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El Montazah I District
El Montazah I District

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Places of worshipThe Islamic centuries

Sidi Bishr Mosque

A mosque attributed to the Sufi Sheikh Bishr al-Gawhari, renewed under Khedive Abbas Helmi II and enlarged fourfold in 1945.
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The Sidi Bishr Mosque, with its two green domes and crenellated walls, and the steps rising to its entrance above the street

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The story

What sets it apart

Two green domes and a minaret above crenellated walls, and steps climbing from the street to the door.

  • 1The two green domes and the minaret
  • 2The crenellated walls
  • 3The steps up to the entrance
  • 4The square and garden in front

The Sidi Bishr Mosque is attributed to Sheikh Bishr ibn al-Hussein ibn Mohamed ibn Obeid Allah ibn al-Hussein ibn Bishr al-Gawhari, an ascetic Sufi who withdrew from the world, according to the State Information Service. The district’s table of religious and archaeological sites dates the mosque to the 19th century.

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It was renewed under Khedive Abbas II, when a railway line was extended to the area, and enlarged in 1945 to four times its former area. Its façades were restored and the square in front of it improved by a private company owned by a Coptic businessman, as an expression of the tolerance and national unity Alexandria is known for.

The mosque stands on the street named after it, which the district’s boundary document makes the line between the shiakhas of El Seyouf Bahari and Sidi Bishr Bahari. A small garden the district calls “Ramada Garden” faces it.

The Islamic centuries7th century – 1860

Its place in time

  1. Before itBir MasoudThe Greek era, as archaeologists suggest
  2. This landmarkSidi Bishr Mosque19th century, enlarged in 1945
  3. After itSidi Bishr BeachA postcard of 1910

On the timeline of all the landmarks

Memories of the place

Every memory is taken from a published, documented source, named under it.

  1. 19th century

    The district’s table of religious and archaeological sites lists the Sidi Bishr Mosque on the street named after it, and dates it to the 19th century.

    Source: El Montazah I District: «جولة سياحية» table of archaeological, religious and beach sites (29 Jan 2023)

The other memories 2

  1. Under Khedive Abbas Helmi II

    The mosque was renewed under Khedive Abbas II, when a railway line was extended to the area.

    Source: State Information Service: «مدينة الإسكندرية» (Alexandria), the mosque of Sidi Bishr

  2. 1945

    The mosque was enlarged to four times its former area.

    Source: State Information Service: «مدينة الإسكندرية» (Alexandria), the mosque of Sidi Bishr

Around it

  • This landmark
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Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Nearby landmarks

Distances are as the crow flies, and approximate.