The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism has inaugurated a new equipped visitor centre at the iconic Qaitbay Citadel, a 15th - century fortress in Alexandria, the second largest city in Egypt and the largest centre on the Mediterranean coast located at the western edge of the Nile River Delta, a city with a rich cultural and historical heritage founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great that became a major centre of Hellenic civilisation, eventually replacing Memphis, in present - day Greater Cairo.
This initiative enhances visitors' experience at one of Egypt's most iconic landmark, a 15th century defensive fortress built from 1477 and 1479 AD by the Mamluk Sultan Al - Ashraf Sayf al - Din Qa'it Bay, situated on the eastern side of the northern tip of Pharos Island at the mouth of the Eastern Harbour, erected on the site of the former Lighthouse of Alexandria which was one of the Seven Wonders orf the Ancient World.
The new Visitor Centre, housed within one of the citadel's main tower halls, was developed in collaboration with the French Centre for Alexandrian Studies, an initiative that comes part of a broader objective to raise the standard of visitor services across museums and archaeological sites nationwide, ensuring the guests enjoy not only Egypt's distinguished monuments but also a high - quality and informative experience.
The Visitor Centre in the Citadel focuses particularly on the ancient Eastern Harbour and the site of the fabled Lighthouse of Alexandria, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a site were key elements of the royal quarter of the city were established and today serving as vital touchstones in Alexandria's maritime and architectural legacy.
The Visitor Centres also traces the evolution of Alexandria' s defensive architecture from the medieval period to the 19th century highlighting the historical significance of Qaitbay Citadel and the extensive fortifications commissioned by Muhammad Ali Pasha, Ottoman viceroy and governor who became the facto ruler of Egypt from 1805 to 1848 along Egypt's northern coast.
The centre's exhibition features nine bilingual information panels in Arabic and English, accompanied by detailed maps and diagrams that provide visitors with ann engaging narrative of the region's architectural and historical development.
A dedicated screening area shows a short documentary film on the ancient lighthouse, while comfortable seating areas invite guests to pause and reflect during their visit.
The Secretary - General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Ismail Khaled said that this centre is a vital step in reimagining how the public connects with Egypt's layered with Egyptian history, especially in Alexandria, one of the most storied cities of the ancient and modern world.
The Secretary - General also highlighted the project's strategic importance within the Ministry's ongoing efforts to promote site interpretation and cultural communication with a new facility that offers visitors a deeper understanding of the rich historical context of the area surrounding the iconic Qaitbay Citadel.
The Director of Visitor Services at Museums and Archaeological Sites Bassem Ibhaim said that the centre presents curated information about a number of unique archaeological features associated with the site, including the Royal Harbour, the Timonium a structure associated with Marcus Antonius, a Roman politician and general who played an important role in the transformation of the Roman Republic, Antirhodos Island, ancient shipyards and stone quays.
The opening of the Qaitbay Visitor Centre undoubtedly marks another important achievement in the ministry's vision to transform archaeological sites into fully immersive, educational, and accessible destinations.
This relevant initiative also reaffirms Alexandria's place at the heart of Egypt's cultural tourism offerings, inviting local and international visitors to rediscover the glorious history of an emblematic city in the Mediterranean basin with its iconic maritime past and enduring legacy.
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Thanks a lot to read and note.