HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO ALEXANDRIA?
My first visit to Alexandria was in the 90s. I wanted to explore the producers in the vast Egyptian market, where I found it hard to compete with their prices, and even consider starting my own production there. You might remember I wrote about this after the last Ramadan Bayram. On the first day of Bayram, after celebrating with my family at the mosque, visiting the cemetery, and spending time at home with the elders, I set off to spend the rest of the week exploring Egypt. Starting in Alexandria in the north, I traveled along the Nile River with the local team, visiting both traditional and modern sales points in small towns all the way to Cairo and Aswan. It was a rewarding experience, thank God. Meanwhile, the celebrations continued online and on social media. As we traveled up the Nile, heading south, our journey was enriched by various culinary, cultural, and archaeological stops. I will share more about this journey in three parts. Looking through my notes, I realized I’ve already written three separate articles about Egypt before. The links are provided below. We have production facilities in Cairo and a distribution network across the country. We are the market leader in our category, thank God.
Our journey in Egypt began in the north, in Alexandria. As the third-largest city in Egypt after Cairo and Giza, hosting the mythical Alexandria Library and the legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Alexandria was once considered the world’s foremost cultural center. Since the old lighthouse had already been destroyed by an earthquake with no signs of its presence, we went near the new, but simply featureless, lighthouse, unable to get closer due to the congested road. What was more disappointing was missing out on seeing the library, as it was during a holiday period.
As you all know, I have a keen interest in the history of the places I “goya”. Let me tell you a bit about it…
Alexandria was founded in 332 BC by Alexander the Great, with the aim of establishing a Greek cultural center in Egypt, according to the plan prepared by the Rhodian architect Dinocrates.
During the Roman era, in 47 BC, Julius Caesar narrowly escaped death while attempting to occupy Alexandria.
Octavian, in 30 BC, conquered the city and made it his private property, placing it under the administration of a governor holding the title of Prefect of Alexandria and Egypt.
Saint Mark is said to have accepted Christianity in Alexandria in AD 45. Christianity encountered fervent supporters and adversaries in the city starting from the 2nd century.
Alexandria fell into the hands of the Persians in 616, but it was recaptured by the Byzantines in 629. While the Arabs first landed in Alexandria in 642, their second arrival in 645-646 caused significant damage to the city.
Between 811 and 827, the city fell into the hands of the Spaniards, but later it was saved when adventurous Spaniards preferred the island of Crete. Alexandria was attacked by Sicilian Normans in 1155 and 1173, by Amauri of Jerusalem in 1166, and by the King of Cyprus in 1365. As Venice’s warehouse, the city became the most important center for spice distribution to Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries.
In 1516, following its conquest and incorporation into Ottoman territory during Yavuz Sultan Selim’s campaign to Egypt, the city deployed substantial artillery to guard against possible assaults from Venetian ships.
In the late 18th century, it was occupied by French forces under Napoleon’s command (1798). The city, besieged by Serdar-ı Ekrem Kör Yusuf Ziyaüddin Pasha, was recaptured from the French in 1801.
The revival of Alexandria began during the reign of Khedive Mehmed Ali Pasha (1805-1848). The city, which was occupied by Britain in 1807, was recaptured by Mehmed Ali Pasha in September of the same year. During this period, it became the administrative center of Egypt.
During the Arabi Pasha Revolt aimed at Egypt’s independence, the city was bombarded by the British navy and suffered great destruction on July 11, 1882. Egypt was completely placed under British control, and the British colonial administration endured for five decades.
During World War I, as the Allies’ main base in the Eastern Mediterranean, the city was bombed several times by the Germans during World War II. The closure of the Suez Canal and the bombing of Port Said by Israel between 1967 and 1975 redirected port traffic to Alexandria, leading to an extreme increase in its population.
In the 1970s, initiatives to upgrade and enlarge the port were initiated. The discovery of natural gas reserves in Abu Qir Bay and the establishment of pipelines transporting oil from the Red Sea transformed the city into a major center for petroleum exports, resulting in numerous oil refineries and petrochemical complexes. Alexandria now boasts a population of 5.5 million.
The coastline we were visiting reminded me of İzmir’s Kordon. The 8-10 story buildings on the right look neglected and unpainted. According to our guide Dalya, the reason for this is the frequent occurrence of sandstorms. She explained that despite the days-long sandstorms, everyone manages to continue with their lives, but buildings endure damage like this. As if the heavy human and vehicle traffic on the city streets during the holiday were not enough, the traffic had a “heart-stopping” kind of order to it.
Vehicles were coming face-to-face in traffic, then everyone found their own way. Surprisingly, in a harmonious chaos without shouting or yelling, traffic flowed. Anyway, we left the city before getting accustomed to it.
Our group first visited Montazah Palace and its gardens. This palace was built in 1892 by the Egyptian Khedive Abbas Hilmi Pasha. Later, in 1932, King Fuad oversaw its expansion and the addition of more gardens. The palace was later renovated by Anwar Sadat and occupied by President Hosni Mubarak, and currently, it is made available for use on special occasions by President Sisi.
Our group’s next stop was the Kom El Deka Amphitheatre in Alexandria dating back to the Roman era. Established between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD as a place for baths, classrooms, and theater, it is also known as the Hill of the Benches.
We have many amphitheaters like this in Turkey as well, you know. Therefore, I think this place receives less attention from tourists coming from Turkey. There isn’t even a proper Turkish explanation on the internet. However, when you visit with a guide, you learn about the function of the baths, and how the classrooms were used, and it can be quite interesting.
Our next stop was the Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque. Famous as Alexandria’s oldest and most exquisite mosque, it was constructed in 1775 atop the tomb of Abu El Abbas El Mursi (1219-1286), a Sufi scholar from Al-Andalus in the 13th century. It is situated on Mosque Square, named for the five surrounding mosques.
Built in 1775, the mosque is considered one of Egypt’s unique architectural masterpieces with its domes and minaret. Inside, the dome’s impressive appearance stands out. I spent some time sitting in the mosque, observing people performing salah, others praying at the tomb, and both local and foreign visitors. Some were gazing in awe at the mosque’s intricate decorations.
Just as I was about to leave, I noticed a cabinet with a sign that read “Free Religious Books, Especially for Foreign Tourists.” This time, it was my turn to be amazed as I browsed through the books. It was an interesting form of outreach; one we could learn from.
We also visited the tomb adjacent to the mosque.
Due to the holiday, a fair had been set up on the right side of the mosque. I spent some time observing the children of Alexandria celebrating with their parents, which nostalgically reminded me of the festive sites in Istanbul during my childhood holidays. Everyone appeared quite content.
Our lunch, which we had slightly late, took place at Branzino, a restaurant elegantly perched over the sea. The assorted mezze dishes served beforehand were delightful, and the sea bream I selected was exquisitely cooked and flavorful.
Following our lunch, we had an unexpected encounter. In Alexandria with surprisingly complex traffic rules, the traffic police had clamped the minibus we were touring in, presumably for parking in the wrong spot. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as we took a short stroll along the waterfront while they dealt with the vehicle.
We stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel, located by the sea in Alexandria. The architecture and decor of the hotel were impressive.
It even has its own private beach, making it a preferred choice for those seeking a seaside vacation. The hotel manager was Turkish, eagerly chatting with us, enjoying the chance to speak the native language.
The hotel had upgraded my room, which I was captivated by its blue onyx marble and golden mosaics.
Of course, I also had my market goya:
I usually have short stays, and this was no exception, so we set off once again. In my next post, we will be in Cairo!
This interview was originally published on June 17, 2024.
Note: This article, which is open sourced, can be cited by mentioning the author. Copyright not required.
