The city of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great circa 331 BCE. It has a vast history of scholars in the arts and social sciences as well as in math and physical sciences. Anytime a person uses grammar, geography or a Western-style atlas or map, a debt is owed to the city of Alexandria [1]. From the time of its founding until current times, Alexandria has not just been an important city in Egypt, but rather an important city in all of the Middle East and North Africa.

Ibn Battuta arrived in Alexandria around April 1, 1326. He found a beautiful city, and an immense fortress. He says, “She is a unique pearl of glowing opalescence, and a secluded maiden arrayed in her bridal adornments…” One of the more marvelous places Ibn Battuta visited while in Alexandria was the Lighthouse of Alexandria (also known as Pharos). The Lighthouse was already in ruins when Ibn Battuta first visits it, but an earthquake in the middle of the century made one of the wonders of the ancient world collapse. Ibn Battuta states in his Rihla that when he returned to Alexandria after traveling the world the Lighthouse was in ruins. The Lighthouse contained an expansive library and directed sailors to a safe-haven. Currently, it is still a tourist attraction to see the fort that was built there and to also see the ruins in the water. Also while in Alexandria, Ibn Battuta met a mystical Sheikh that told him he would travel to India, Sind, and China and meet his (the Sheikh’s) brothers there. Ibn Battuta says that this stayed in his mind until he could reach these places and meet the siblings of the Sheikh.

Currently, Alexandria is the second most populated city in Egypt after Cairo. Due to its beauty and history, Alexandria attracts many tourists every year. Alexandria also receives most of Egypt’s imports from the west and the east.

 

Sources:

[1] Rodenbeck, John. “Literary Alexandria.” The Massachusetts Review. 42. no. 4 (2001).