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Alexandria is the main port of Egypt and is considered Egypt's commercial
center with 80% of Egyptian exports and imports passing through Alexandria's harbors.
On the other hand, Alexandria is considered a major tourist city and a great summer
resort. Alexandria's sandy beaches, amazing weather and strategic location have
accredited Alexandria with the title "Pearl of the Mediterranean".
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Major attractions in Alexandria are:
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Bibliotheca Alexandrina: The library is considered a culture complex and
was built to revive the legendary ancient Greek library. With
the rebuilding of the library, Alexandria has regained its former status as a center for learning. The library embraces thousands of books that
could be read inside the library with its beautiful layout.
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The Catacombs of Kom el-Shouqafa: The cemetery was built in the 1st century
and was used until the 4th century. The catacombs represent
the integration of the Egyptian, Roman and Greek cultures through
its unique planning and decoration.
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Qaitbey Fortress: Located at the eastern harbor, the Fort has nothing but
sea in front of it. The fort's site was once the place where
the famous lighthouse of Pharos once stood. It is said that some of the lighthouse's stones were used to build the fort.
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Montazah Complex: It was once the summer residence of the former royal family.
These 370 feddans of gardens and woods overlook a beautiful
beach. The complex also contains several royal palaces and is
a beautiful place to spend the day.
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Graeco-Roman Museum: This museum houses almost 40,000 pieces of rare Greek
and Roman relics. The Museum gives you an idea of the Graeco-Roman
era and the type of life they led centuries ago when they were
in Egypt.
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The Royal Jewelry Museum: The Museum was originally the palace of the princess
Fatma al- Zahraa. Through the palace's rooms and halls you would
find rare paintings, statues and decorations. The museum also
houses a priceless collection of jewels from the Mohamed Ali dynasty.
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Pompey's Pillar and Serapeum: The Pillar was constructed in honor of Emperor
Diocletian. With its 25m height and 9m circumference, the pillar
was originally from the temple of Serapis.
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The Roman Theatre: In perfect condition, the theatre is in the shape of an
oval amphitheatre which seats almost 800 spectators on its marble
seats.
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Caesareum: Cleopatra VII began the construction of this remarkable monument
in Alexandria. After Cleopatra's suicide due to her defeat at
Actium, the Ceasareum was completed by the defeater Octavian
and he dedicated it to his own cult.
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The Anfushi Tombs: Traced back to 250 B.C. these limestone tombs are very
well painted to give the looks of Alabaster and Marble materials.
The tombs include 5 rock-cut tombs that can be reached through
a rock-cut stairway filled with pictures of legendary scenes.
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Underwater Treasures: If you like to dive then don’t miss the opportunity
of seeing an underwater museum. With the discovery of submerged
monuments near the shores of Alexandria, it is now possible to
dive in through the water to see these monuments.
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Wadi el Natrun:
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The Nitrate Valley is the translation of the name of this valley. It is so called
due to the abundance of nitrate mineral in the area. Wadi el Natrun is located midway
between Cairo and Alexandria and lies 23m below sea level in the Western Desert.
Around the valley are several salt lakes which dry up in the summer leaving natural
minerals behind. The valley is famous for the monasteries established there from
the 4th century which makes Egypt's most important Christian monastic center. Monasteries
available there are:
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The Monastery of St. Bishoi: founded by St. Bishoi in 841 A.D the monastery
contains 5 churches and is surrounded by towers that used to
protect the monastery from Berber's attacks. The monastery contains
some belongings of St. Bishoi as well as the relics of other saints.
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The Monastery of St. Macarius: St. Macarius devotion and piety towards his
religion were endless. He withdrew himself from the world and
chose to live in a cave for over 40 years. When he died his monks
turned the cave into a monastery so that people will always remember his story.
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Wadi el Natrun is also famous for bird watching as
several breeds of birds pass
through and rest there in the spring and autumn seasons.
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