Abu Qir

Aboukir (also Abū Qīr or Aboukir, Arabic أبو قير, the old Canopus ) is a port city about 20 kilometers north-east of Alexandria on a promontory on the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt.

Attractions

Near the port city are a series of ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman ruins. Of particular note are the three kilometers southeast of the city situated ruins from the time of the city of Canopus. Six kilometers from the coast discovered Franck Goddio and his team in 2001 in ten feet of water remained of the ancient Egyptian commercial port of Herakleion.

History

In the early fifth century Cyril of Alexandria in Menouthis to built a church and have transferred the relics of the two saints Cyrus and John here ( so Sophronios ). Probably the healing shrine at the end of the 5th century, was established after the destruction of the temple to Isis under Petros Mongos ( 484 ) with the relics of the two martyrs but Diocletian. The site became a major pilgrimage site and was named after St. Cyrus Abu Qir (father Cyrus ).

On August 1, 1798 was before the city the important Battle of the Nile between the British and French held: The French fleet, which had ferried army Napoleon's expedition to Egypt was made ​​here by the British fleet under the command of Horatio Nelson and defeated.

On July 25, 1799 battle between the French expeditionary army and Turkish troops took place here, the Battle of Aboukir. After completion of the Syrian campaign landed a Turkish army of 18,000 men under Mustapha Pasha of the Nile and took root here. Shortly thereafter, Bonaparte hastened with 5,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry and defeated the Turks decisively. On August 2, the fort of Aboukir again fell into French hands. On March 8, 1801, British troops landed on the beach of the Nile ( 17,000 men) under the command of Ralph Abercromby, conquered the fort and defeated on 21 March the French under Menou in Alexandria.