There are apparently 32 cities around the world called Alexandria, all named after our Macedonian friend known as Alexander The Great. This city in Egypt was the first of that name, founded in 332 BC. He never saw this city, as he died a young man of 25.
Today it is a thriving fairly modern port, the biggest in Egypt. It also happens to be a very neat city to visit. This seems strange for me to say as I generally despise large cities. It has a wonderful setting on the shores of the Mediterranean with a large circular waterfront promenade called the Corniche. On one end of the arc is the site of the famous lighthouse, on the other side of the bay is the equally famous Library of Alexandria.
Both of those sites have an interesting background. First the lighthouse, which was built about 300 BC... It was around 400 feet tall, obviously built of stone, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Sadly it was destroyed in the 8th century by earthquakes. However yesterday a guide told us is was destroyed in the 14th century. I find it hard to believe that it would last as long as it did, looking at construction methods. The pyramids are one thing, but a towering pile of rock 400 feet high is hard to imagine, even today.
The library was considered by some at the time as the centre of learning in the ancient word. Alexandria was then rivalling Rome and Constantinople for power and status. The library was founded at the beginning of the 3rd century, BC. It had over 700,000 scrolls. These scrolls were amassed over the years in a conscientious effort by scholars and authorities to have a copy, if not the original, of every worthy piece of literature, history and intelligent thought ever written.
The destruction of those scrolls is considered by some to have retarded the advancement of this world over the years. The time and cause of destruction of the scrolls is not definitively known, we were told. Some theories: 1. in 48 BC when Julius Caesar invaded Alexandria. 2. The attack by Aurelian, 3rd century AD. 4. By decree of Theophilus in 391. or 4. The Muslim invasion in 642.
Today, a modern world class library has been constructed with the help of UNESCO and many many countries. It appears that the library in Alexandria is regaining its status and lure to many visitors.
Imagine a city with such a history. One could hardly dig a hole or plant a garden here without stumbling upon some historic artifact. The area is known to have had some major earth slips over the centuries and interesting finds have been discovered and recovered just off shore in the vicinity. Such is the reason for suggestions about a 'Lost city of Atlantis' no doubt, wherever it may be located.
On the site of the old Lighthouse, known as 'The Pharos' is a most magnificient Muslim fort, Quaitbey, which used some of the ruins from that lighthouse in it's construction. The Fort is in beautiful condition, we and several hundred unruly Egyptian school children explored it yesterday. The kids were fine outside, but once inside seemed to turn into a band of marauding Muslims. Not too well behaved inside a fortress I am sorry to report. All of them wanting to practice their English on us.
kind of startled to read that Alexander the Great died at the age of 25 - considering he conquered most the known world, he must have started when he was a teenager --- TODAY if our teenage son expressed interest in conquering most of the known world or even a neighbouring village, we'd put him in Alternative Ed. or anger management councelling ... I guess that would fall under 'stifling entrepeneurship'.
ReplyDeleteThe architecture looks very exotic and beautiful -- the pictures are wonderful.