Alexandria

Imagine feeling the warm sun on your stones and the cool Mediterranean Sea splashing at your feet. For thousands of years, I have watched ships with big white sails glide across the blue water to visit me. I am a city born from a dream, a place where the desert sands of Egypt meet the sparkling sea. A brave young king imagined me long ago, a special place where people from all over the world could come together. I am the city of Alexandria.

My story began a very, very long time ago with a famous king named Alexander the Great. In the year 331 BCE, he stood right here on this coast and decided this was the perfect spot for his new city. He dreamed of a place where people could trade goods like spices and silk, but more importantly, where they could share stories and ideas. To make that dream come true, my people built two of the greatest wonders the world has ever seen. The first was the Great Library, built around the 3rd century BCE. It wasn't like libraries today with printed books. Instead, it was filled with thousands and thousands of scrolls, which were like rolled-up paper with handwritten stories, poems, and amazing discoveries about the stars and the world. Scholars and thinkers came from everywhere just to read them. To help all the ships find my busy harbor, my people also built the giant Lighthouse of Alexandria around 280 BCE. It was one of the tallest buildings in the ancient world, and at its very top, a huge fire burned day and night. Its light was so bright it could be seen from far out at sea, like a friendly star guiding sailors safely home.

Many years have passed since then. My giant lighthouse is no longer standing, and the thousands of scrolls from my Great Library are gone. But my story didn’t end there. The dream of being a place for learning and sharing never faded. In fact, it shines brighter than ever. On October 16th, 2002, a beautiful new library called the Bibliotheca Alexandrina opened its doors to the world. It is a modern wonder, shaped like a giant sun rising from the earth, and it is filled with books and computers for everyone to use. Today, I am still a busy city where people from all different countries come to learn, to share their own stories, and to dream big dreams, just like Alexander the Great did so long ago. My light of knowledge continues to shine for everyone.