Alexandria

                                    

 Alexandria is the second capital of Egypt and was its ancient capital. It is the capital of Alexandria Governorate and its largest city. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, about 55 km northwest of the Nile Delta, with an area of 2,523 km². It is bordered to the north by the Mediterranean Sea, to the south by Beheira Governorate and Lake Mariout up to kilometer 71 on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, to the east by Beheira Governorate and Abu Qir Bay, and to the west by Borg El Arab Center up to kilometer 36.30 on the International Coastal Road.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

  Alexandria has many distinctive landmarks. It is home to Egypt's largest seaport, the Port of Alexandria, through which approximately 60% of Egypt's total imports and exports pass. It also includes the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which contains more than eight million books and receives approximately 1.5 million visitors annually. It also includes many museums, such as the Alexandria National Museum and the Greco-Roman Museum, and archaeological sites such as the Qaitbay Citadel and Pompey's Pillar. The population of Alexandria on July 1, 2017, was approximately 5,039,975 people, whose residents work in various economic activities. Alexandria is divided into nine administrative districts: Montazah First District, Montazah Second District, East District, Central District, West District, Customs District, Ajami District, Amriya First District, and Amriya Second District. The construction of Alexandria began by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, by filling in a section of water separating an island off the main coast called Pharos, which had an ancient port, and a small village called Ractus or Raqouda, surrounded by other small villages spread between the sea and Lake Mariout. Alexander the Great and his successors made it the capital of Egypt for nearly a thousand years, until the Islamic conquest of Egypt by Amr ibn al-As in 641. Alexandria has been famous throughout history for many landmarks, such as the ancient Library of Alexandria, which contained more than 700,000 volumes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World due to its enormous height of about 120 meters. This lighthouse remained standing until it was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in 1307. Some historians believe that Alexander the Great chose Alexandria as the capital of his state, following the guidance of his spiritual teacher Homer in the epic Odyssey, where he went Telemachus, son of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, came to Menelaus, king of Sparta, asking him if he knew anything about the fate of his missing father. Menelaus told of the horrors of war, the courage of the king of Ithaca, and his lost army. After their armies were exhausted by fatigue, they reached the shores of Egypt, at the island of Pharos. There, as the king of Sparta said, “We could have been quenched by the waters of this land, beneath which rivers flow.