Alexandria, the Pearl of the Mediterranean, lies 225 kilometers from Cairo and hosts two major football stadiums. The second largest city and the main port of Egypt was built by the Greek architect Dinocrates (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.
Alexandria Stadium Facade
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 Stadium Facade
Alexandria lies 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.
Alexandria Stadium South Stand
Alexandria is home to Estad Eskanderia, the oldest and finest stadium in the country, its tenants the extremely popular local club Itthad, meaning ‘Union’. The ground was originally built at the beginning of the 20th century to accommodate the Mediterranean Games, which never materialised at the time, and hosted first round matches in the 1986 Nations Cup.
Alexandria Stadium South Stand
Alexandria Stadium South Sand
Claustrophobically set in the Hay Charg district of the city, its turnstiles boasts mahogany and oak wood panel doors with the stands resembling any archetype Greek Olympic Stadium, calling for Chariots of Fire, Ben Hur and classic football drama. Its seating capacity is 19,676, the majority taking up at each home game of Itthad. Walking around Estad Eskanderia one feels one is about to enter an old Greek theatre with the quaintest of stands reminiscing romantic remnants from British horse racing tracks. One actually does.
Alexandria Stadium Turnstiles
Alexandria Stadium Main Stand
Alexandria Stadium Main Stand
Alexandria Stadium Floodlights
Alexandria Stadium Panorama
The Alexandria Stadium for once reflected the proverbial local hospitality, symbolized by the magnificent grandeur of the stadium manager’s office:
Alexandria Stadium Boardroom
