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The second largest city in Egypt, Alexandria has an atmosphere that
is more Mediterranean than Middle Eastern; its ambiance and cultural
heritage distance it from the rest of the country although it is only
225 km. from Cairo.
Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC,
Alexandria became the capital of Graco-Roman Egypt; its status as a
beacon of culture is symbolized by Pharos, the legendry lighthouse that
was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The setting for the stormy relationship between Cleopatra and Mark
Antony, Alexandria was also the center of learning in the ancient world,
but ancient Alexandria declined, and when Napoleon landed he found a
sparsely populated fishing village.
Since the 19th century Alexandria has played a new role, as a focus
for Egypt's commercial and maritime expansion. This Alexandria has been
immortalized by writers such as E.M. Forster and Cavafy.
Generations of
immigrants from Greece, Italy and the Levant settled here and made the
city synonymous with commerce, cosmopolitanism and bohemian culture;
Lawrence Durrell described it as " The capital city of Asiatic Europe,
if such a thing could exist".
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