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Cairo
Cairo lies in the heart of Egypt and the place
can be traced back a 1000 years. Cairo was
founded on the site of Babylon near the ruins
of ancient Memphis. Cairo demonstrates the
dichotomy of all things Egyptian. In Cairo
one can see the medieval world and the contemporary
western world come together earthen
houses and towering modern office buildings.
Modern Cairo encompasses many former cities
and there monuments: the pyramids of the Pharaohs;
early Christian monasteries and churches;
Salah Al-Dins Citadel; mosques of the Mamluk
and Ottoman Sultans.
The old Medieval quarter are the most densely
populated area of Egypt. Districts like Darb
al-Ahmar are full of tiny alleyways, mud-brick
houses, food hawkers, and goats, camels and
donkeys. The area is full of mosques and temples,
and the air is filled with the pungent smells
of turmeric and cumin, animals and squalor.
Some of Islamic Cairo's highlights include
the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, dating from the 9th
century and the city's oldest intact and fully
functioning Islamic monument; the 15th-century
Mosque of Qaitbey, considered the jewel of
Mamluk architecture; Al-Azhar Mosque, the
keystone of Islam in Egypt; and the Citadel,
an awesome medieval fortress that was the
seat of Egyptian power for 700 years. The
Citadel has three major mosques and several
museums.
Giza
Giza is situated on the west bank of the Nile.
Giza known for its pyramids, that is one of
the seven wonders of the ancient world, and
despite the crowds that visit every year,
they are still a truly overwhelming sight.
These majestic and ancient pyramids have survived
the rise and fall of great dynasties and conquerors,
and share the flat desert surrounds with the
Sphinx and a number of smaller pyramids and
temples.
Luxor
Luxor is one of Egypt's favourite tourist
destinations. The city of Luxor is built on
the site of the ancient city of Thebes.
Many people have been visiting the majestic
monuments of Luxor, Karnak, Hatshepsut and
Ramses III for thousands of years.
Luxor Temple was built by Pharaoh Amenhotep
III (1390-1352 BC), on the site of an older
temple built by Hatshepsut and added to by
Tutankhamun, Ramses II, Nectanebo, Alexander
the Great and various Romans. Excavation work
has been under way since 1885. The main place
of worship in ancient Theban times were the
Temples of Karnak that were spectacular series
of monuments. These temples are divided into
the Amun Temple Enclosure, which is the largest;
the Mut Temple Enclosure on the south side;
and the Montu Temple Enclosure.
When you arrive on the West bank, though the
Valley of the Kings, the first thing most
people see is the lonely statues of the Colossi
of Memnon and the spectacular tombs of Nefertari
and Tutankhamun, are the big attraction. Luxor
is accessible from Cairo by buses or trains
which run every day.
Alexandria
The great Macedonian, better known as, "Alexander
the Great", came to Egypt in 331 BC after
conquering Greece. He found a small fishing
village on the Mediterranean coast to establish
his new capital, Alexandria. The city is oriented
around Midan Ramla and Midan Saad Zaghoul,
the large square that runs down to the waterfront.
Its status as a beacon of culture symbolized
by Pharos, the legendary lighthouse that was
one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Alexandria was also the center of learning
in the ancient world. The Graeco-Roman Museum
contains relics that date back to the 3rd
century BC. There's a magnificent black granite
sculpture of Apis, the sacred bull worshipped
by Egyptians, as well as an assortment of
mummies, sarcophagi, pottery, jewellery and
ancient tapestries.
Pompey's Pillar in Alexandria is a massive
25m (82ft) pink granite monument measuring
9m (30ft) around its girth. The pillar was
constructed in honor of Emperor Diocletian,
in AD 297, and was the only monument left standing
following the violent arrival of the Crusaders
around 1000 years later. Originally from the
temple of the Serapis, it was once a magnificent
structure rivaling the Soma and the Caesareum.
Nearby are subterranean galleries where sacred
Apis bulls were buried, and three sphinxes.
After his defeat by Julius Caesar in the civil
war, Pompey fled to Egypt where he was murdered
in 48 BC.
Port
Said
Port said was founded in 1859 as a harbor
on the Mediterranean coast at the northern
entrance of the Suez Canal. The city is considered
to be a very young city by Egyptian standards.
It was founded by ruler Said Pasha when excavations
began for the Suez Canal. Port Said was bombed
in 1956 during the Suez Crisis, and again
in the 1967 and 1973 wars with Israel; the
damage can still be seen here and there, although
the city was extensively rebuilt.
The economical base of Port Said is fishing
and industries like chemicals, processed food,
and cigarettes. Port Said is also an important
harbour both for exports of Egyptian products
like cotton and rice, but also a fuelling
station for ships that pass through the Suez
Canal. Port Said also thrives on being a duty-free
port, as well as a summer resort for Egyptians.
Port Said, is an unusual destination for Egypt
with turn-of-the-century colonial architecture
and several good museums and gardens.
Aswan
Aswan, Egypt's southernmost city, located
about 81 miles south of Luxor, has a distinctively
African atmosphere and has long been the country's
gateway to Africa. In olden times its Egyptian
name was Syene. The prosperous market city
straddles the crossroads of the ancient caravan
routes, at the 'other' end of the Nile not
far above the Tropic of Cancer. In Aswan the
Nile is at its most beautiful, flowing through
amber desert and granite rocks, round emerald
islands covered in palm groves and tropical
plants.
The main town and temple area of Syene were
located on Elephantine Island in the middle
of Nile. The temples and ruins here are not
nearly as well preserved and impressive as
those elsewhere in the country, but there
are other good reasons to visit. There are
the Tombs of the Nobles and a highlight
is the Nubian Museum, showcasing history,
art and Nubian culture from the prehistoric
to the present.
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