Alexandria, Egypt

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On we go to our next city! We jump one continent south to visit our first African city, though this isn't really a place you would associate with African culture per say. In fact, this city actually holds a lot of significance for European history, as both Greeks and Romans left impact here that can still be seen today. With that in mind, let's explore this Mediterranean hub and see what it is that makes Alexandria so important.

Alexandria is located in the Northern part of Egypt, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and in one of the largest delta's in the world; the Nile Delta. This delta is very important to Egypt as it has soft soil that is great for farming, which has been used for centuries to sustain life. It is so vital for life that 95% of Egypt's population lives in the delta and along the Nile River, making that area of the world one of the most densely populated ones. It is drastically more populated than the surrounding areas, so you'd be able to make out the delta and river from space at night! Alexandria is at the Western side of the delta, and is the largest city in the delta as well. But it is the second largest in all of Egypt, trailing behind the capital; Cairo.

The delta gives life to the environment and has given life to people for centuries. This historical relevance is a strong identity for the city of Alexandria, as its modern design and lifestyle clashes with ancient structures that made up the city years ago. While Alexandria has been rebuilt today, it once used to be the most important city in Egypt. The city is one of many that were founded by the legendary Macedon king Alexander the Great, but it became the most important one of the "Alexandrias". The Mediterranean coast offered great importance for early empires, and when it was founded by Alexander, it grew to become the Hellenistic center of Egypt under the three-century-long Ptolemaic rule. Alexander the Great actually ended up getting buried in Alexandria, but the location of the tomb has been lost today. When the Roman empire took over the area, a lot of Hellenistic structures were destroyed. The Romans added some of their influence to the area however, using the city's coastal power to make it the second-largest city in the empire. But the city suffered damage again when the Jewish revolts against the Romans saw many monuments get burned down. This abundance of historical architecture has left a cultural impact on the city that tends to culturally distance it from the rest of Egypt.

Unlike the city's architecture and history, the food in Alexandria is strongly Egyptian influenced. The most common food in all of Egypt (so much so, it's the country's national dish) is Koshari, which is made with a blend of rice, lentils, pasta, tomato sauce, fried onions, and chickpeas. You'll be able to find this dish in almost every restaurant you see, but Alexandria's take on the dish varies a bit from the Cairo version, as that uses more pasta while Alexandria prefers more of the rice. This continues a small rivalry the two cities tend to have with each other. If trying crazy new things is your niche though (at least from a North American perspective), you'd want to try out Hamam Mahshi, which is pigeon stuffed with peppers and onions. It's actually very common to see people housing the pigeons in small brick lofts to prepare them for their doom.

I've already mentioned the historical significance this city holds, as Greeks, Romans, and Arabs have all left their marks. Those marks can be seen everywhere you go in Alexandria, including some of the most popular attractions. But even more significant are the ​monuments and structures that are no longer there. One such monument was the Great Lighthouse of Alexandria. This lighthouse was constructed by the Greeks during Ptolemy I's rule and was finished 12 years after construction was started. What makes this lighthouse so important is that it was one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world. It survived through many harsh conditions, but was finally brought down by an earthquake in 1303. It had suffered earthquakes before and was restored, but the remains of it were brought down in 1480 when the then-Sultan of Egypt decided to use the lighthouse's remains to build a medieval fort named after him that still stands today, known as the Citadel of Qaitbay. The lighthouse was the third longest surviving wonder after the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus and the Great Pyramids of Giza.

Another famous landmark of Alexandria that no longer stands today was the Great Library, which was also created by Ptolemy I. This was known as one of the most important ancient libraries in history. It contained several scrolls, but exactly how many cannot be determined. It was said that at its peak, the library contained half a million scrolls, though some historians argue it was as low as 40,000 (though that's still a lot). Unfortunately, the library was destroyed many times, though its destruction is even less known of than the lighthouse. It is claimed that it was badly damaged by Julius Caesar when his army engaged in the siege of Alexandria. The library remained standing as time went by, but more damage was caused by several incidents as attempted revolts and invasions continued to shift who ruled the city. There aren't much specifics known about the destruction of the library though, but it is believed that it finally collapsed around 642 AD during the Muslim conquest of Egypt. In 2002, the Bibliotheca Alexandria was completed as a modern version of the library and stands around where the ancient library stood.

The beauty of Alexandria is best taken in by a stroll through the city. A place that is the best for such a stroll is the Corniche of the city. A corniche is a road located by an edge that rises on one side, and falls on another. This can be along a cliff side, on a mountain, or in this situation, along the seashore with the high-rising buildings on the other side. This corniche was designed in 1870 and is one of the city's largest traffic areas, as it flows along the Mediterranean. The buildings of Alexandria can be admired from one side, while the other provides you with the cool breeze of the sea. The Corniche starts at Citadel of Qaitbay, and stretches a little less than 20 km east, but the really popular area is the one from the same starting point that goes until the area of the modern library. If you truly admire the Mediterranean, or any sea/ocean side, then this is a perfect place for you to soak it all in.

Alexandria is like the Ancient European part of Egypt. I knew that it was named after Alexander the Great, but I had no idea just how much of a historical center this city truly was. Both the Great Lighthouse and the Great Library are very famous wonders that were in this city, but there are so much more ancient sites, both ones that remain standing today and ones that do not. Any history fanatic would have a lot to do here, as there are remains of Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Arabs, and many more historical empires that left their mark here. But while history has left a European feel to the city, there is still a strong Egyptian identity that lingers in the people's culture and traditions. Not to mention that it's always nice to admire such a beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea. With such a strong difference from the other popular Egyptian city; Cairo, it's easy to see why the two have such a strong rivalry, and hopefully this helped shine a light on one of them.