18 Attractions of Alexandria in Egypt You Should See

A city of history and monuments, a city of legends and fairy tales, a city named after the great general, the "Capital of Memory" and the "Pearl of the Mediterranean" - all of this describes Alexandria.

The glorious history of this city spans more than 2300 years. Time has passed, centuries have changed, and by the 21st century, Alexandria has entered as a mysterious "beautiful stranger," revealing a little about the secrets of its distant past while promising many surprises ahead. The second largest city and cultural center of Egypt, Alexandria is rich in attractions.

With its abundance and beauty of historical and architectural masterpieces, cult buildings, and noteworthy sites, Alexandria rivals many European cities. History lovers, connoisseurs of beauty, advocates for leisurely or active recreation, fans of intellectual pastimes, adventurers seeking wonders - everyone will find something to see in Alexandria, where to spend time, and what to admire.

An architectural masterpiece and a marvel of engineering, the Alexandria Library astonishes with its beauty and scale. The round building has a diameter of 160 meters, and the height of the dome is 32 meters, with the lower floors extending 12 meters underground. Its outer walls are adorned with letters, hieroglyphs, and pictograms from over a hundred languages.

The "predecessor" of the Alexandria Library is the ancient repository that was built long before our era. In those distant times, great minds, including Archimedes and Euclid, worked and created in this repository. At the turn of the millennium, the library was set ablaze, destroying precious manuscripts, likely the first written sources. The library was rebuilt at the beginning of the 21st century.

Today, the Alexandria Library is a treasure trove of world knowledge and wisdom, housing a unique collection of books from different times and cultures - about 8 million copies. Its vast reading room can accommodate 2500 people at once.

There are special halls for children and youth, a library for the visually impaired, a planetarium, as well as museums and exhibitions. A gigantic panel invites visitors to take an interactive tour of ancient times. The screen, curved at a specific angle, allows for a complete immersion in events long past.

Address: Alexandria Library, Al Azaritah WA Ash Shatebi, Qism Bab Sharqi, Egypt.

One of the main attractions of Alexandria is the ancient Fort Qaitbay, a kind of "successor" to the famous Pharos Lighthouse. The fortress was built in the mid-15th century right on the site of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, using the remains of the lighthouse for construction.

The fortress served its primary function of protecting the harbor from enemies until the late 19th century, when it was destroyed by bombs dropped by British aviation. For nearly a century, the citadel remained in ruins, and large-scale restoration efforts began in the 1980s.

The fort covers an area of 2 hectares, surrounded by thick fortress walls with embrasures for cannons, troughs for boiling mixtures, and many watchtowers. Underground, there are tunnels equipped with elevators that traverse several floors.

Inside the fortress are barracks and utility buildings, a prison room, an ancient mosque, and a garden. The territory of the citadel houses a Maritime Museum with exhibits raised from nearby sunken ships.

Address: Fort Qaitbay, As Sayalah Sharq, Qesm Al Gomrok, Alexandria, Egypt.

In the historic area of Alexandria, Kom El-Dikka, which means "hill of stones," lies the Roman Amphitheater, the only one of its kind in Egypt. The "legacy" of the Romans was discovered by chance in the middle of the last century. Presumably, the amphitheater was built in the 2nd century, and despite its "honorable" age, the building has been well preserved.

The amphitheater is small, accommodating a maximum of 800 people. The seating area consists of 14 rows arranged in a semi-circle. The first row is made of red granite, while the other rows are made of white and gray marble. Some places have numbered seats. The amphitheater once had a roof, and only the collapsed columns remain today.

A remarkable feature of the Roman Amphitheater is the existence of a "magic" spot, from which every word spoken, even in a whisper, can be heard clearly in the highest seats.

Address: Roman Amphitheater, Kom Ad Dakah Gharb, Al Attarin, Alexandria, Egypt.

Montazah is a picturesque attraction in Alexandria, a palace and park complex located in the eastern part of the city overlooking a beautiful bay. The complex began construction at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and was originally used as a summer residence for Egyptian rulers. The jewel of Montazah is the luxurious Al-Haramlik Palace, built in the 1930s. The architecture of the building intertwines Moorish and Florentine styles, and the rising turret is an exact "replica" of the bell tower of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.

Today, Montazah Park stretches over 60 hectares, accompanied by cozy sandy beaches, making it a favorite leisure spot for locals and tourists. Although entry into the royal palace is not allowed, strolling among pine trees, date palms, and colorful, fragrant flower beds amply compensates for this minor restriction.

Address: Montazah Palace, Al Mandarah Bahri, Montaza 2, Egypt.

The trademark of Alexandria is Pompey's Pillar, a mighty tower of pink granite that stands nearly 30 meters tall with a base volume of 9 meters, located in the center of the city on a high hill.

The name of the pillar is a historical misnomer, as the structure has no relation to Gnaeus Pompeius, the contemporary of Julius Caesar. The Crusaders, who "named" the pillar, mistakenly believed that it was the burial site of the Roman commander. However, the triumphal stela was erected around 300 AD in honor of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, at the site where the Alexandrian acropolis once stood.

Today, Pompey's Pillar is a historic and architectural monument, a "living" witness of the times of Ancient Egypt's prosperity. Some artifacts discovered near the pillar during archaeological investigations are exhibited in the Greco-Roman Museum.

Address: Pompey's Pillar, Al Karah WA at Toubageyah WA Kafr Al Ghates, Karmouz, Egypt.

The Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria is a historical and archaeological monument, a repository of unique finds from the Greek and Roman periods. The museum was founded towards the end of the 19th century. Initially, exhibits were displayed in a spacious five-room apartment. Later, an old mansion surrounded by lush vegetation was allocated for the museum.

Currently, the museum collections hold more than 40,000 exhibits. Among them are sculptures and figurines, paintings and papyri, ceramics and sarcophagi, mummies of ancient animals, and elements of ancient cult buildings, coins featuring Cleopatra and Alexander the Great. Most were found in Alexandria and its surroundings, while some were brought from distant Greek settlements.

Archaeological work continues in Alexandria, so the collections of the Greco-Roman Museum will regularly be supplemented with new artifacts.

Address: Roman Museum, Al Mesallah Sharq, Al Attarin, Alexandria, Egypt.

The main Orthodox church of Alexandria, towering over the central square of the city, is the Cathedral of the Annunciation. The church, characterized by its strictness and harmony, is built in the neo-Gothic style and comprises a basilica of three naves with two bell towers on either side.

The first stone of the sacred structure was laid in 1847, and construction lasted nearly 10 years, with decorative elements added in subsequent years. Notably, the church was built with the help of the entire community - significant financial assistance was provided by the Russian Emperor, interior work was done by architects from Greece and Constantinople, stained glass windows were produced in France, chandeliers were made by Russian craftsmen, clock faces were made by the English, and icons were painted by Constantinopolitan artists.

After a century, by the end of the last century, the cathedral was in a deplorable condition. Funds for extensive restoration were allocated by the foundation of the Greek millionaire Onassis. In 2006, the church opened its doors to congregants.

Address: Cathedral of the Annunciation, Al Atarin Mosque, Al Attarin Gharb, Al Attarin, Egypt.

A curious and educational place in Alexandria is the Hydrobiological Museum. Here, visitors can meet the inhabitants of the underwater world of the Mediterranean, Red Seas, and the Nile River. In 50 large aquariums, schools of colorful fish and small fish swim, alongside mollusks, jellyfish, sea urchins, and stars.

Apart from the traditional, widely known species, there are rare and exotic specimens. The aquariums are beautifully adorned with corals, whose tufted "bushes" astonish with their diverse forms and colors. The pride of the museum is a skeleton of a giant (over 17m) whale that washed ashore near Alexandria in the middle of the last century.

Address: Alexandria Aquarium, As Sayalah Sharq, Qesm Al Gomrok, Egypt.

A historic and architectural monument, a beautiful building that seems to have emerged from an Eastern fairy tale - the Abu el-Abbas Mosque. This majestic, monumental building rises 73 meters above the ground, which is the height of the south tower, the largest minaret, beautifully illuminated at dusk.

The walls, decorated with light beige artificial stone, are 23 meters high. The airy domes are adorned with intricate carvings and ornamental patterns. The interior of the mosque is luxurious and rich.

The sanctuary was built in the early 14th century over the tomb of a revered Sufi saint, Abu el-Abbas. Throughout its long history, the mosque has been rebuilt multiple times, most recently in the 1950s.

As a result, its current exterior appearance significantly differs from the original. However, all reconstruction works have been performed by the best craftsmen of their time, who carefully preserved the creations of ancient builders.

At the beginning of the last century, during another restructuring of the sacred building, the surrounding area was populated with new structures. This led to the creation of a separate mosque for women and a mosque-tomb where important religious figures are buried. The area itself became known as Mosque Square.

Address: Abu el-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque, Al Mazar, Qesm Al Gomrok, Alexandria, Egypt.

The long promenade that crosses Alexandria and stretches for many kilometers is the most picturesque and beautiful street in the city. Its official name is "July 26," but locals and tourists prefer to call it Corniche, which in Arabic means "promenade" or "coast."

On one side of the promenade, the sea splashes, with comfortable beaches; on the other side is a veritable open-air museum. Iconic attractions of Alexandria, Montazah Palace and Fort Qaitbay, are located at both ends of the street, while throughout its length, there are many ancient buildings, historical, and architectural monuments.

You can walk or bike along the promenade. For cycling enthusiasts, there are dedicated paths available, and plenty of rental points. The Corniche is especially beautiful at dusk when its thousands of lights reflect in the sea.

Address: Al Kornish, Al Ibrahimeyah Bahri WA Sidi Gaber, Qism Bab Sharqi, Egypt.

The opera house in Alexandria opened at the beginning of the last century on the initiative of a local aristocrat, Badra el-Din-Kerdani, who financed the construction of the building. Initially, it was named after the Egyptian ruler Muhammad Ali but was renamed in the 1960s in honor of the author of the national anthem, Sayyid Darwish.

The theater hosted opera and ballet performances, as well as concerts. The theater's popularity was so immense that not only Alexandrians attended but also guests from other countries.

By the beginning of the present century, the building had significantly deteriorated. After a major restoration, the theater resumed operations in 2004. Today, the permanent company and symphony orchestra of the Alexandria Opera promote exotic Arab art through their performances.

Address: Alexandria Opera House, Al Mesallah Sharq, Al Attarin, Egypt.

Antoniadis Palace is a little piece of France in Alexandria, a miniature "remake" of the Palace of Versailles. This luxurious mansion was built in the mid-19th century by Greek entrepreneur Ioannis Antoniadis. At that time, the villa was the center of the city's social life, where local nobility gathered for balls and parties.

After the businessman's death, his heirs transferred the mansion to the city municipality. For some time, the spacious two-story building hosted high-ranking guests and held important meetings and events. At the beginning of this century, the palace became part of the museum complex of the Alexandria Library.

The palace and its surrounding park cover an area of almost 50 hectares and boast a rich collection of sculptures collected by Antoniadis. Among them are statues of Greek gods, marble monuments to great navigators Columbus, Magellan, and Nelson, and symbolic sculptures representing the seasons. Particularly noteworthy is the statue of Venus with a mirror, positioned so that sunlight reflects off the mirrored surface directly into the villa's windows.

Address: Antoniadis Palace, Ezbet Saad, Sidi Gaber, Egypt.

The catacombs in Alexandria are part of the "city of the dead," the largest ancient necropolis in Egypt. The burial site is believed to have originated in the 2nd century BC and was used for at least two centuries. The catacombs are named after a mound of ceramic shards discovered at the burial sites - Kom El Shoqafa in Arabic means "mound of shards." Scholars believe that in clay vessels, relatives brought "treats" for the deceased.

The necropolis is a three-level structure, with a Triclinium for memorial services on the upper level, while tombs are located on the second and third levels. A spiral staircase was used to lower the bodies of the deceased through a shaft.

The uniqueness of the Kom El Shoqafa catacombs lies in the symbiosis of various cultures and beliefs. The walls of the halls are inscribed with texts in different languages, while the wall paintings and reliefs feature elements of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman styles. Literally in adjacent tombs are the remains of the deceased buried according to the traditions of different peoples.

Address: Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Karmouz, Egypt.

St. Mark's Cathedral is the residence of the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, a temple with a long history and a challenging fate. It is believed that the church was built on the site of a chapel founded by St. Mark, the author of the second Gospel, at the dawn of our era. According to tradition, Mark the Evangelist promoted Christianity in Egypt and was the first patriarch of Alexandria.

The cathedral has been destroyed multiple times by warring invaders. But each time, the temple was quickly rebuilt, and it became even larger and more beautiful.

In the mid-20th century, the church was entirely demolished and a completely new building was constructed. Two chapels survived intact, and the carefully preserved iconostases were placed in the old location. The interior and decoration were made to closely resemble the original variant.

Address: The Cathedral of St. Mark, Al Akbat Church, Al Attarin, Egypt.

The Jewelry Museum is the "El Dorado" of Alexandria, a unique treasure trove of art works, precious jewelry, and luxury items once belonging to the ruling dynasty of Muhammad Ali, now exhibited for public admiration and awe.

The museum's collection comprises over 11,000 exhibits. Among them are antique tableware, ancient coins, awards, watches, antique jewelry, and items made of gold and platinum, inlaid with precious stones, rare pearls, and diamonds.

Particularly notable are the royal regalia - crowns and diadems, densely studded with diamonds. For example, the platinum diadem that adorned the head of the founder's great-granddaughter at her wedding is "decorated" with 2000 selected diamonds.

The museum's exhibits are displayed in the palace where Princess Fatma lived in the early 20th century. Notably, the building itself can be likened to the treasures stored within, so luxurious are its interiors and exteriors.

Walls paneled in oak and chestnut, a painted ceiling created by hand, numerous mosaic and stained-glass panels, artistic paintings, and sculptures. Esteemed masters of the time had a hand in creating these masterpieces.

Address: Royal Jewellery Museum, أحمد يحيى، San Stifano, First Al Raml, Egypt.

The Museum of Fine Arts is a collection of paintings, sculptures, and artistic carvings by Egyptian and European masters. The history of the museum began in the early 20th century when the authorities of Alexandria received as a gift a small collection of paintings by foreign artists.

The building was donated by a local businessman. However, it was destroyed in battles during World War II. A new, modern building in the modern style was constructed by 1954, and the museum's grand opening was timed to celebrate the second anniversary of the July Revolution.

Currently, the museum exhibits the first two hundred paintings, gifted in the last century, created by masters of various nationalities who once lived and worked in Egypt. In addition to its permanent exhibition, the museum offers various temporary exhibitions. Moreover, significant events take place within its walls, such as the Alexandria Biennale, an exhibition of Mediterranean artists' works.

Address: Museum of Fine Arts, El-Mohandes Ahmed Ismail, Emberouz WA Moharram Beik, Moharam Bek, Alexandria, Egypt.

The Necropolis of Anfushi is a complex of ancient tombs in the eastern part of Alexandria, dating back to the 3rd century AD. The antique tomb was discovered in the early last century. The necropolis includes five tombs carved directly into the rock, located around a small open courtyard. The courtyard is below ground level, and a staircase descends into it.

The Alexandrian necropolis is a "speaking" slice of cultural and domestic life, a "witness" to many important historical events and life upheavals, as evidenced by the furnishings and decoration of the tombs. The richness of some tombs is striking, as they use noble materials such as marble and granite for sepulchers.

The walls of some tombs are adorned with images of gods from Egyptian mythology, drawings on domestic themes from the lives of Egyptians, while others depict drawings, frescoes, and carvings that describe Roman military techniques. The entrance to one of the tombs is "guarded" by sphinx statues crowning low columns.

Address: Necropolis of Anfushi, Ibrahim Al Awal Sq., Ras at Tin, Qesm Al Gomrok, Alexandria, Egypt.

The Wadi Natrun Valley, also known as the Nitrian Desert, located not far from Alexandria, is famous for its substantial supplies of sodium carbonate, an essential substance for embalming bodies. (The chemical element sodium is named after the valley). The Nitrian Desert gained worldwide fame due to the Christian monasteries, the first of which was founded as early as the mid-4th century.

After 300 years, there were already several dozen monasteries. Today, only four ancient religious buildings remain, still functioning. Each monastery consists of one or several churches, numerous chapels, cells, and utility buildings, all surrounded by thick walls.

The oldest and most significant is the Coptic Monastery of Saint Macarius, founded by Macarius himself in the 4th century. After the saint's death, his relics were placed in the "named" monastery, which was taken under the patronage of his followers. A few kilometers from the Monastery of Saint Macarius is the Monastery of Saint Bishoi, established by a disciple of Macarius.

This is the only one of the four monasteries that operates every day. Just half a kilometer from the Bishoi Monastery is the Syrian Monastery, built in the 6th century by monks who "split off" from Bishoi due to religious misunderstandings.

The monastery is known for its ivory iconostasis and unique frescoes. In the furthest monastery, the Roman Monastery, the relics of Isidore and Moses, and a shirt with a bloody cross - the mark left after an exorcism session - are stored.

Address: Wadi Natrun, El Beheira Desert, Egypt.