Port Said is one of the three cities on the Suez Canal, together with Ismailia and Suez. It was established in 1860 and was initially known as "the General City of the Canal."
The history of Port Said has always been associated with the history of the whole nation of Egypt; the city's people were constantly reacting towards national events. This fact is reflected in the tripartite aggression of France, Britain, and Israel on the city of Port Said and how the city's inhabitants protected it bravely against the armies and the forces of these countries. At the beginning of 1976, Port Said was declared a free tax zone, attracting many tourists. Many large tourist ships visit Portsaid to spend a day in the city before going on their journey to other ports of the Mediterranean Sea.
Port Said's Location
Port Said is located on the Northern edge of the Suez Canal with the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the governorate of Ismailia to its south, the area of North Sinai to the East, and the governorate of Damietta to its West. The geographical location of Port Said has always played a significant role in the history of the city and the whole region, as it is located at the intersection of the trading routes between the East and the West.
Surface Area And Climate of Port Said
The surface area of Portsaid is estimated to be 1,350 square kilometers, and the city consists mainly of five large neighborhoods: Port Fouad, El Shareq, El Arab, El Dawahy, and El Zohour, established late in the year 2000. The climate of Port Said, the same as many cities and ports situated on the Mediterranean Sea, is moderate all year long, but it might get a little cold and rainy in the winter.
The Old Lighthouse Of Port Said
The Old Lighthouse of Port Said is among the city's most important attractions as it was among the first buildings to be constructed with concrete in the world. The lighthouse was built in 1869 in the reign of Khedive Ismail to guide ships passing through the Suez Canal, which was opened in the same year. The Old Lighthouse of Port Said has an octagonal shape and a height of 56 meters. The lighthouse has a large ball at its top that was used to determine the wind's power and direction.
The Military Museum Of Port Said
The Port Said Museum was opened to the public in 1964, eight years after the December 23, 1956, victory of the people and army of Port Said over the invading armies of Israel, Britain, and France.
The surface area of the Port Said Museum is 7,500 square meters, and it is located about 300 meters away from the Shohada' or the Martyrs Square and the main administration building of the governorate of Port Said. The Port Said National Museum is a one-floor building, and it hosts some of the spoils the Egyptian forces gathered from Israelis in the War of October 6. The Port Said Museum also hosts an extensive collection of military tools, equipment, Israeli tanks, canons, guns, and parts and sections of military aircraft.
The Museum is divided into three halls. The first hall is called the "All Time" hall, and it includes different types and forms of weapons and military equipment that date back to ancient Egypt and the Pharaonic times. The item that catches the eyes of the visitor as soon as he enters the second half of Port Said is the various displays of things from the Tripartite Aggression on Portsaid after the former Egyptian president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, declared the nationalization of the Suez Canal.
The first item the guests view in the Tripartite Aggression on Portsaid hall is the front page of Al Ahram newspaper number 25437, dated July 27, 1956. The front page headline reads, "The president announces, in the name of the nation, that we have regained our money and rights."
The Rest of the front page of Al Ahram covers the news of the nationalization of the Suez Canal and the forming of the Board of Directors of the Authority of the Suez Canal. The next item located in this hall is a plate announcing the presidential decree of nationalizing the Suez Canal and other plates from France and Britain to the Egyptian and Israeli forces to stop their fighting and clashes.
On the right-hand side of the hall, there is a diorama of the battles of resistance of the people of Portsaid in the area of Al Gmail. There is a model of the speech of President Mohamed Abdel Nasser in El Azhar Mosque; some colored portrays of some scenes of the battle, and then at the end, some of the belongings of the British officer Meir House, like his pistol, cap, camera, watch, and pipe. Above this collection of Meir House is a portrait representing the scene of how Meir House was kidnapped, then some weapons and equipment, and a photo of the former governor of Portsaid as he was one of the champions of this battle.
In the middle of this hall is a miniature model of El Borlos' naval battle and photos of some martyrs who died. Some examples of publications were spread to encourage the people to revolt against the British occupation.
The National Museum Of Port Said
The National Museum of Port Said is situated in a distinctive location at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The Museum hosts more than 9,000 displays dating back to the Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Coptic, and Islamic periods of Egyptian history.
23 July Street and Palestine Street, in front of the Ferdinand de Lesseps tourist path, was established over a surface area of around 13000 square meters.
The Museum was founded in 1963, and the construction work was halted from 1967 until 1973 because of the series of wars Egypt had with Israel. The Museum was even hit with two military missiles in 1967. Eventually, the Museum was opened for public visits in 1986.
The Museum originally consisted of a large museum garden and a two-floor building displaying many displays dating back to Egyptian history. Since the re-opening of the Museum in 1986, many people from all over Egypt have visited the Museum to see its remarkable, exciting displays. However, unfortunately, the Museum is no longer open.
The Crisis Of The National Museum Of Port Said
The crisis of the National Museum of Port Said started when many cracks and fissures appeared on the walls of the building of the Museum, which threatened the safety of the displays beginning in the 2000s. Although it was restored three times with a budget of 75 million Egyptian pounds, the experts noted that rebuilding the Museum from the beginning would be a better idea. This was why the Museum was destroyed in 2009, and the displays were all in storage rooms. Unfortunately, the construction work on the new Museum has not begun since that date.
The officials of the governorate of Port Said have denied rumors that the land where the new National Museum of Portsaid was sold to some investors, but until today, the building work still needs to be started. Officials of Port Said have demanded that the Museum be rebuilt quickly to be added to the few other tourist attractions of the city, like the military Museum. They have added that the closure of the National Museum of Port Said is a disaster for the local economy, especially considering its marvelous location near the city's port, which welcomes thousands of tourists weekly.
The Suez Canal Authority Building4
The Suez Canal Authority Building is one of the most important historical buildings in Port Said. It was constructed in 1895 and was used as the headquarters of the Suez Canal in the city of Port Said to monitor the ships' traffic through the canal.
The building was bought by the British authorities during World War I to become the base of the British army in the Middle East before the British occupation left Egypt in 1956.
Hours Of Operation
Sat-Thurs: 9 AM-4 PM
(sometimes closed at lunch)
Fri: 9-11 AM, 1-4 PM
Ticket Cost
Foreign: LE 12 - and there is a 50% reduction for the holders of International Student ID cards.
Location
Corner of Palestine St. and 23 July St., Port Said.
View Larger Map
Directions
By Taxi: ask for "met-haf Por-said."
Contact: Phone: (066) 237 419 or phone: (064) 322749
No flash photography allowed
