pompey’s pillar, Alexandria
Alexandria is considered a very famous tourist destination in Egypt and had great importance in the history of the country. There are many attractions in the city of Alexandria that attract many tourists from all over the world.
We can emphasize Pompey’s Pillar as an important destination in the city. It’s considered a wonderful architecture that is surrounded by mysteries about its history. It is located in the neighborhood of “Karmoz”, near the Catacombs. The Pillar of Pompey is the largest in Egypt.
The History of Pompey’s Pillar
Pompey’s Pillar was built in 297 in the Roman period in honor of Emperor Diocletian for his victory in the battle with General Aquileus. It is known by the name of Pompey by the Crusaders who believed that Pompey (a politician and reman general) was killed by Ptolemy XIII (brother and husband of Cleopatra) and his head was buried in this place, but this theory is not correct.
The Construction of Pompey’s Pillar
Pompey’s Pillar was built with red granite from the Aswan quarries. The height of the axis of the pillar without the base and the capital is 20.46 m. the diameter of the base is 2.71 m. The total height of the pillar is 26.85 m. Its weight is 285 tons.
Around the Pillar of Pompey are the ruins of the temple of Serapeo which was destroyed by Roman soldiers or the Christian mafia. There are two statues in the form of sphinxes, built of pink granite in the period of Ptolemy VI, in one of them there are hieroglyphics of the king “Horemheb” of the XVIII dynasty.
Live the Adventure in the Land of the Pharaohs
Check out our Egypt vacation packages for the opportunity to explore other destinations with Alexandria such as Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Hurgada. You can also book one of our Nile cruises for important visits to Upper Egypt.
