Alexandria: top religious tourism destination

CAIRO – 19 November 2017: Alexandria is popular for its beaches, sea and weather, but it is also considered by many to be a spectacular destination for religious tourism.

Alexandria houses many Coptic and Islamic tourist destinations. Here are a few of the city’s top destinations:

1 – Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque:


Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque in Alexandria – Wikimedia website – undated

One of the oldest mosques in Alexandria. It is popular for its unique domes and Islamic architecture, attracting tourists from all over the world.

This mosque was the center of many religious events, like the mawlid (birth celebration) of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, during which guests, especially Sufi Muslims, came to participate in “Dhikr” (remembrance) circles. Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque, the center of formal religious events, is under the purview of the Ministry of Religious Endowments and operates under the presence of government officials.

2- Citadel of Qaitbay in Alexandria


Citadel of Qaitbay – Wikimedia website – undated

Built in western Alexandria during the 14th century to defend the city from the advancing Ottoman Empire, the largest stone of the citadel forms the doorway of its entrance and is decorated with red granite.

Over time, the Citadel of Qaitbay served many military functions. Today, it houses a naval museum that makes the citadel worth visiting.

The citadel is surrounded by a peninsula that is always crowded with locals and tourists enjoying the sea view, restaurants and shops on the pier.

3- Monastery of Saint Mina


Monastery of Saint Mina – Monastery of Saint Mina official website – undated

Monastery of Saint Mina, a Coptic orthodox church in Alexandria, is dedicated to Saint Minas – a young Egyptian man from a large family who left the army to live in the desert and fulfill the Lord’s blessings. After a turbulent life, Saint Minas died a martyr in the same location where the monastery stands today – situated in the Western Desert near Alexandria.

The monastery offers food – a plate of beans – to everyone that visits. The monastery also has a gift shop that offers you the chance to take a souvenir home as a remembrance of this sacred place where people have come to pray for over 1,000 years.