 Market in Girgā | ||
| Girgā · جرجا | ||
| Governorate | Sōhāg | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 102.597 (2006) | |
| height | 70 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Girga (also Girge (h), Jirja, Gerga, Arabic:جرجا, Ǧirǧā) is a city in egyptianGovernorateSōhāg, about 66 kilometers south of the city Sōhāg. The old city center of the former capital is located in a small space Upper Egypt several mosques from Ottoman times, which testify to the wealth and size of the city in the 18th century.
background
Location and population
The city of Girgā is located in the government of Sōhāg, about 66 kilometers south of Sōhāg and 16 kilometers south of Abydos. Today the city is located directly on the west bank of the Nile, but its course only shifted to the west in the 18th and 19th centuries. Previously, the run was about a kilometer or two to the east.
Cotton, grain, dates and sugar cane were and are grown in the vicinity of the city. The town has cotton mills and sugar refineries, and there is a dairy farm.
In 1986 71,564 people lived in the city, in 2006 102,597.[1]
Girgā is the bishopric of the Coptic Orthodox Church. It is believed that the name of the city derives from a now defunct monastery of St. Georg derives, which already existed before the Islamic city was founded.
history
The area around Girgā is steeped in history. One suspects here, probably in the neighboring village of el-Birba, the ancient Thinis (Θίνις, ancient Egyptian Tjeni). The ancient Egyptian king came from this place Menes, who is considered to be the unifier of ancient Egypt in the 1st dynasty.[2] However, there is no archaeological evidence of this residence. As evidence of the existence of Thinis, the graves on the west bank can be found e.g. Nagʿ ed-Deir and at Nagʿ el-Maschāyich apply, which were created from the early dynastic period to the Middle Kingdom.
This area was settled in the second half of the 14th century by Arabized Berbers from the Hawwāra tribe. The Arab historian el-Maqrīzī (1364–1442) recounts the city's beginnings as follows:
- “The Hawwara, who are in the province of el-Sa’îd, had el-Dhâhir Barcûc settle there after meeting Badr ben Sallâm, presumably in the year 782 [1380/1381 AD]. For he gave one of them, by the name of Isma’il ben Mâzin, the area of Jirdja, which was devastated; he rebuilt it and stayed there until ’Ali ben Garîb killed him. He was now followed by ’Omar ben’ Abd el-’Azîz, who administered the province until his death, whereupon his son Mohammed, who is usually called Abul-Sanûn, took his place. The latter extended his power and increased his possessions by growing more lands and setting up sugar mills and presses. After his death, his brother Yusuf ben Omar followed him. "[3]
About a monastery of St. Georg reported the Arab geographer Leo Africanus (around 1490 to after 1550):
- “Giorgia was a very rich and large Christian monastery called St. George, 6 miles from Munsia [Manschiya], it had many lands and pastures around it, and contained more than 200 monks. These, too, gave the strangers to eat and sent what they had left of their income to the patriarch at Kahira, who distributed it among poor Christians. But 100 years ago [around 1400] the plague came to Egypt and took away all the monks of this monastery. The lord of Munsia therefore had it surrounded with a wall and built houses in which merchants and all kinds of artists (726) settled; he himself, attracted by the grace of some beautiful gardens on the hills not far away, opened his apartment there. The Patriarch of the Jacobites [Copts] complained about this to the Sultan, who therefore had another monastery built where the old city was; and gave him so much income that 30 monks could leisurely receive from it. "[4]
The dominance of the Hawwāra over Upper Egypt only lasted two centuries. The city was conquered in 1576 under the Ottoman governor of Egypt, Sultan Chādim Massīh Pasha, and has been the seat of a governor for Upper Egypt ever since. The German Dominican and traveler Johann Michael Wansleben (1635–1679), who stayed in Egypt in 1672/1673, described the governors of Girgā as well as their appointment and their relationship with Cairo. "[5] Nonetheless, Girgā developed into one of the largest cities in Egypt during the Ottoman period.
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The English traveler and Anglican bishop Richard Pococke (1704–1765), who stayed in the Middle East from 1737 to 1741, also reported on the monastery of St. George and the local Franciscan monks:
- “We came to the poor little monastery of Girge on the eastern side under the rocks. The copts from Girge go to church here because they are not allowed a church in the city. Two miles farther we came west to Girge; this is the capital of Said or Upper Egypt. It is not more than a quarter of a mile from the river, and is probably two miles around it, is beautifully built, and where I am not mistaken, mostly made of baked bricks. The Sangiack, or governor of Upper Egypt, who is one of the Beys, resides here, and remains in this office for three or four years, depending on the Divan of Cairo, or the people here. I went to the monastery of the missionaries of the Franciscan order, who are considered to be doctors, but secretly have a church, and, as they tell me, about 150 converts. They are often in great danger; the soldiers are very rude, in that the most restless janissaries are always sent here from Cairo. This caused the missionaries to have to flee two or three times and their house was ransacked. "[7]
French artist and politician Vivant Denon (1747–1825), who came to Girga from Sohag as a participant in Napoleon's Egyptian expedition around December 30, 1797, was the first to formulate the assumption that the city's name derives from the monastery of St. Georg derived. He was also amazed that there was an abundance of food and that prices therefore remained stable:
- “Jirdsché, where we arrived at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, is the capital of Upper Egypt; it's a new city, without any oddities, just as big as Mynyeh and Melaui, less than Siouth, and not as pretty as all three. It takes its name from a large monastery, which is older than the city, and is dedicated to St. George, who is called Gerge in the local language; this monastery is still there and we found European monks in it. The Nile touches the buildings of Jirdsché, and tears down some of them every day; A bad harbor for barges could only be built at great expense. The city is therefore remarkable only for its location, which is equidistant from Cairo and Syene, and for its fertile soil. We found all groceries cheap: bread cost a sou (about 4 hellers) a pound; twelve eggs are worth 2; two pigeons 3; a goose of 15 pounds 12 sous. Was this out of poverty? No, out of abundance, because after three weeks, in which consumption had been increased by more than 5000 people, everything still had the same price. "[8]
At the time of the viceroy Muḥammad ʿAlī (Reign from 1805 to 1848) the provinces were redesigned in 1823/1824. In 1859, Girgā became the capital of this new province Sōhāg relocated.
getting there
By train
Girgā is on the railway line from Cairo to Aswan. The 1 Girgā railway station(26 ° 20 ′ 11 ″ N.31 ° 53 ′ 21 ″ E) is located in the west of the city. You have to walk about a kilometer to the old city center in the east.
By bus
In the street
The city is on the trunk road from Sōhāg to Qinā and Luxor.
By boat
In the field of 2 Car ferry dock(26 ° 21 '12 "N.31 ° 53 ′ 29 ″ E) There is a port on the east bank.
mobility
Due to the narrowness of the streets in the old town, it is advisable to walk.
Tourist Attractions
Islamic buildings from Ottoman times
Several mosques, a bath and a burial site are located in a confined space in the area of the covered bazaar in the east of the city. The distance to the train station is around 800 meters. All historical mosques were built in Ottoman times, around the 18th century (12th century AH), built.
The 1 el-Fuqarāʾ mosque(26 ° 20 ′ 10 ″ N.31 ° 53 ′ 45 ″ E), Arabic:مسجد الفقراء, Masǧid al-Fuqarāʾ, „Mosque of the poor", Or ez zibda mosque, Arabic:مسجد الزبدة, Masǧid al-Zibda / Zubda, „Butter mosque", Was written by Prince Sirāg (Arabic:الأمير سراج) Erected. It got its popular name from the neighboring market where butter was for sale. Prince Raiyān (Arabic:الأمير ريان) Left them in 1145 AH (1732/1733) remodel. Another reconstruction was carried out under Ḥasan Afandī bin Muḥammad Aghā al-Aschqar (Arabic:حسن أفندي بن محمد أغا الأشقر) In 1312 AH (1894/1895) executed.
The entrance leads to the interior of the mosque, the wooden ceiling of which rests on four rows of arcades. In the front area there is a light dome in the ceiling, one Sheikhah. The walls are almost undecorated. Below the ceiling there are windows with wooden ornamental grilles. Immediately in front of the prayer niche, the Mihrab, a chandelier hangs from the ceiling. The mosque does not have a minaret.
The 2 el-Mitwallī mosque(26 ° 20 ′ 7 ″ N.31 ° 53 '47 "E.), Arabic:مسجد المتولي, Masǧid al-Mitwallī, is a new building on the site of the former mosque. The associated four-part minaret is still the original from the Ottoman period. The interior of the mosque is simple. The space is divided by arcades. The prayer niche is decorated in color and there is a tape on the wall.
The 3 Sīdī Galāl Mosque(26 ° 20 ′ 6 ″ N.31 ° 53 ′ 46 ″ E), Arabic:مسجد سيدي جلال بك, Masǧid Sīdī Galāl Bek, became 1189 AH (around 1775/1776) built. The mosque was built from fired bricks, only the high entrance portal with its arches is made of limestone. A minaret belongs to the mosque. Windows were installed in two rows. The masonry was reinforced by wooden beams. In 2009 the mosque was restored by the Antiquities Service.
Near the aforementioned mosque is the 4 ʿUthmān-Bek Mosque(26 ° 20 ′ 7 ″ N.31 ° 53 ′ 44 ″ E), Arabic:جامع عثمان بك, Ǧāmiʿ ʿUthmān Bek. It also impresses with its high entrance portal and the portal and facade decoration. The interior is much simpler and more recent. The wooden ceiling rests on simple pillars. The walls are broken by windows in two rows. The green prayer niche is ornamented with Koran suras.
Three monuments date from the time of Governor ʿAlī-Bek: the mosque, his mausoleum and a bath.
The ʿAlī-Bek Mosque (Arabic:مسجد علي بك, Masǧid ʿAlī Bek) is now a completely new building. The three-aisled mosque has a narrow light dome in the central nave. The walls are white. The lettering and the prayer niche stand out in light and dark blue. Only the building inscription is a historical document and states the year of construction 1195 AH (1780/1781).
The ʿAlī-Bek bath (Arabic:حوام علي بك, Ḥammām ʿAlī Bek) is a classic steam bath. It is shabby, but still unchanged. The two most important rooms are the hot or sweat room with its dome with glass inserts and the umbilical stone and the relaxation room with a fountain in the middle of the room.
The Mausoleum of ʿAlī-Bek (Arabic:مقام علي بك, Maqām ʿAlī Bek) contains two important grave sites, namely the one for ʿAlī Bek ḏū al-Fiqār (Arabic:علي بك ذو الفقار) And before that for Aḥmad Muṣṭafā an-Nāṣir (Arabic:أحمد مصطفى الناصر). The top of the mausoleum is closed with a dome.
Probably the most unusual mosque is the so-called. 5 eṣ-Ṣīnī Mosque(26 ° 20 ′ 12 ″ N.31 ° 53 ′ 46 ″ E) or chinese mosque, Arabic:مسجد الصيني, Masǧid aṣ-Ṣīnī, „Chinese mosque". It got its name mainly because of its decoration with Chinese tiles inside the mosque. The mosque was built under Muḥammad Bek al-Faqārī (Arabic:محمد بك الفقاري) Erected. The year of construction is unknown. The builder became 1117 AH (1705/1706) governor, so that the building was probably built around 1150 AH (1737) took place. The mosque was built in 1202–1209 AH (1787 / 88–1794 / 95) restored.
The interior of the mosque is likely to be largely original. The wooden ceiling with a round light dome is supported by wooden supports. The side walls and the front wall including the prayer niche were covered with tiles that were nailed to the wall. The tiles, in shades of blue and green, have ornaments, including plant ornaments. A tripartite minaret with simple ornaments belongs to the mosque.
Churches
The largest churches in the city are the 6 Church of St. George(26 ° 20 ′ 14 ″ N.31 ° 53 ′ 31 ″ E) and the 7 Church of St. Markus(26 ° 20 ′ 3 ″ N.31 ° 53 ′ 36 ″ E).
Palace buildings
In the north of the city, near the banks of the Nile, there are several palaces from the first half of the 20th century.
shop
There is a large, partially covered market in the old town.
kitchen
accommodation
Accommodation is usually chosen in Sōhāg.
trips
The visit of the city can be completed with a visit to the monastery of the Archangel Michael in Nagʿ ed-Deir on the other side of the Nile or by visiting Abydos connect.
literature
- : Girgā. In:Lewis, Bernard (Ed.): The Encyclopaedia of Islam: Second Edition; Vol. 2: C - G. Suffer: Brill, 1965, ISBN 978-90-04-07026-4 , P. 1114.
Individual evidence
- ↑Egypt: Governorates & Major Cities, accessed March 10, 2013.
- ↑: Thinis. In:Helck, Wolfgang; Westendorf, Wolfhart (Ed.): Lexicon of Egyptology; Vol. 6: Stele - cypress. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1985, ISBN 978-3-447-02663-5 , Col. 475-486.
- ↑: El-Macrizi’s treatise on the Arab tribes who immigrated to Egypt. Goettingen: Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, 1847, P. 77 f.
- ↑: Johann Leo’s des Africaners description of Africa; First volume: which contains the translation of the text. Herborn: High school bookstore, 1805, Library of the most excellent travelogues from earlier times; 1, P. 550.
- ↑: Nouvélle Relation En forme de Iournal, D’Vn Voyage Fait En Egypte: En 1672. & 1673. Paris: Estienne Michallet, 1677, Pp. 21-25.
- ↑: A thousand miles up the Nile. London: Longmans, Green, & Co., 1877, Pp. 166-167 (in between). Woodcut by George Pearson (1850–1910).
- ↑: D. Richard Pococke’s description of the Orient and some other countries; Part 1: From Egypt. gain: Walther, 1771 (2nd edition), P. 123 f.
- ↑: Vivant Denon’s trip to Lower and Upper Egypt, during the campaigns of General Bonaparte. Berlin: Voss, 1803, New magazine of strange travelogues; 1, P. 158 f.
