The second largest city and the main port of Egypt, Alexandria was built by the Greek architect Democrats (332-331 BC) on the site of an old village, Rhakotis, at the orders of Alexander the Great.
The city, immortalizing Alexander's name, quickly flourished into a prominent cultural, intellectual, political, and economic metropolis, the remains of which are still evident to this day.

It was the renowned capital of the Ptolemies, with numerous monuments. It was the site of the Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, as well as the Great Library. It was along these shores that history took a tragic turn at the time of Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Octavian.

Alexandria lays north-west of the Nile delta and stretches along a narrow land strip between the
Mediterranean Sea and Lake Mariut (Mareotis). It is linked to Cairo by two major highways and a railroad line. It is one of the most notable summer resorts in the Middle East, for, in addition to its temperate winters, its beaches, with white sands and magnificent scenery, stretch for 140 km along the Mediterranean Sea, from Abu Qir, in the east to Al-Alamein and Sidi Abdul
Rahman, in the west.

Lighthouse
Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only one had a practical use in addition to its architectural elegance: The Lighthouse of Alexandria. For sailors, it ensured a safe return to
the Great Harbor. For architects, it meant even more: it was the tallest building on Earth. And for scientists, it was the mysterious mirror that fascinated them most... The mirror which reflection could be seen more than 50 km (35 miles) off-shore.


Great Library

Historical Dimention

The international community has taken the first step towards effacing the disaster caused by the fire that burned down the old library, more than 1600 years ago, by supporting the Revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandrina Project.

At the meeting point of the three continents, Asia, Africa and Europe, Egypt has been the cradle of civilizations since ancient times. After more than 4000 years of development of the Pharaonic culture, the Greek dynasties, begun with the Ptolemies, made it possible for Alexandria to be the world's intellectual and commercial capital and metropolis. The Library they built there, in the fourth century BC, became the world's first university with its college scholars including such famous names as Euclid, Erastosthenes, Heron and Archimedes, to name but a few.

The great library, which also served as a publishing house, was built at the side of the museum. Anticipating our modern libraries in the way it was run, it had a catalogue of all the works it possessed - 700,000 of listed and classified manuscripts already in the third century BC- and enjoyed "legal deposit rights", thereby, being entitled to make a copy of every book
that entered the country.

Objectives
The revival of the Ancient Library of Alexandria Project aims at building a universal modern public library to be a center of culture, science and academic research.
The library is to provide both the national and international communities of scholars and researchers with unique collections and facilities focusing on Alexandrian, Egyptian, ancient and medieval civilizations as well as on contemporary disciplines. The Library will also have valuable collections of science and technology resource materials to help the socio-economic and cultural development studies on Egypt and the region.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina will sponsor intensive studies on the historical, and contemporary cultural heritage of the region

Location
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina lies alongside the University of Alexandria Faculty of Arts campus, in Shatby, and overlooks the Mediterranean Sea along a substantial portion of its northern frontage.

At Selsela, it is almost the same site of the ancient library-museum complex within the Royal Quarter, in the district then known as the Brocheum, where a few remains of the Graceo-Roman civilization were recently uncovered and later will be displayed in the Library museum.

At the panoramic vista across the circular Eastern Port stands diametrically and serenely the old Mameluke Citadel of Qait Bey, built in 1480 on the site of the famous Pharos Lighthouse.

Design of the New Building
The design concept is a simple circle inclined towards the sea, partly submerged in a pool of water, the image of the Egyptian sun, that in contemporary terms will illuminate the world and human civilization. Moreover, an inclined roof allows indirect daylight and a clear view of the sea. Designed as an arrow, an elevated passageway links the University of Alexandria to the Corniche. The building is surrounded by a wall clad with Aswan granite engraved with calligraphic letters and representative inscriptions from the world civilizations.
This timely conceptualization symbolizes a unique form cum fiction which combines the heritage of the region with the intended revival of cultural radiance to reach the corners of the universe.

Facts and Figures
The cost of this ambitious international project is estimated at US $172 million. This does not include the cost of the land, the Conference Center, the Consultant fees and GOAL's budget that were donated by the Government of Egypt and are worth US $182 million.
The Library construction cost is estimated at US $121 million, while both book collections and periodicals are expected to cost about US $31 million and the cost of equipment about US $20 million.