Sohag

Government

Sohag (Arabic سوهاج ) also Sawhāj, Suhag or Suhaj is a town in Egypt on the west bank of the Nile. It has a population estimated in 2010 at about 209,000. Since 1960 it is the capital of the province of the same name.

Geography

Sohag lies on the west bank of the Nile River in a fertile agricultural landscape, about 6 km southwest of Akhmim. Also two islands uninhabited Karaman -ez- Zahur and although small but populated Gazirat ez- Zahur ( Ǧazīrat az- Zuhur, " flower island " ) are parts of the local area. Therefore Sohag is named " Bride of the Nile ".

History

The history of the place is largely unknown, some mummies were found from the period of Roman rule. At the time of the Copts, a monastic community lived in the so-called "White Monastery ". This place was then up to the 19th century only an insignificant village, was moved only when the Gouvernementshauptstadt of Girga, Sohag received its present name.

On April 10, the National Day of the government is committed here, in memory of the Battle of Johaina, where in 1799 Egyptian troops defeated a French army of the Egyptian expedition of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Economy

Since there are only a few archaeologically significant sites in Sohag, tourism accounts for only a small part of the economic revenue of the city. Trade, small-scale industries ( carpet weavers, furniture manufacturing, spinning, weaving and sugar production), as well as the provincial government and a university provide for population growth and income. Between 1976 and 2010 the population grew from 101 758 to 209 419.

Remarkable buildings

• Sidi Arif Mosque ( Masjid al - ʿ Arif bi -Allah ) in the south of the urban area, built in the 14th century.
• El- Farshuti Mosque ( Jām ʿ i al - Farschūṭī ), also el-' Atiq (the " Old " ) called, near the Sidi Arif Mosque. Modern building with a 53 -meter high minaret, in the facade of some font stones from the old building are available, including a decree of the Mamluk Sultan al - Ghuri ( 1441-1516 ) from the year 1506.
• Church of the Holy Virgin ( curing material as- Saiyida al - ʿ Adra ʾ ) north of the bazaar ( souq Qaiṣarīya ), built in the 20th century. The church has five ships and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, has side chapels of Saint George and the Archangel Michael.
• Church of Saint George ( Mar Girgis curing material ), the cathedral of the Eparchy of Sohag, near the Opera ( Midan Obira ), also from the 20th century.
• Church of Archangel Michael in the Bahnhofstrasse (El Mahatta ).
• The Coptic White Monastery, dedicated to Saint Shenoute of Atripe, 5 km west from the city. The name derives from the white limestone of the building. Today, only the church is more, as remains of the once great monastery.
• The Coptic Orthodox Red Monastery, dedicated to the Egyptian saints Pishay, 5 km north of the city. The name comes from the red baked bricks of the outer wall.
• Temple of the Goddess répit, built by Ptolemy XV. Caesarion on an earlier temple of Ptolemy IX .. Nearby is the grave of brothers Ibpemeny and Pemehyt from the late 2nd century BC with two Zodiak frescoes on the ceiling.
• The Sohag Museum has a collection of 5,000 artefacts from the entire governorate of Sohag, covering the period from the Middle Kingdom to the Greco-Roman period.

Gallery

Gazirat ez- Zahur

Midan Corniche with the Town Hall

Sidi Arif Mosque

El- Farshuti Mosque

Church of the Holy Virgin

White Monastery

Spolia ( Pharaohs ) at the White Monastery