Ras sedr (sharmbestexcursions.com)

Ras sedr
Ras Sedr lies at the crossroads of axes of movement between the East and the West in the Sinai Peninsula.
This tourist area has a distinctive place in the annals of history; one made more outstanding reference in holy books describing events that had occurred there. The area ha consequently become a tourist destination that has long been luring travelers and writers since the days of Herodotus, who lived more than 24 centuries ago.

The area was also given considerable attention in the  researches and records of scholars accompanying the SINAI French army of  Napoleon,whose fantasies were El-s whipped up by such sites as "Moses Springs, "the Pharoah 's Bath " and the " the AI-Gharandal Valley.

Tourist attractions
Tourism assets of the area are so varied: natural, such as the mild climate, beach overlooking azure sea waters,fabulous mountains,valleys,natural water springs and unique flora and fauna. It also has such cultural attractions as battle and historical sites,Bedouin heritage,and Sinai handicrafts.
Mountains and Valleys
The range of famed Sinai Mountains extends behind the coastal plains. They include the mountains of Far'oun (Pharaoh), EL-Teeh (Diaspora) and Om Katheera .They hem in the valleys of Al-Gharandal and Abu-Gada, which are charming destinations for lovers of safari tourism and mountain climbers.

Springs and Wells
Mineral and hot water springs spread all around the coastal and mountain areas .Foremost among them are the Moses sulfur springs, whose water temperature ranges between 35 and 40 degrees,and the Pharaoh's Bath. whose sulfur water temperature reaches up to 75 degrees.

Flora and Fauna
Ras Sedr is known for the mountain goat ibex, particularly popular among Sinai's hunters, and for camels trained on trekking rugged mountain valleys. Vegetation is more copious in Ras Matarma and the valleys of Al-Gharandal and Abu-Gada.It includes tamarisk trees and doum and date palms.The area  attracts many kinds of birds,such as quails and  partridges in their seasons of migrating from the north, particularly in Ras Matarma.

Historical sites and attraction
The area was a station on the path of the exodus of Moses and Israelites from Egypt. Its passages were also the scene of many religious events and incidents described in holy books. They had also witnessed many military battles throughout history and were trodden and frequented by merchants' caravans over the various ages.
The area has long been regarded as  historical destination.

The area stretches for 95 km along the eastern coast of the Suez Gulf in one of the most spectacular spots in the province of South Sinai.
The area is divided into two main zones, each encompassing a group of tourist centers comprising of several tourism and service projects and facilities.
Northern Ras Sedr 
It Includes following Centers :
1- Ras Masalla 
2- South Oyun Moses
3- Moses Springs (Ouyoun Moussa)
Southern Ras Sedr It Includes following Centers :
1- Northern Ras Matarma
2- Southern Ras Matarma
3- EL-Nekhela
4- Ras malaab

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The Touristic Potentialities of the region
Ras Sedr is the nearest part of South Sinai to Cairo, Delta and the Nile Valley. It is easily accessible through Ahmed Hamdy Tunnel that is located 130 k.m. fom Cairo. This renders Ras Sedr a very suitable place for the One - day visits. Furthemore, the touristic marketing of Ras Sedr is very successful, for it overlookes the best coasts of South Sinai.

Ras Sedr Airport
Recently, the touristic demand on Ras Sedr increases so much which prompted the idea of constructing Ras Sedr Airport, Financing the construction of the airport depends on the Egyptian and foreign investors of Ras Sedr . For it is going to facilitate the trip from Cairo to Sedr just 30 minutes . The arport can receive also charter trips coming from broad .

The Natural Potentialities of Ras Sedr
There are also deserts, mountains, valleys, shores and water springs in Ras Sedr that encourage many patterns of tourism like recreational tourism, Coastal tourism and safari ,together with scientific and eco-tourism .

Ras Sedr is famous for its Coral reef, various kinds of fish and natural herbs growing abudantly and used in health tourism .Centered around sulfuric watersprings in hammam pharaon, oyun Moses and Ain Taraky .

The Nature of the Coast
Ras Sedr is blessed with many shore and nature bays that extends along the Coast . There are flat and semiflat sandy shores naturally graded shores and highly eleialted omes Takig .
Bedouin heritage and Bedouin handicraft
Bedouins of the area are noted for jewelry inlaid with the valued Sinai turquoise (fayrouz), charming garments and handicrafts food,beverages,special customs,dwellings and Sinai's folklore. Most of the Bedouins are animal herders who migrate into desert during the rainy winter season and move back toward the cultivated land or areas with vegetation in the dry summer months.

Although nomadism has changed in the 20th century, the tribal character of the Bedouins continued, as did the patriarchal extended families.

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Luxor (egypttoursandexcursions.com)

Luxor
Luxor is the world's greatest open - air museum, filled with the awe - inspiring monuments of ancient civilization. It contains nearly one third of the world's antiquities.There is hardly a place in Luxor which has not a relic that reflects the greatness of the ancient Egyptians and their civilization that dates back to seven thousand years ago.
During the new kingdom (1567-1085)the capital of Egypt was Wesset which means "mace"to express the extreme authority of this city ,then the name was changed to "Thebes" and Homer described it as " City of the Hundred Gates".The Arabs called it "Luxor" means" The city of Palaces"because they were impressed by its magnificent edifices and huge buildings.
It still attracts hordes of visitors from all over the world to enjoy the monuments of the eternal city and its temples with their towering pillars      
On the two Banks of the Nile
On the east bank of the Nile, in the city of the living, Luxor and Karnak temples greet the sunrise.The sunset on the west bank throws shadows through the City of the Dead: the Tombs of the nobles, the valley of the kings,Queen Hatshepsut's temple.
Recently,a bridge connecting the east and west banks has been constructed to speed up tourist traffic to the west bank.
Luxor was the ancient city of Thebes, the great capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom, and the glorious city of the god Amon-Ra. The city was regarded in the Ancient Egyptian texts as w3s.t (approximate pronunciation: "Waset"), which meant or "city of the sceptre" and also as t3 ip3t (probably pronounced as "ta ipet" and meaning "the shrine") and then, in a later period, the Greeks called it Thebai and the Romans after them Thebae. Thebes was also known as "the city of the 100 gates", sometimes being called "southern Heliopolis" ('Iunu-shemaa' in Ancient Egyptian), to distinguish it from the city of Iunu or Heliopolis, the main place of worship for the god Ra in the north. It was also often referred to as niw.t, which simply means "city", and was one of only three cities in Egypt for which this noun was used (the other two were Memphis and Heliopolis); it was also called niw.t rst, "southern city", as the southernmost of them.

The importance of the city started as early as the 11th Dynasty, when the town grew into a thriving city, renowned for its high social status and luxury, but also as a center for wisdom, art, religious and political supremacy.[3] Montuhotep II who united Egypt after the troubles of the first intermediate period brought stability to the lands as the city grew in stature. The Pharaohs of the New Kingdom in their expeditions to Kush, in today's northern Sudan, and to the lands of Canaan, Phoenicia and Syria saw the city accumulate great wealth and rose to prominence, even on a world scale.[3] Thebes played a major role in expelling the invading forces of the Hyksos from Upper Egypt, and from the time of the 18th Dynasty through to the 20th Dynasty, the city had risen as the major political, religious and military capital of Ancient Egypt.
The city attracted peoples such as the Babylonians, the Mitanni, the Hittites of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), the Canaanites of Ugarit, the Phoenicians of Byblos and Tyre, the Minoans from the island of Crete.[3] A Hittite prince from Anatolia even came to marry with the widow of Tutankhamun, Ankhesenamun.[3] The political and military importance of the city, however, faded during the Late Period, with Thebes being replaced as political capital by several cities in Northern Egypt, such as Bubastis, Sais and finally Alexandria.
However, as the city of the god Amon-Ra, Thebes remained the religious capital of Egypt until the Greek period.[3] The main god of the city was Amon, who was worshipped together with his wife, the Goddess Mut, and their son Khonsu, the God of the moon. With the rise of Thebes as the foremost city of Egypt, the local god Amon rose in importance as well and became linked to the sun god Ra, thus creating the new 'king of gods' Amon-Ra. His great temple, at Karnak just north of Thebes, was the most important temple of Egypt right until the end of antiquity.
Later, the city was attacked by Assyrian emperor Assurbanipal who installed the Libyan prince on the throne, Psammetichus.[3] The city of Thebes was in ruins and fell in significance. However, Alexander the Great did arrive at the temple of Amun, where the statue of the god was transferred from Karnak during the Opet Festival, the great religious feast.[3] The grandeur of Thebes would still remain a site of spirituality, and attracted numerous Christian monks in the Roman Empire who established monasteries amidst several ancient monuments including the temple of Hatshepsut, now called Deir el-Bahri ("the northern monastery").[3]

The visitor of Luxor can make a journey to enjoy the wonderful tourist sites of  Luxor soaring in a ballon above the temples on the east and west banks.Some agencies organize  daily ballon journeys which last for one and half hour.

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Lukxor
East bank monuments  
Luxor temple
The Southern temple , dedicated to the principal of thebes Amon, it was built by the New Kingdom Pharaoh Amenophis III, and expanded over centuries by famous pharaohs including Ramses II,Tit,and also Alexander the Great.
The grandeur of the edifice represents that of Thebes at its zenith
It was known to the ancient Egyptians as “lpet Reseyet”, the harem of the South.
Karnak Temples    
Leading to the temples is the avenue of the rams , representing the supreme Theban god Amon,symbol of fertility and growth. Beneath the rams heads, small statues of Ramses II were carved .
Karnak is composed of a vast complex of temples, chapels and other buildings of various dates. The name Karnak comes from the nearby village of El-Karnak. Whereas Luxor to the South was Ipet-Ray,Karnak was ancient Ipet-Isut,the most select of places.
Theban kings and the god Amon came to prominence at the beginning of the Middle Kingdom. From that time,the temples of Karnak were built,enlarged,torn down,added to,and restored over more than 2000 years until Roman times.
The ancient Egyptians considered Ipet-Isut as the place of the initial rising of the first time, where Amon-Ra made the first mound of Earth rise from Nun. At Karnak,the high priests recognized a king as the beloved son of Amon,king
of all the gods.

The coronations and jubilees were also held here. Staffed by more than 80,000 people under Ramesses III,the temple was also the administrative center of enormous holdings of agricultural land.

The largest and most important part of the site is the central enclosure, the great temple of Amon proper. The layout of the great temple consists of a series of pylons of various dates. The earliest are Pylons IV and V,built by Tuhtmosis I,and from then on the temple was enlarged towards the West and South. Courts or halls run between the pylons,leading to the main sanctuary.

The temple is built along two axes, with a number of smaller temples and chapels and a sacred lake. The northern enclosure belongs to Montu, the original god of the Theban area, while the enclosure of Mut lies to the south and is connected with Amon's precinct by an alley of ram-headed sphinxes. An avenue bordered by sphinxes linked Karnak with the Luxor Temple, and canals connected the temples of Amon and Montu with the Nile.
LUXOR
The Sound and Light Show
This spellbinding show ,through the exquisite use of words,light and music, tells the story of these magnificent Karnak temples .The program is presented in Arabic,English, French German,Spanish.
Luxor Museum 

The museum is situated between the Temples of Luxor and Karnak. It houses pharaonic relics from Luxor and the nearby areas .
Mummifucation museum
Recently inaugurated in the visitors centre in Luxor, it is the only one of its kind in the world.It houses 150 relics of mummies, coffins, tools the ancient Egyptian physician used,and paintings representing the religious funeray rituals.

West bank monuments
The Clossi of Memnon
These two statues of Amenophis III measuring 18 meters once marked the entrance to the largest temple in Thebes It covered 385,000 square meters (4,200,000 square feet), and it was even larger than the temple of Amon-Re at Karnak.
Due to an earthquake in 27 BC,these statues were damaged and became known for a bell like tone that usually occurred in the morning . They were associated by the early Greek travelers with the figure of Memnon, the son of Aurora whose mother,Eos was the goddess of dawn.
Med net Habu temple 
This complex was built by Ramses II in the form of a fortified town which includes a temple, a place,and several chapels. Scenes depicted on the walls commemorate his victories over the Libyans,the Sarinians,the Cretans and others.They also includes unique reliefs of a sea battle.

Later Kings including Hatshepsut and Thutmose II added chapels to the complex, and Ptolemaic Kings renovated it
The Ramesseum
This is the warrior King Ramses II's mortuary temple at western Thebes that has inspired Shelley's sonnet “Ozymandias”. Its murals record the renowned Battle of Kadesh against Halite's. Its hallmark is a pillard hall with giant statues of Ramses II in Osirid form, wrapped in a blanket and holding sceptres.

Queen Hatshepsut's Temple
El-Deir El-Bahari
Hatshepsut, the only woman to rule over Egypt as pharaoh, named her temple “Djeser-Djeseru” the splendor of splendors.

The mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut is one of the most dramatically situated in the world. The queen's architect, Senenmut, designed it and set it at the head of a valley overshadowed by the Peak of Thebes. A tree lined avenue of sphinxes led up to the temple, and ramps led from terrace to terrace. On the lowest terrace are reliefs depicting the transport of obelisks by barge to Karnak and the miraculous birth of Queen Hatshepsut.

Reliefs on the South side of the middle terrace show the queen's expedition by way of the Red Sea to Punt, the land of incense. Along the front of the upper terrace, a line of large, gently smiling Osirid statues of the queen looked out over the valley.
Tombs

LUXOR
Tombs of the Valley of the kings        
King Tut Ankh Amon 's Tomb
The Kings of the 18th, 19th, and 20th, dynasties carved their towards into the limstone mountains here and decorated them with designs showing the deceased Kings with the gods in the afterworld and texts from the book of the dead,and the book of the underworld.

King Tut Ankh Amon's tomb , the most famous tomb in the valley of the kings , circa 1352 BC. In 1922 ,Howard Carter's discovery of king Tut's fabulous treasures caused a worldwide sensation Other interesting and well-preserved tombs are those of Seti I,Ramses III,and Ramses II.
Valley of the Queens 
Queen Nefertari's Tomb

The tombs of Nefertari wife of Ramses II is the most renowned at the Valley of the Queens. It boasts restored vivid murals and instions.
Tombs of the Nobles :The most important are:the tombs of Nakht,Menena,Ra'as mes Ramuza,Senefru.
The Tombs of Deir el-Medina: The most important is the tomb of Sen Negem.

Temple of Dendera
On the West Bank of Qena city 60 km north of Luxor. It is one of the Greco-Roman temples for the worship of goddess Hathor. It was built by King Ptolemy III and its construction was completed by the Roman Emperors. The ceiling of the hypostyle room has an astronomic decoration with the symbolic representation of the sky.

Temple of Esna
South of Luxor, constructed for the worship of god Khnum, the god of creation, in the form of a ram's head. It is one of the Greco- Roman temples within the hypostyle hall constructed by King Ptolemy VI and completed by the Roman emperors.

Nearby is a Christian monastery. It is the monastery of Manaus and El Shohada, constructed in the fourth century. But the monastery of the three thousand six hundred martyrs includes two churches; the walls of one of them are decorated with a fresco that dates from the tenth century.

Religious sites of Luxor
Abul-Haggag al-Oqsuri mosque at Luxor temple.Coptic Church neighboring the mosque in Luxor temple
Monasteries
El-Shayeb Monastery, 7km north of the city
Mari Guirgis Monastery on the west bank
Muhareb Monastery, 4km from the west bank of the Nile.Visitors of Luxor can make a journey to see the two temples of Dendera and Esna

         
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Hurghada (hurghadabestexcursions.com)

Hurghada
It lies 395km south of Suez, and is noted for its magnificent summer and winter climate. The clarity of its water made it a centre of tourist attraction especially for divers and practicing water sports because of the worldwide fame of its coral reefs and rare marine life it enjoys.
Visitors can watch the exquisite underwater marine life through well-equipped glass bottom submarines.
Hurghada has a large number of hotels and tourist resorts of different categories, as well as well -equipped diving centers offering facilities for aquatic sports,in addition to restaurants and bazaars.

There is also the Aquarium which houses the most wonderful marine species especially the mermaid. National and international fishing contests are held in Hurghada.It is connected with Luxor by paved road across Safaga / Qena / Luxor.Daily sightseeing tours to Luxor can be arranged.A cruise service connects Hurghada with Sharm Al-Sheikh,the cruise takes 90 minutes by ferry.
The Red Sea region abounds in monuments of the various historical eras.

Pharaonic and Roman antiquities
There is a collection of Pharaonic inscriptions in Um AL-Fawageer in Wadi El-Hamamat 235km south Hurghada, in addition to Roman ruins(71 km south of Hurghada),and the remains of Roman temples in Gabal EI-Dokhan (65km north of Hurghada).
Christian Monuments
St. Antonius's Monastery: on Za'afarana / Koreimat road, 50km north of Za'farana. It lies at the foot of the mountain below a high hillock overlooking the sea.
This monastery is considered one of the largest and oldest Christian monasteries as its construction dates back to the 4th century.
St. Paula's Monastery: On the Ra'as Ghareb / Za'afarana road. Its construction dates back to the end of the 4th century.
lslamic Monuments
 One of the most important Islamic monuments in the east desert is the shrine of Sheikh Abuel Hassan AL-Shazli,150km from Marsa Alam City. It dates back to 656 Higri.
The tower of Sultan Selim in Al Qusseir,140km south of Hurghada.
The Red Sea Isles
There are about 24 isles possessing a plant and ecological environment on the surface.
Most important of them are:
Al-Zabargad isle in front of Bernese coast.
Al-Geftone isle in front of Hurghada coast.
Abu Menkar isle in front of Hurghada Sheraton.

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Diving sites
The Red Sea was created by the movement of plates on the Earth's surface about 30 million years ago.At that time, the Arabian Peninsula started to part from Africa along a thin break line which was filled by the ocean's water. However, "Mother Nature" did not stop there.

Hurghada
Twenty million years ago another geological movement started. The Arabian Peninsula which parted from Africa started to move to the North.That movement struck resistance in Turkey and swung to the East, and another break line was formed.
This one stretching all the way from the Northern part of Israel, through the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea, and finally through the Gulf of Aqaba to Ras Mohamad at the Southern point of the Sinai. The young age of the Gulf of Aqaba is what makes it so deep,100 meters in Dahab and 1800 meters North of the Straits of Tiran.
On the other hand,the old Gulf of Suez is relatively shallow, with 85 meters maximum depth. The Red Sea is still widening at about one half inch per year, the rift is the youngest region of continental breakup on the planet, allowing geologists to learn about processes that occurred in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans hundreds of millions of years earlier.

Diving locations, south of Hurghada
Al-Gona.
East of blenda coral reef. 
Abu –Ramada Grana coral reef .
Abu Hasish Island coral reef.
West of blenda coral reef.
South west Abu-Ramada coral reef .
Megawish Island coral reef .

Diving locations North of Hurghada
Abu-Monkar coral reef .
Abu katra coral reef .
Abu Nahass coral reef.
Um –Kamar coral reef .
Al-oroof coral reef 
Al-Fanadeer coral reef  .
Abu-Monkar coral reef  .
Abu-Nekad coral reef   .
Tall coral reef. 
North of Al-Geftoon coral reef. 
Major Seol coral reef. 
Minor Seol cora reef.

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Dahab (sharmbestexcursions.com)

Dahab
Dahab means gold in Arabic. It is said that this name was given by the Bedouins, who likened the shimmering sands to gold dust.
coral reef redsea
Dahab, located approximately 100km northwest of Sharm El-Sheikh, is still considered to be one of South Sinai's most treasured diving destinations swarmed by tourists.
Pencil sea urchin RedSea
It is famous for its golden beaches and deceptively deep diving sites, such as the Blue Hole, the Canyon and the Lighthouse.
Dahab is a small town situated on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Formerly a Bedouin fishing village, located approximately 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab is considered to be one of the Sinai's most treasured diving destinations. Following the Six Day War, the town was occupied by Israel and is known in Hebrew as Di-Zahav, a place mentioned in the Bible as one of the stations for the Israelites during the Exodus from Egypt. The Sinai Peninsula was restored to Egyptian rule in the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty in 1982. The arrival of international hotel chains and the establishment of other ancillary facilities has since made the town a popular destination with tourists. Dahab is served by Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport. Masbat (within Dahab) is a popular diving destination, meaning that there are many (50+) dive centers located within Dahab.
    * 1 Tourism
    * 2 Climate
    * 3 See also
    * 4 External links
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Tourism Beach promenade
Dahab enjoys large numbers of tourists. It is world-renowned for its windsurfing. Reliable winds provide superb flat-water conditions inside Dahab's sand spit. Further away from shore, wavy conditions couple with strong winds to provide formidable conditions for keen windsurfers. SCUBA diving and snorkelling are also popular activities with many reefs immediately adjacent to waterfront hotels. The nearby Blue Hole-Which is nicknamed as "The World's Most Dangerous Diving Site"- and Canyon are internationally famous dive spots. Land based activities include camel, horse, jeep and quad bike trips. Mount Sinai is a two hours drive, with Saint Catherine's Monastery being a popular tourist destination.

windsurfing, lagoon
Historically, most visitors to Dahab have been backpackers travelling independently and staying in hostels in the Masbet area. In recent years, development of hotels in the Medina area has facilitated the arrival of a wider range of tourists, many of whom visit Dahab specifically to partake in the windsurfing, diving and other activities.
The word Dahab is Arabic for gold and is possibly a reference to the geographic locality; gold washed down from the desert mountains may have accumulated on the alluvial flood plain where the town was built. The name may also be a reference to the colour of the sands to the south of the town itself. Some locals attribute the name to the colour of the sky, just after sunset.
One local story concerning the town's name is that it stems from the floods that wash through the town every five or six years. Larger than average seasonal storms in the mountains cause a great rush of water to surge down to the sea, dragging with it great amounts of sand. During this time, the town is cut in two by the flood, and the bay is stirred up and the sands turn it a golden yellow. It typically lasts a few days, and has caused damage and loss of life in the past as people were unaware of the sudden onset and the force the water moves at. Nowadays locals are ready when they see the clouds over the mountains, and anyone lucky enough to witness it will remember it for a long time.
Unfortunately, much of the coral in the reefs just offshore are slowly disappearing, due to inexperienced divers being taken out in big numbers. Another big problem is that in Masbat, local restaurants are dumping sand and rock in the sea to extend out into the shore, again, causing disruption to local coral reefs.
With its pleasant weather all year round, Dahab gained its worldwide fame. Yet, weather in summer is hot and during winter it is much milder especially during nights. Dahab has a very dry climate and rain is rare, even during the winter months.

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ALEXANDRIA (egypttoursandexcursions.com)

ALEXANDRIA
The largest port in Egypt and the greatest summer resort in the Middle East.It is located on the Mediterranean Sea north west of Delta, 225 Km2 from Cairo by agricultural road and 221 km2 by desert road. Named after Alexander the Macedonian who ordered its foundation in 332 B.C., on the site of a small village called Rhakotis to be the capital of his reign in Egypt, a port near to his country and a Greek cultural centre.

Alexandria
Since its foundation Alexandria remained for many centuries a centre of cultural radiation to the whole world. It occupied a remarkable place in the history of mankind.
Today Alexandria is considered the second capital of Egypt. It is distinguished by its strategic location,moderate climate and its beautifully fine sandy beaches which cover a large area between Agamy in the west and Abu Qeir in the east which made it worthy of its well merited title "Pearl of the Mediterranean".
Alexandria was, and still is, a prominent cultural beacon for knowledge seekers and the history of its famous library- whose revival is underway- tells the story of the dawn of culture, enlightenment and creation.
Alexandria
Various religious sites are widespread in Alexandria of which are:The Jewish synagogue in Al-Nabi Daniel street ,St Marc Church established in the first century A.D. by Saint Marcus,Saint Catherine Church and Abu Mina Monastery which lies 50 km from Alexandria. 

Al-Montazah Palace Montazah Palace
Built on low plateau east of Alexandria and overlooking a beautiful beach, amid about 370 feddans of gardens and woods, the Palace comprises a number of buildings, the most important being Al-Haramlek, the summer residence of the former royal family, Palestine Hotel, the tourist hotel, was built in the gardens, while Al-Haramlek was turned into a luxury hotel.

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The Montazah Palace Gardens
MOTAZAH GARDEN
These gardens cover an area of 370 feddans and contain trees, palms, and flowers. There are also a museum, several natural bays and beaches, as well as complete tourist centre, a hotel, restaurants, bungalows and a children's park of 4.5 feddans area.

The Antoniadis Gardens
They contain beautifully arranged trees and flowers, as well as several Grecko statues in marble and the Antoniadis palace.

The Alexandria University Conference Centre
The Alexandria Cultural Centre, in Al-Silsilah, over an area of 42,000 m2, comprises a conference centre, the Alexandria library, an open courtyard and a garage. The conference centre, on an area of 5,000 m2, has an overall seating capacity of 2672. There is large cafeteria to serve the main auditorium overlooking the sea. A smaller cafeteria caters to the other smaller halls.

Alexandria
The conference centre comprises:
The Main Auditorium, 1700 seats, is a large hall without any pillars to obstruct the view. It is a multi-purpose facility with a fully-equipped stage that allows for holding international and national  conferences and for staging plays, concerts, ballets, and operas. There are six separate booths equipped for simultaneous interpretation in six languages.
Three smaller halls: The first 400 seats, and the second and third, 286 each. Five separate booths for simultaneous interpretation are attached to each hall. All the halls are equipped with audio-visual aids, closed-circuit TV, air-conditioning, and direct-dial telephone services. Other facilities for information, security, and parking areas are also available.

Alexandria's Submerged Monuments:
Over its long history,Alexandria has been the cradle of several civilizations of the ancient world; Pharaonic, Hellenistic and Roman. SUNKEN MONUMENTS
This multicultural museum lies safely under Alexandria's Mediterranean coastal water,sand during the Fifth Century B.C. it formed part of the ancient city of Alexandria and was devastated by earthquakes and tidal erosion.
A project was initiated in 1992 by the Supreme Council for Antiquities, in cooperation with the European Institute of Submerged Antiquities, to make a topographic survey of the area of royal facilities at the submerged parts, specifically the Eastern Port, which commands a major historical importance.
Exploratory operations resulted in the following:
An overall topographic picture of the submerged royal quarter in ancient Alexandria.
A number of 1300 sites were located at sight and cleared of attaching sediments.
Six archaeological maps were drawn up, showing accurately the topography of several areas of major historical significance.
These operations have allowed a full panorama of the reputed Magnus Portus. Major discoveries then followed as landmarks of the isles of Pharos (referred to in Homer's Odyssey (7th Century B.C.) and Interodos started to unfold, with their royal palaces, statues and decorations. Several antiquities such as two statues of the Sphinx, of which one is made of grey granite and the other of durite, were broken up as a result of natural disasters. Image 1
These structures are indicative of the dense constructions along the eastern coastline. These discoveries made over the years 1996, 1997 and 1998 have given impetus to further explorations of the seaport basin and the fathoming of depths.

Collection of Submerged Monuments
In 1996, a new department of Underwater Archaeology of the Supreme Council of Antiquities was founded as a result of the excavations carried out at Qait Bey fortress and the discovery of part of the royal quarter in the Eastern harbor in Alexandria. Similarly, the year 1962 was significant in that it marked the uplift of the colossal statue of Isis Pharia from the depths of the Mediterranean. The year 1933 also marked other discoveries at the Abu Qir Bay.
The Museum displays some of the artifacts that have been salvaged from both the Alexandria Eastern harbor and Abu Qir Bay

Headless statue of a woman (probably the goddess Isis), in a striding posture, in which the left leg is advanced. She is dressed in a transparent garment that accentuates the beauty of her body. The dress is tied on the left shoulder in a knot. The right arm is stretched along the side of the body and the hand is missing. The feet are also missing.

Isis is one of the most important goddesses in ancient Egyptian religion. She was the goddess of love and the symbol of devotion as a wife and mother. She was the goddess of maternity, and protector of mother and child. Famous City - Alexandria
She was worshipped all over Egypt, and her cult spread to many places in Europe. She was identified with several other goddesses
Dimensions: H 152.5 cm, W 48 cm
Thickness: 34 cm
Material: Black basalt.
Date: Ptolemaic Period
Provenance: AbouKir Bay (Alexandria)

Head of the god Serapis, with a hole on top for fixing the kalathos. The eyes were inlaid, but are now only two cavities. The mouth is open with a faint smile. The facial features are distinct.
Parts of the five characteristic locks of hair, which usually fall on the forehead, are missing.

The god Serapis was a fusion of Egyptian and Greek religious concepts originating in Alexandria, where Ptolemy I started his cult and constructed the first known shrine to him, called the Serapeum. His worship continued throughout the Roman period and his temples spread throughout the Roman Empire.

Serapis was frequently combined with other deities, both Egyptian and Greek. Such combinations were Serapis-Zeus, Serapis-Helios and Serapis-Amun. His statues are characterized by a long face, heavily curled beard, long moustach with curling ends, and five locks of hair falling over the forehead.
The kalathos, one of his attributes and a symbol of abundance and fertility, surmounts his head. Image
Dimensions: H 57cm, W 35cm
Material: White marble
Date: Ptolemaic Period
Provenance: Abou Kir Bay (Alexandria)

Egypt is already famous for its locations for diving practice. Travellers come from the four corners of the earth to explore the underwater realms of coral reefs and exotic marine life off Hurghada and Sharm Al-Sheikh. Now Egypt offers divers the chance to venture into a submerged city off Alexandria, and explore an eerie, waterlogged domain of ruined palaces, crumbling colonnades, ancient sphinxes and mysterious statues.
'Alexandra-Dive' is the first and only diving centre in Egypt to offer this underwater historical experience. The centre was inaugurated in the Mediterranean seaport and will be in operation in May.

Alexandra-Dive offers five diving spots in the eastern harbour. The first is called Qaitbay and is situated close to the Qaitbay fort at depths of between eight and 10 metres. It contains about 4,000 archaeological pieces that date back from Pharaonic to Graeco-Roman times.
To explore this site properly, two dives are recommended, each lasting 45 minutes.
The second spot is called Qaitbay 2 and is 200 metres north of Qaitbay fort. In this area, a diver will see dozens of amphorae around an ancient wreck. The area can all be explored in a single dive.
Qaitbay 3 is the third spot, 650 metres north-west of Qaitbay fort, at depths between 15 and 18 metres. Here divers can explore wrecks from the third century BC. A diver needs only one dive to explore the area.
The fourth spot is called East Harbour, Site One. It is found in the eastern harbour and is up to eight metres deep. The site includes relics of the royal zone from Ptolemaic and Roman times and several columns, sphinxes and royal statues. To see the area properly, two dives are recommended.
The fifth and last dive is East Harbour, Site Two. Here the dramatic remains of a downed World War II Italian fighter plane loom out of the gloom, surreally surrounded by a forest of ancient columns and statuary. The site only needs a single dive.
Alexandra-Dive's trips start early in the morning, preceded by a lecture on the site, its historical importance, and details of the objects there. The divers then board either a 20 metres long diving boat, designed in the Pharaonic style with an ex-navy officer as captain, or a second vessel, 18 metres long, that is always ready in case of emergency. The vessels are equipped with compressors, diving tanks, equipment for 50 divers, still and video cameras.

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