Qalyub Travel Guide
Alyub (often referred to as Kalyub) is a town located in the Al Qalyubiyah governorate at the tip of the Nile River delta in Lower Egypt. The town lies to the north of the metropolitan area of Cairo. The town lies close to the east bank of the Nile and the Nile Delta Barrage, which is responsible for dividing the waters of the Nile into two major branches, namely the Rosetta and Damietta branches.
Overview of Qalyub
Qalyub is popular as a commercial center and has a vast agricultural area. Also, the famous printing press for the Al-Ahram newspaper is located here, which is touted to be constructed from the housing material obtained from ancient Heliopolis just a few miles away. The population of Qalyub is about 106,804 according to the most recently available statistics. On February 13, 2005, the town saw a political strike that occurred due to the controversial part of the privatization and benefits of the Qalyub Spinning Company.
History of Qalyub
Constructed from the ruins of the modern-day Misr al-Jadidah, the earliest mention of Qalyub can be found in 641 CE, one year after Amr ibn al-As, the Arab conqueror constructed a bridge across the canal to help in the subjugation of the towns in Misr Province. Three years after the Napoleonic forces withdrew from Qalyub i.e. in 1804-1805, the town saw depredation by the soldiers of Mamluk Sultans. In the mid-19th century, Qalyub lost its status of being the capital city of Banha.
Famous Towns Near Qalyub
Some popular cities, towns, and areas near Qalyub include: Cairo
- Giza
- Shubra El Kheima
- Gizeh
- Banha
- Zagazig
- Mit Ghamr
- Tala
- Hiya
- And many more
Sightseeing In And Around Qalyub
Visiting Qalyub allows exploring many other exciting destinations like Tel Aviv, Tyre, Gaza, Beersheba, Haifa, Al Fayyum, Madinat as Sa'adah, Masakin al Farnawani al Qadimah, Masakin al Akhshab wa ash Shay, Ash Sharqawiyah al Qadimah, Ard al Junaynah, and Masakin Shirkat Al Nasr lil Masbukat. Some other places that can be visited while on a tour of Qalyub are
The modern town of Qalyub also manages to preserve some ancient mosques. The most renowned is the Great Mosque, renovated in 1735-36. The place is well connected to the Cairo-Alexandria highway and is a railway junction for many lines crossing the delta. The major industries in this town include the silk-weaving and cotton industries.
Reaching Qalyub
Reaching Qalyub is very easy due to its close proximity to many international airports, the closest being Cairo International Airport which is located in Cairo and is just 35 km from the place. Other airports from which Qalyub can be reached within a few hours’ drive are Alexandria International Airport, which is 203 km away, and Borg El Arab International Airport in Borg Al Arab which is 225 km away from Qalyub.
More About Qalyub
Qalyub made the news in 2006 due to the rail crash which occurred here in the August of 2006 but it is a nice place to visit with many beautiful attractions and nearby tourist destinations.
