The Harbours of Alexandria

From antiquity until today

Alexandria throughout its history has been intimately tied to water, be it the Mediterranean, Lake Mariout or the canal connecting to the Nile. From Taposiris Magna to the mouth of the Nile’s Canopic and Rosetta branches, Alexandria’s complex of harbours has provided a link with Mediterranean markets. It also opened up the rest of Egypt and further afield, acting as a bridge between East and West.
Ancient megalopolis, medieval frontier city, port of the Ottoman Empire, gateway to the new Egypt, Alexandria has always lived to the rhythm of its port.

Antiquity Middle Ages Ottoman period Modern era 19^th & 20^th century photography

View of Alexandria in the Roman era as seen from the Mediterranean. © J-Cl. Golvin, 2020

View of the bay of Alexandria from the sea in the Ptolemaic period, Rafael Moralès, drawing, Micheline Pochez, colouring, 2021, from the book Les Pharaons d’Alexandrie, p. 101, Editions Glénat. © Glénat

View of the bay of Alexandria from the town in the Ptolemaic period, François Corteggiani, text, Marco Venanzi, drawing, Robin Véronique, colouring, 2012, from the book Alix, n°31, L’ombre de Sarapis, p. 48, Editions Casterman. © Casterman

View of the city from the top of the Pharos in the Ptolemaic period, Rafael Moralès, drawing, Micheline Pochez, colouring, 2021, from the book Les Pharaons d’Alexandrie, p. 41, Editions Glénat. © Glénat

1. View of Alexandria in the Roman era as seen from the Mediterranean. © J-Cl. Golvin, 2020

2. View of the bay of Alexandria from the sea in the Ptolemaic period, Rafael Moralès, drawing, Micheline Pochez, colouring, 2021, from the book Les Pharaons d’Alexandrie, p. 101, Editions Glénat. © Glénat

3. View of the bay of Alexandria from the town in the Ptolemaic period, François Corteggiani, text, Marco Venanzi, drawing, Robin Véronique, colouring, 2012, from the book Alix, n°31, L’ombre de Sarapis, p. 48, Editions Casterman. © Casterman

4. View of the city from the top of the Pharos in the Ptolemaic period, Rafael Moralès, drawing, Micheline Pochez, colouring, 2021, from the book Les Pharaons d’Alexandrie, p. 41, Editions Glénat. © Glénat

AN EXHIBITION DESIGNED AND PRODUCED BY THE CENTRE D’ÉTUDES ALEXANDRINES

Marwa Abdel Gawad, Service pédagogique

Michael Ayad, Traducteur

Mahitab El-Safty, Graphiste-Maquettiste

Thomas Faucher, Directeur du CEAlex

Étienne Forestier, Photographe

Isabelle Hairy, Architecte-Archéologue (UMR 8167 – Orient & Méditerranée)

Kathrin Machinek, Architecte-Archéologue

Marie-Delphine Martellière, Chargée de ressources documentaires

Marie-Dominique Nenna, Chercheur

Romain Séguier, Archéologue

Cécile Shaalan, Topographe-Cartographe

[LIST OF NAMES]

Ismaël Awad

Mohamed Awad

Caroline Dugand et Maëva Gervason,

Département de l’Isère / Musée Champollion Samir Fathy

Jean-Claude Golvin

Danielle Guiraudios

Kamal Mohsen

Mustafa Morsi

Assassin’s Creed by Ubisoft

An exhibition designed and produced by the Centre d’Etudes Alexandrines under the direction of Marie-Dominique Nenna; adapted for the web by Etienne Forestier and Mustafa Morsi. Translations of the travellers’ accounts are available on our website in the section on the Corpus of Travellers to Alexandria.