, but in 1994 many of the stones and statues from it were found in the bay.
Places of interest
In Alexandria today there are stone structures that date back to the Roman Empire. One is a Roman amphitheater with 12 marble galleries. Another, Pompey's Pillar, is an 88-foot (27-meter) high marble pillar that was built in AD 297. The city also has catacombs from the 2nd and 3rd centuries. These catacombs are cavelike tombs. They are three layers deep and were carved into the rock. Ancient relics from the tombs can be seen in Alexandria's Greco-Roman Museum.
When Egypt had a royal family, in the summer they lived in the Muntazah Palace in Alexandria. The upper levels of the palace building now house a museum of royal relics. Near the Eastern Harbor is a fort that houses a naval museum. Not far from the museum is the Marine Life Institute, with specimens of rare animals from the surrounding waters.
History
Alexandria was designed by the personal architect to Alexander the Great, the Greek conqueror. The architect, Dinocrates, created a city of great beauty. After Alexander's death in 323 BC, his empire broke up. Control of the city passed to his governor, Ptolemy I Soter.
During Ptolemy's time the city became a center of trade between Europe and the East. Within a hundred years, Alexandria was the greatest city in the world. Greek scholars and scientists gathered there, and the city's library was known throughout the ancient world.
In 30 BC, Alexandria and Egypt came under Roman rule. In 616, Alexandria passed into the hands of the Persians, and by 642, the Arabs took control of the city and the rest of Egypt. Under the Arabs, the capital was shifted to Al Fustat, which later became part of Cairo, the modern capital of Egypt. Alexandria, however, continued to be a trading center, primarily for cloth and luxury goods.
For a long time the city prospered. Spice trade developed between the East and the West, and Egypt was the country that controlled that trade. Eventually the spice trade declined, however, and the city was reduced to a small fishing village.
In the 19th century the city again became a commercial center after canals were built to link the city to the Nile River. The city was an important naval base during World War I and was the scene of much fighting during World War II.
In the 1950s foreign citizens began leaving the city because of political problems. During the 1960s Alexandria gained business from programs set up by the Egyptian government. In the 1970s oil and natural gas were discovered offshore. Alexandria's financial and business conditions improved as a result. Population (1996 census), 3,328,196.