Alexandria
Founded in c. 331 BC by Alexander the Great, Alexandria grew rapidly and became a major center of Hellenic civilization, eventually replacing Memphis, in present-day Greater Cairo, as Egypt's capital. During the Hellenistic period, it was home to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which ranked among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, as well as the storied Library of Alexandria. Today, the library is reincarnated in the disc-shaped, ultramodern Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Its 15th-century seafront Qaitbay Citadel is now a museum. Called the "Bride of the Mediterranean" by locals, Alexandria is a popular tourist destination and an important industrial center due to its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez.
Languages spoken | Arabic |
---|---|
Currency used | EGP |
Country name | Egypt |