The Arabs also made a splendid description for the water cisterns that held the city's water supply as well as the arched markets. It is well known that many of Alexandria's streets had arches from both sides built on beautiful pillars especially in tow of the city's main streets: the vertical Canope ( Fouad pr El Horreya Avenue nowadays ) and El Rassy ( Nabi Daneil Street ).

The Lighthouse had a very significant impact over Islamic architecture in the East and on Arab countries in the West. It also influenced the design of church towers in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. From such towers the Arabs were inspired to build minarets for mosques starting from the second half of the 1 st century HD.

Among the most important Islamic monuments are the remains of the walls of the ancient city in El-Shalalat district, the Citadel of Qaitbey in the Anfoushi, and many mosques such as Abu El Abbass El Morsi, Sidi Bishr, Sidi Gaber, El Qabary, El Shatby & El Atareen
Every year the ISESCO chooses 3 capitals of Islamic culture representing Arab, Asian & African regions. The choice is based on the city's Islamic history and its participations towards the Islamic culture. The chosen cities keep their title for a whole year and many celebrations are held during that year. Alexandria has been chosen as the Capital of the Islamic culture for 2008. Big celebrations will be organized for this memorable occasion throughout the entire year.

6- Co-holding an Islamic Biennale with the Atelier of Artists.

18- Organizing a conference that is about the role & impact of Islamic monuments in Alexandria on developing and activating tourism in Alexandria and the awareness of the Alexandrian society.




Alexandria the Capital of Islamic Culture 2008

The Arabs had never seen a city like Alexandria before. It had huge palaces, luxurious temples, and wide street with arches erected upon beautifully designed pillars and wonderful status. The famous historian Ibn Abdel Hakam, in his description of Alexandria, said that the city was divided into three main districts. Each district was surrounded by a wall. Behind these walls there were three more districts with three separate walls. They were the Egyptian district, the Roman district and the Jewish district.

		The Arabs also made a splendid description for the water cisterns that held the city's water supply as well as the arched markets. It is well known that many of Alexandria's streets had arches from both sides built on beautiful pillars especially in tow of the city's main streets: the vertical Canope ( Fouad pr El Horreya Avenue nowadays ) and El Rassy ( Nabi Daneil Street ).

The most famous of Alexandria's landmarks is the pharos or the Lighthouse, one of the ancient seven wonders of the world, the remains of its square base lie at the Citadel of Qaitbey at the Anfoushi district. The Pharos and Pompey's Pillar were both described in details by historians. The Lighthouse had a very significant impact over Islamic architecture in the East and on Arab countries in the West. It also influenced the design of church towers in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon. From such towers the Arabs were inspired to build minarets for mosques starting from the second half of the 1 st century HD.

		The Arabs, who were very much interested in Alexandria, built new, strong and vast walls such as Bab Rasheed, Bab Al Qahira, Bab Al Qarafa, Bab Sedra. With the spreading of Islam and Islamic culture, many mosques were built, 6 of them are refered to in many Islamic sources but their exact location is unknown: • Soliman Mosque. • El Khodr Mosque. • Thee El Karnein Mosque ( which was probably built near the tomb of Alexander the Great ). • Amr Ibn El Aas Mosque ( which was also called Al Rahma Mosque ). • Mousa Mosque ( which was built near the Lighthouse ). • El Manara Mosque ( which was built in-side the Lighthouse itself so that the guards could find a place to pray). It is said that Amr Ibn Al Aas wanted to make Alexandria the capital of the country, but the caliph Omar Ibn El Khatab advised him to choose another city that is not separated from the Arab countries by water, so Amr Ibn El Aas took El Fostat as his new capital.



Among the most important Islamic monuments are the remains of the walls of the ancient city in El-Shalalat district, the Citadel of Qaitbey in the Anfoushi, and many mosques such as Abu El Abbass El Morsi, Sidi Bishr, Sidi Gaber, El Qabary, El Shatby & El Atareen Every year the ISESCO chooses 3 capitals of Islamic culture representing Arab, Asian & African regions. The choice is based on the city's Islamic history and its participations towards the Islamic culture. The chosen cities keep their title for a whole year and many celebrations are held during that year. Alexandria has been chosen as the Capital of the Islamic culture for 2008. Big celebrations will be organized for this memorable occasion throughout the entire year.

So, here is our suggestion for what to do in order to honor Alexandria and make very much use of this great occasion:

1- Organizing an awareness campaign in schools and also organizing exhibitions where works are chosen to be part of a complete exhibition in the entire governorate. 2-The same idea for colleges but with wider range of activities. 3- Using the conference halls of Bibliotheca Alexandria in holding some seminars about the Islamic Alexandria. 4- Holding an exhibition for Islamic calligraphy. 5- Planning a program for school students to visit the various Islamic sites in Alexandria.

		6- Co-holding an Islamic Biennale with the Atelier of Artists. 7- Creating a book that talks about Alexandria's Islamic history and that is distributed free of charge 8- Cooperating with the Alexandria Writers and artists Union to make a book containing a bibliography of all the books, written about Islamic Alexandria. 9- Cooperating with foreign Cultural places interested in Arab & Islamic cultures (Spanish – Korean). 10- Encouraging the governmental and independent cultural places to include the idea of Islamic culture in their annual programs. 11- Organizing several researches, poetry, essay & prose competitions about Alexandria and the Islamic culture. 12- Organizing several shows in the Opera House.

13- Holding a festival and a big celebration with the presence of VIPs lead by the President and the Prime Minister and many Islamic figures from Egypt and Arab countries. 14-Holding a conference on how to develop the Islamic culture in order to activate choosing Alexandria as an Islamic capital. 15- Working on inviting Islamic establishments to organize their conferences in Alexandria. 16- Emphasizing on the role of the Manuscript Center of Bibliotheca Alexandria as it contains many Islamic books. 17- Making many illustrative signs near the most important Islamic monuments. In addition to making a huge campaign advertising the choice of the city to increase the awareness of the Alexandrians. 18- Organizing a conference that is about the role & impact of Islamic monuments in Alexandria on developing and activating tourism in Alexandria and the awareness of the Alexandrian society.