In
the eastern quarter of the ancient city
of Alexandria, overlooking the Mediterranean
Sea, lies the Chatby (or al-Shatby) necropolis.
This private Ptolemaic cemetery dates to
the 4th century BC, and is considered to
be the oldest in the city, belonging to
the first Alexandrian families. Though
the Chatby tombs are now above ground
in the open air, they were once underground
burial vaults. Visitors to the necropolis
must descend a number of steps to reach
the lower level of sandy ground where
the
tombs now stand.
The
complex is surrounded by a garden pathway
of flowers, shrubbery,
and simple statuary, including the
remnants of Greco-Roman funerary monuments.
The
tombs themselves are of modest size,
and distinctly Hellenistic in style.
Each one is modeled
after a typical ancient Greek house,
with a doorway that opens into a corridor
and
two chambers.
HOURS OF
OPERATION:
Daily, 9 AM - 5
PM
TICKET COST:
Egyptian:
2 LE
Foreign: 15 LE
LOCATION:
Sharia Port Said, Chatby, Alexandria
DIRECTIONS:
BY BUS or TRAIN: Buses and trains run regularly
from Cairo and surrounding major cities
to Alexandria. From within Alexandria,
take the bus #218 from Midan Ramla.
BY
TAXI: From within Alexandria, ask for “al-shatby.”
PHOTOGRAPHY
IS NOT ALLOWED IN THE TOMBS. |