Founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, Alexandria is indeed the stuff of legend. Its sky-high Pharaoh lighthouse, marking the entrance of the ancient harbor, was one of the Seven (7) Wonders of the World, and its library was believed to be the archive of medieval knowledge. Unfortunately, fate dealt this city some cruel blows. The Great Library was torched and the Pharaoh collapsed. Part of the old city disappeared underneath the sea and another part under the new city, so there are still some visible remnants of the famed past. Here are the top must-see attractions in Alexandria, Egypt.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina
The ancient library of Alexandria was one of the greatest classical institutions in the world, and while it might seem a difficult task replacing it, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina manages to do this. This magnificent piece of contemporary architecture was opened in 2002 and is a conscious attempt to revive the original center of culture and learning brilliance. The complex is now one of the major cultural venues in Egypt and a stage for several international performers.
Alexandria National Museum
This superb museum sets a high standard with its abstract of the history of Alexandria. Housed in a charmingly restored villa, the small but well-labeled and thoughtfully selected collection does an excellent job of relating the history of the city from antiquity until the contemporary period. Highlights include the beautiful Tanagra –Greek women terracotta statues – and the underwater discoveries in the Mediterranean.
Kom Al Dikka
Kom Al Dikka was an affluent residential area during the Graeco-Roman times, with impressive bathhouses, villas, and a theater. The area was known as the Park of Pan at the time, a garden where Alexandria citizens could engage in different lazy activities. Although the ruins are not really impressive in scale, they still remain an excellently preserved ode. The Villa of the Birds is also in this complex, a well-off urban-dwelling dating to the Hadrian era (117-138 AD). Despite being renovated several times before fire destroyed it in the third century, its floor mosaic of water hens, parrots, quails, peacocks, and pigeons remain astoundingly well-preserved.
Mamoura Beach
About 1 kilometer east of Montazah, this is the busiest of all the beaches in Alexandria. There is a cobblestone boardwalk with some food stalls and ice cream shops, but its separation from the road makes this unique from other beaches. The water can, however, be dangerous when the sea gets agitated.
Banyan Tree Park
Wo Hing Museum
