69. Alexandra

Arrival. Most of the steamers are berthed at the quay in the inner harbour (otherwise the fare to or from the steamer is 2 pias., at night 3 pias., each trunk 1 pias.). After the formalities of the sanitary authorities are concluded, the care of heavier baggage is entrusted to one of the Arabian hotel porters, or to Cook’s agents (p. ), who wear an official cap or badge. The inclusive charge to the hotel or to the railway-station is 15–20 pias., which through-passengers to Cairo may sometimes pay in advance at one of the tourist agencies before starting on their journey. The custom-house examination is usually lenient.

Railway Station. Gare du Caire or Bab el-Guedid (Pl. G, 5; buffet), near the old Porte Moharrem Bey.

Hotels (English style). Savoy Palace (Pl. g; H, 4), Rue de la Porte de Rosette 35, R. 40–70,. B. 10, déj. 20, D. 30, pens. 80, omn. 5 pias.; Metropole Hotel (Pl. k; F, G, 3), Rue Avéroff, near the E. harbour, R. 20–30, B. 6, déj. 15, D. 20, pens. 40–60, omn. 5 pias., well spoken of; Excelsior Hotel (Pl. a; H, 4), Rue de la Porte de Rosette 15; Grand-Hôtel (Pl. b; F, 4), Square Ste. Catherine, R. from 25, B. 6, déj. or D. 20, pens. 60–80, omn. 5 pias.; Windsor Hotel (Pl. d; G, 3), Rue Avéroff 7, near the E. harbour, R. from 17, déj. 15, D. 20, pens. from 50 pias.; Hôt. Bristol (Pl. i; G, 4), Rue de la Gare de Ramleh; Hôt. des Voyageurs (Pl. f; F, 4), Rue de l’Eglise Ecossaise 4, pens. 11 fr.; Hôt. Bonnard (Pl. e; F, 3), Rue Champollion 7, pens. from 42 pias.—Hôtels Garnis. Hôt. du Nil (Pl. h: F, 3), Rue de l’Ancienne Bourse 11; Hôt. Continental (Pl. c; F, 4), Rue de France 2.

Cafés (cup of Arabian coffee 1 pias.). Several in Place Méhémet Ali (Pl. F, 4), etc.—Confectioners. Confiserie Albengo, Rue Chérif Pacha 17; Groppi, same street, No. 33; Zola, Rue Toussoun Pacha 3; Sault, Rue Chérif Pacha 26.

Restaurants. Ristorante Firenze, Rue de la Poste 14 (Pl. F, 3, 4); Restaurant Universel, Rue de l’Ancienne Bourse 9 (Pl. F, 4); same street, Nos. 3 and 6, Old Bourse Bar and Spathis; Castelli, Rue Chérif Pacha 1.

Tramways (see Plan), all diverging from Place Méhémet Ali. Uniform fare, 1st cl. 10, 2nd cl. 5 mill., with right to one change of car.—Electric line to Ramleh (p. ) every 5 min. till midnight (dep., see Pl. G, 3).—There are in addition several services of Motor Omnibuses plying within the town and to the suburbs.

Cabs (Arabic arabîyeh). In the town, drive of 10 min. 2 pias., with two horses 3 pias.; 20 min. 2½ or 4 pias.; ½ hr. 3 or 5 pias.; hr. 6 or 9 pias.; each addit. ¼ hr. 1½ or 2 pias.; from steamer to railway-station 3 or 5 pias. (See tariff in vehicle as to suburbs). The aid of a friend who speaks the language is desirable in bargaining for long drives.

Post Office (Pl. F, 3), open 7–12 and 2 to 9.30. Postage, see p. . France has its own post-office, Rue de la Gare de Ramleh 2.—Telegraph Offices. Egyptian, Rue Tewfik Premier 1; British, Rue du Télégraphe Anglais 5 (Pl. F, 4).

Consulates. British (Pl. 6; H, 3), Rue de l’Hôpital Egyptien: consul-general, D. E. Cameron; vice-consul, E. H. Mulock.—United States, Rue Chérif Pacha 21; consul, D. R. Birch; vice-consul, F. L. Romeo.

Tourist Agents. Thos. Cook & Son, Rue de la Porte de Rosette 2; Clark, Grand-Hôtel; Hamburg-American, Square Ste. Catherine (Pl. F, 4); F. Th. Fotiades & Co., Rue Chérif Pacha 22.

Physicians. Dr. Morrison, Place Méhémet Ali; Dr. Webb Jones, Rue de Stamboul; Dr. Elkins (Government Hospital); Dr. Forster (lady-doctor); Dr. Hoddad, Rue de la Gare de Ramleh 29.

Steamboat Offices. Peninsular & Oriental, Rue Avéroff (Haselden & Co.; ‘Box 153’); Messageries Maritimes (RR. 67, 72), Ricard, Rue de l’Eglise Debbane 5; Austrian Lloyd (RR. 68, 72), Rue de la Porte de Rosette; Società Nazionale (RR. 67, 68, 72), Capt. Baldovino, Rue Sésostris 12; Khedivial Mail Steamship Co. (RR. 72, 75, 76), Rue Centrale; North German Lloyd (R. 67) and Rumanian Mail (R. 76), Müller & Co., Rue Sésostris 16; German Levant Line (R. 72), Stross, No. 11, same street; White Star, Ross & Co., Rue de la Marine; Russian Steam Navigation & Trading Co. (RR. 72, 75, 76), Reidemeister, Rue St. Marc 1.

Banks (usually 9–12 and 3–5). Ottoman, Place Méhémet Ali 5 (Pl. F, 4); National Bank of Egypt, Rue Toussoun Pacha 4 (Pl. G, 4); Anglo-Egyptian, Rue Chérif Pacha 7; Crédit Lyonnais, same street, No. 4; Bank of Egypt, Rue Tewfik 4; Deutsche Orientbank (Pl. F, 4), Rue Adib 4.

Photographs. Reiser & Binder, Rue de l’Ancienne Bourse 6 (also art-dealers); Lassave, Rue de l’Eglise Debbane 7; Fettel & Bernard, Rue Toussoun Pacha 1. Photographical requisites at Delmar’s, Rue Tewfik Premier.

Theatres. Zizinia (Pl. G, 4), Rue de la Porte de Rosette, often closed; French and Italian operas, alternating after 1st Jan. with Cairo.—Variety Theatres (all with gardens): Alhambra (Pl. G, 4); Nuovo Teatro Alhambra, cor. of Rue Misalla and Rue de la Gare de Ramleh (Pl. G, 3).—Jardin Rosette, Rue de la Porte Rosette (Pl. H, 4).

Churches. English (St. Mark’s; ‘Egl. anglicane’; Pl. F, 4), Place Méhémet Ali; chaplain, Ven. Archdeacon Ward, M. A.; services on Sun. at 8, 11, and 6.15 o’clock.—Presbyterian (St. Andrew’s; Pl. 1, F, 3, 4), Rue de l’Eglise Ecossaise; service on Sun. at 10.30 a.m.—American Mission (‘Egl. améric.’; Pl. G, 4), Rue Sidi el-Metwalli.

One Day, when time is limited. Forenoon, Place Méhémet Ali (p. ), the Arab and Turkish Quarters (p. ); tramway or cab to Pompey’s Pillar (p. ); *Catacombs of Kôm esh-Shukâfa (p. ). Afternoon, Rue Chérif Pacha (p. ) and Museum (p. ). A ‘billet cumulatif’ obtained at the Museum (8 pias.) admits also to Pompey’s Pillar and the Catacombs.

Alexandria, called by the Arabs and Turks Iskanderîeh, the second town of Egypt, strongly fortified, and one of the most important trading places on the Mediterranean, lies in 31° 11′ N. lat. and 29° 53′ E. long., at the W. end of the Nile Delta (p. ), on a strip of land separating Lake Mareotis from the sea. The population is about 377,000, incl. 48,000 Europeans (‘Franks’), chiefly Greeks and Italians, but many French and Austrians and a lesser number of English and Germans. The Moslems live mostly in the N. and W. quarters (comp. p. ), the Europeans chiefly in the E. quarter or in Ramleh (p. ).

Alexandria was founded in 331 B. C. by Alexander the Great, who endeavoured to blend the land of the Pharaohs with his new Greek empire. His Egyptian governor and successor, Ptolemy I. Soter (323–286), made Alexandria a centre of art and science. He founded the Museum, an institute for the promotion of science and poetry, to which the famous Alexandrine library was attached. The highly advantageous position of the town, which was connected, through Lake Mareotis, with the Nile by several navigable channels, and whose harbour (unlike the other older seaports at the mouth of the Nile) was protected by marine currents from being silted up, led to the surprisingly rapid development of its trade and prosperity under the Ptolemies. Alexandria had attained its zenith when, in 48 B. C., the Romans intervened in the quarrels between Cleopatra and her husband Ptolemy XIV. Both Caesar, who entered Alexandria in triumph after the murder of Pompey at Pelusium, and Antony were ensnared by Cleopatra. After the defeat of Antony’s partisans Augustus founded the large E. suburb of Nicopolis. When at its prime the city is said to have had a population of half-a-million inhabitants. The Greek element predominated, after which came the Egyptian, while a Jewish community had existed here ever since the time of Ptolemy I. Christianity also took root in Alexandria at an early period, having been first proclaimed here, according to tradition, by St. Mark the Evangelist.

In the time of Trajan (96–117) the revolt of the Jews, who then composed one-third of the population, gave rise to terrible bloodshed and disaster. A century later the emperor Caracalla (211–7) paid a fateful visit to the city, and, to punish the citizens for their contumacy, ordered many of them to be massacred and the famous academy to be closed. The city suffered even more severely from the persecution of the Christians under Decius (250) and Valerian (257), from the plague in the reign of Gallienus, and from its battles with the Palmyrenes (260–8). Having become, like Carthage, a stronghold of Christian erudition, Alexandria afterwards became the chief scene of the embittered controversies between Arius (d. 336), a presbyter of the city, and the ‘orthodox’ bishops Alexander and Athanasius (328–78). Even after the victory of the Athanasians at the councils of Nicæa (325) and Constantinople (381) the Arian heresy, which admitted the divine nature of Christ but denied his identity with the Father, subsisted for centuries among the Germanic tribes.

Under Theodosius I. (379–95) paganism received its death-blow, when the patriarch Theophilus waged war against all heathen temples and monuments. But the material prosperity of the city declined at the same time. The citizens were no longer able to pay for the cleansing of the Nile and the maintenance of the canals, and they were further impoverished when the patriarch Cyril banished the Jews. In 619 the Persian Chosroes made Alexandria his base for the conquest of Egypt. The country was next overrun by the hordes of caliph Omar, whose general Amr ibn el-Âsî captured Alexandria in 641. Its importance now declined still further in the same proportion as Cairo, the new capital of the conquerors, rose to wealth and importance. In 1303 and 1326 a great part of the city, with the Pharus (p. ), was destroyed by earthquakes. Lastly, the discovery of America and of the sea-route to India completed the ruin of its trade.

About the year 1800 the population of Alexandria had dwindled to about 5000, but Mohammed Ali (p. ) wisely laid the foundations of a new era of prosperity. He improved the harbours and constructed canals. His great work was the Mahmûdîyeh Canal (p. ), begun in 1819, which fertilized anew the environs of the city and again connected it with the interior of Egypt, which had long been obliged to export its produce by way of Damietta and Rosetta. Subsequent rulers also were zealous for the welfare of Alexandria. During the revolt of the national party under Arâbi Bey (1882) Alexandria was bombarded by the British fleet and the European quarter was burned down, but since then the city has resumed its steady and vigorous career of progress.

The old town of to-day lies partly on the Heptastadion, the embankment ‘seven stadia’ (about 1430 yds.) in length, which ever since the time of the Ptolemies has connected the mainland with the island of Pharos, but which in the course of centuries has been greatly widened. At the E. extremity of the island, now peninsula, rises the picturesque Fort Kâït Bey (Pl. D, E, 1), on the site of the famous ‘Pharus’, a lighthouse erected under Ptolemy II. Philadelphus by Sostratus of Cnidos, in 280–279; it was originally 400 ells (590 ft.) in height, and was deemed one of the seven wonders of the world; it is supposed to have been the prototype of the Egyptian minaret (comp. p. ). The main or ‘great’ harbour of that period, protected by a huge embankment, is now the Port Est, the new quays of which afford a pleasant seaside walk and are being completed as a fashionable boulevard.

The Port Ouest, the ancient Eunostos (‘haven of happy return’), was little used till the later Roman age. Improved since 1871 it now consists of an inner basin of 475 acres, and a new outer harbour of 1750 acres (p. ). From the beginning of the Gabbari Mole extend quays with warehouses along the E. side of this harbour to the Naval Arsenal (Pl. C, D, 3). Of the 2000 steamers entering the port annually more than half are under the British flag. The inner harbour is connected with the Mahmûdîyeh Canal (p. ) by means of locks. The chief exports are cotton, cotton-seed, grain, beans, rice, sugar, onions, and tomatoes.

The Rue de la Marine (Pl. E, D, 5, 4; tramways, see p. ) and its continuation the Rue Moutouch Pacha (Pl. D, 4, 3) form one of the chief approaches to the peninsula of Pharos (see above). Between the viceregal Palace of Râs et-Tîn (Pl. A, B, 3) and the Port Est lies the Turkish Quarter, with its pretty houses and a few gardens.

The Rue Râs et-Tîn, the main street of the N. quarters, leads past the Government Buildings (Pl. D, E, 3), to the S.E., to the Arab Quarter, lying on the ancient Heptastadion (see above) and containing several Sûks or markets, which present an interesting picture of Oriental life.

The Rue de France (Pl. E, F, 3, 4), the S.E. prolongation of the Rue Râs et-Tîn, leads to the Place Méhémet Ali (Pl. F, 4), the focus of European life, planted with trees and adorned with a Statue of Mohammed Ali (p. ) on horseback. The chief buildings here are the Palais de Justice, the Bourse, and the English Church. The last is adjoined by St. Mark’s Building, belonging to the British community and used as a school and for official purposes. From the W. harbour the Place Méhémet Ali is reached by the Rue Bab el-Karasta (Pl. E, 5) and Rue Anastasi (Pl. E, F, 5, 4), skirting the lofty Fort Cafarelli or Napoléon (Pl. E, 5; signalling station).

A few paces to the S. of the Place Méhémet Ali lies the triangular Square Ste. Catherine (Pl. F, 4), named after the Catholic Church of St. Catharine. From this point we walk (or take a car or motor-omnibus, see p. ) to the S.E. through the Rue Abou Dardah (Pl. F, 4, 5) and Rue de la Colonne Pompée (Pl. F, G, 6, 7), past the Sidi Amr Mosque (Pl. G, 6) and a large Cimetière Arabe (Pl. F, 6, 7), to a bare hill, on the right, covered with débris.

Here in the time of the Ptolemies rose the Serapeum, the most superb temple in the city, dedicated to Serapis, god of the lower regions. On the same site now stands Pompey’s Pillar (Pl. F, G, 7; adm. 3 pias.; see also p. ), the grandest memorial of antiquity in the city. We ascend by steps to the plateau. All around are traces of recent excavations, chiefly bringing to light relics of Roman edifices. The column, composed of red granite from Assuan, is 88 ft. high including the mutilated base. It is perhaps a Christian monument of victory, dating from the time of Emp. Theodosius I. (p. ), signalizing the destruction of the Serapeum (391). In the middle ages it was supposed to be the tomb of Pompey.

We follow the Rue Karmouss (Pl. G, 7, 8), which leads hence to the S. to the Mahmûdîyeh Canal, and diverging to the right viâ the Rue Bab el-Melouk, we pass a small mosque and reach (10 min.) the entrance (Pl. ‘E.’; F, 8) to the—

*Catacombs of Kôm esh-Shukâfa (Pl. F, 8; ‘hill of potsherds’), an Egyptian burial-place of the 2nd cent. A.D., hewn in the rock. Adm. from 8 a.m. till dusk (5 pias.; see also p. ).

The tombs, discovered in 1900, consist of several stories and afford an excellent example of the characteristic Alexandrine blend of the Egyptian with the Græco-Roman style. They probably belonged to some Egyptian magnate. Around the principal chambers are plainer vaults for the domestics of the family. Modern stairs ascend to the restored entrance on the hill-top. The interior is rendered accessible by wooden bridges and lighted by electricity, but is partly under water.

A spiral staircase, lighted by a large round shaft, descends near a sarcophagus-chamber of later date to two stories. From the entrance to the upper story we enter a rotunda covered with a kind of dome. On the right are two smaller vaults with niches, sarcophagi, and shelf-tombs (loculi). On the left is a large chamber, the Triclinium Funebre, used for funeral banquets.

The stairs divide farther down, affording a survey of the principal chambers, and lead round the entrance to the *Tomb Chapel on the lowest floor, with three niches for sarcophagi. Round the chapel runs a gallery, accessible from the vestibule, with 91 shelf-tombs.

An important thoroughfare, leading to the N.E. from the Rue Abou Dardah (p. ), is the Rue Sidi el-Metwalli (Pl. F, G, 5, 4), with its continuation the Rue de la Porte de Rosette (Pl. F-I, 4, 3). These streets unite at the end of the busy Rue Chérif Pacha (Pl. F, G, 4), a street of shops, coming from the Place Méhémet Ali (p. ). This thoroughfare corresponds with the E. half of the Dromos, the main street of the ancient city, which ended at the Canopic Gate, the site of the now removed Porte de Rosette. In the Rue du Musée, a N. side-street, is the—

*Museum (Pl. H, 3), a building in the Greek style, which contains an extensive collection of Græco-Roman antiquities, mostly Alexandrine, found in catacombs and tombs. Adm. daily, 9–12 and 3 to 5.30, 2 pias. (see also p. ; closed on Thurs. in summer).

From the ante-room we see the statue of Hercules in the transverse gallery between the main wings of the building (see below). The side-room contains a topographical collection. Room I (on the right). Christian antiquities, including tombstones and some of the terracotta flasks in which pilgrims brought holy oil from the tomb of St. Menas (d. 296) at Mariut.—Rooms II-V. Alexandrian coins, stamps from Greek amphoræ, etc.

Room VI. Inscriptions and tombstones. On the right, Ptolemaic *Tombstones (Nos. 83, 97, etc.), resembling those of Attica in the 4th cent. B.C.—Rooms VII-IX. Egyptian antiquities. (In Room VIII, No. 380. Fine bas-relief with a man, a harper, and singing-women.)

Rooms X & XI. Egyptian monuments and smaller sculptures. (In R. XI, No. 3704. Portrait-head in black basalt.)—Rooms XII & XIII. Portrait-busts and sculptures. (In R. XII, Case B, admirable small busts of Alexander; *66. Marble Head of Hercules or, according to others, of Zeus.)

Rooms XIV & XV. Architectural fragments. (In R. XV, No. 3, painted capitals from palaces of the Ptolemies.)—Room XVI. Sculptures.

Rooms XVII & XVIII. Small objects of art. In R. XVII glass; mummies with portraits of the deceased painted on wood (2nd cent. A.D.). In R. XVIII small clay figures of the Ptolemaic and Roman periods; among the former, *Figures of girls in the style of the Tanagra figurines.

Room XIX. A mosaic and cinerary urns from Shatbi.—Room XX. Tomb accessories.—Room XXI. Objects from tombs, including elegant bronze wreaths; terracotta figures.—Room XXII. Architectural fragments; mosaics from Canopus.

In the gallery crossing the garden is a colossal figure of Hercules.

From the Museum the Rue du Musée to the N.W., the broad Rue d’Allemagne to the left, and the Rue Missala to the right soon lead to the old Ramleh Railway Station, now used for the electric line (see p. ) to Ramleh (i. e. ‘sand’), a villa suburb and sea-bathing place, inhabited in summer by wealthy Alexandrians and Cairenes. At San Stefano, the terminus, is the Hôtel Casino San Stefano, with a theatre and concert-rooms (adm. 5 pias.).

From Alexandria to Cairo, see R. 71.