Downtown DistrictAlexandria Governorate
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Arts & cultureBibliotheca Alexandrina

Arts & cultureContemporary Alexandria

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

On the Shatby waterfront, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina carries the city’s tradition of learning into a contemporary setting for reading, museums and the arts.

Contemporary Alexandria
2002
Opening hours
Sun–Thu 10:00–19:00 (Main Library); museums, tours and planetarium 9:30–17:00; closed Friday; limited Saturday hours (10:00–14:00)
Tickets
Discounted student entry; separate tickets for museums and the planetarium
Administrative section
Bab Sharqi — El Shatby
Open in maps(External link)Its place in time

Image credits

What sets it apart

A 160-metre tilted disc facing the sea, wrapped in grey Aswan granite carved with letters and signs from most of the world’s known writing systems.

8 documented memories

Its place in time

Contemporary Alexandria · 1950 – today

An age of discovery and rediscovery: the Roman theatre was uncovered by chance in 1964, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina returned to the city’s shore in 2002.

  1. Fouad Street — the Canopic Way331 BC — the Canopic Way
  2. Roman Theatre at Kom El DikkaRoman era, most likely 4th century — uncovered in 1964
  3. Shallalat GardensOn the line of the 9th-century wall, under Ibn Tulun
  4. Remains of the Alexandria City Wall9th century — under Ibn Tulun
  5. Misr Railway StationThe railway from the 1850s — present building 1927
  6. Mahatet El Raml & Saad Zaghloul SquareFrom 1863 — the Ramleh line’s terminus
  7. The Alexandria Tram1863
  8. Eliyahu Hanavi SynagogueRebuilt in the 19th century — foundation plaque dated 1881
  9. Graeco-Roman Museum1892
  10. The Statue of Nubar PashaUnveiled in 1904, according to a museum record
  11. The Windsor Palace Hotel1906, by the hotel’s own account
  12. Cavafy MuseumCavafy’s home from 1907 to 1933
  13. The Lycée Al-Horreya1909–1910 — the Shatby building from 1913
  14. Sayed Darwish Theatre — Alexandria Opera House1921 — the Mohamed Ali Theatre
  15. Alexandria National MuseumLate-1920s palace — museum since 2003
  16. The Cecil Hotel1929
  17. Museum of Fine Arts1954
  18. Bibliotheca Alexandrina2002
  • Ancient Alexandria331 BC – 7th century AD
  • The Islamic centuries7th century – 1805
  • The Mohamed Ali revival1805 – 1860
  • The cosmopolitan city1860 – 1950
  • Contemporary Alexandria1950 – today
The Museum of Fine Arts building in the Moharram Bey quarter
Before it in timeMuseum of Fine Arts1954

Highlights

  • 1The terraced reading room
  • 2The inscribed granite façade
  • 3Antiquities and Manuscripts museums
  • 4The planetarium

The story

  1. Opened in 2002 to a design by the Norwegian practice Snøhetta, the building is a tilted disc facing the sea; its architects drew on the image of the sun and the moon emerging from the horizon. Its granite wall carries letters and signs from most of the world’s known writing systems.

  2. Inside is an open reading room on cascading terraces, plus four museums (Antiquities, Manuscripts, Sadat and History of Science), a planetarium, and permanent and temporary exhibition halls.

  3. Books, exhibitions and cultural events share this setting. To plan a visit, check the library’s programme and the hours for each museum or activity separately.

  • The terraced reading room of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, its columns and raked roof
    The terraced reading room of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, its columns and raked roof

Memories of the place

Every memory is taken from a published, documented source.

  1. November 1972

    The idea of reviving the library was born in a public lecture by the historian Mostafa El-Abbadi at the Alexandria University teaching staff club.

  2. 1974

    Alexandria University began its campaign to rebuild the ancient library and chose the present site, which is believed to be close to the original location.

  3. 1988–1989

    An international design competition, organised by the Egyptian government with UNESCO’s support, received 524 entries; in September 1989 the young Norwegian practice Snøhetta was announced the winner.

  4. 1990

    At the Aswan conference, Arab countries donated US$65 million to the project, whose total cost was US$219 million.

  5. 15 May 1995Sources differ on this date

    The first phase of construction, the foundations, began; it was completed on 31 December 1996.

  6. 16 October 2002

    The Bibliotheca Alexandrina was officially inaugurated in the presence of heads of state and eminent politicians and scholars.

  7. 2017

    Moustafa Elfeki succeeded the founding director, Ismail Serageldin, and directed the library until 2022.

  8. August 2022

    Ahmed Abdullah Zayed was appointed director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Around it

© OpenStreetMap

Nearby landmarks

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