The Great Library of Alexandria

• Where is the Alexandria Library Located?
• When & Whom Established The Great Library of Alexandria?
• What’s the Importance of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina?
• Who and Why was the Alexandria Library Burnt?
• What is the New Bibliotheca Alexandria?

Egypt is home to one of the oldest civilizations known to man, the Ancient Civilization of the Pharos. Filled with Exciting Landmarks and Sites To Visit few however match the Historical importance, Significance, and Captivating Backstory of the Great Library of Alexandria, Currently Reconstructed and Named the “ New Alexandria Library”. Located in the Beautiful Coastal city of Alexandria a city filled with things to do and places to Visit The Bibliotheca Alexandrina continues to be a shining beacon in the sky of Egyptian Tourism. Today we will provide answers to these Frequently asked questions about the Alexandria Library, an essential pitstop in most Egypt Tour Packages & Nile Cruises 2023.
 

 
Where is the Alexandria Library Located?

The First Question that Comes to Mind is naturally where is this behemoth of Libraries located?. The answer is the  Captivating City of Alexandria, the Second Largest City in Egypt Neatlylocated in the Southern Coast of the Mediterranean.  The Library of Alexandria had been Reconstructed and established on the 16th of October, 2002 Acquiring its new Name “The Bibliotheca Alexandrina".

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When & Whom Established The Great Library of Alexandria?

The Establishment of the Modern Times Alexandria Bibliotheca was the result of its Predecessor the Great Library of Alexandria. The Aforementioned was a part of a much bigger and grandiose structure called the Mouseion, a construct built in devotion to the Muses the nine female deities of the Arts.  The Suggestion of Building the Mouseion is believed to have been attributed to Demetrius of Phalerum, an exiled Athenian Statesman. However the Construction of the Library Itself was not realized until the Reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus.

The City of Alexandria came to be regarded as the Capital of Knowledge and  Cultural Hub largely due to the establishment of the Great Alexandria Library. Considered as a meeting place of research and intellectual labour by a Plethora of Influential and important Scholars, thinkers and bright minds of their Time the likes of  Zenodotus of Ephesus, the text standardizer of the Homeric Poems, Eratosthenes of Cyrene the one who calculated the circumference of the earth and many more. 

Although the common belief is that the Library was burnet and completely destructed in one go, history recites a different tale. The Declining status of the Library seemed to have started earlier since the purging of intellectuals from Alexandria as early as 145 BC. It appeared that the Great Library of Alexandria  Would not see the light of day again. However, the Dream of the Revival of the Alexandria Library was realized in 2002 following the proposal of Lotfy Dowidar and a Request Submitted by the Egyptian Government to the executive board of the Unesco authorizing a feasibility study for the project. Now Reprising its role as a modern Library and Cultural Hub.
 
 

What’s the Importance of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina?

The Library has always been a melting and Rally point of Different Cultures, Intellectual minds and witness to numerous intellectual breakthroughs. Therefore the Importance of the  Library lies in the following: 

Firstly, the Library served as a free space of research, study and intellectual complementation as it held no allegiance or affiliation to a specific Philosophical school. Providing free Salaries, accommodation and food for whoever seeks knowledge in the Great Alexandria Library.
 
Secondly, both the names of the numerous scholars, poets and authors and the work attributed to each was recorded in a 120-page catalogue called the Pinakes. 
 
Thirdly, due to the Existence of the Library in Egypt, It is believed that it served as an inspiration to many breakthroughs reached by thinkers at the time. An example of such inspiration is the invention of the Archimedes Screw, a mechanism used to transport water from low-lying bodies into irrigation ditches, as it is believed Archemidis got the Inspiration for this invention from the Rise and Fall of the NIle
 
Currently, the Bibliotheca Alexandria Holds a large amount of Literature, Films, Web pages, and Several Specialized exhibits such as the Taha Hussein Library for the Visually Impaired, and the rare books & special collections Library. Serving as a Centre of Excellence, Preservant of current history & a Beacon of Knowledge. The Alexandria Library is also Known to Have Hosted Several Occasions and Events relevant to literature, film, and multimedia.
 
 

Whom and Why was the Alexandria Library Burnt?

One of the Misfortunate and tragic events of History was without a Doubt the Destruction of the Great Library of Alexandria. Several Questions are frequently asked about Why Who & when was the Library burned Down. The Library was the subject of a burning incident in 48 BC During Caesar's Civil War Where Part of the library was burned Down more specifically a warehouse near the Docks used by the Library as storage for grains and books. 

 The first forms of true Destruction are believed to have occurred during the time of the Roman Principate, in which both the Status of the city of Alexandria alongside its Library had greatly diminished. With the Rise of other Libraries within the Area to Glory and the Roman Empire Depending less on Alexandria for Grain the First physical Destruction to the Alexandria Library was dealt by the troops of queen Zenobia during her attempt to reclaim the City in 272 AD. The Second Historic Occurrence to remove any remaining signs of the Library's existence was during the emperor Diocletian's siege of Alexandria in 297 AD.
 

What is the New Bibliotheca Alexandria?

Like a mighty phoenix rising from the Ashes the modern newly named Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The Library now Established at a Piece of Land handpicked by the Alexandria University Committee & WIth the support of many Prominent Egyptian Political figures such as the former president and the Support of the Unesco the New Library was inaugurated on the 16th of October 2002. Hosting an Expansive Collection of literature, Exhibits, manuscripts, antique & manuscript museum, and other Specialized Exhibits such as the Taha Hussein Library for the Visually Impaired

After all is Said and Done, the Coastal City of Alexandria is not Only a mesmerizing haven by the coast of the Mediterranean but the home of the Bibliotheca Alexandria, a beacon of enlightenment, Knowledge and betterment of mankind.