Zaqāzīq - Zaqāzīq

El-Fath Mosque in ez-Zaqāzīq
ez-Zaqāzīq · ‏الزقازيق‎
GovernorateSharqiyah
Residents
302.840 (2006)
height
16 m
no tourist info on Wikidata: Add tourist information
location
Location map of the Nile Delta in Egypt
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Zaqāzīq

Ez-Zaqaziq, often too Zagazig written (also el-Zakazik, Arabic:الزقازيق‎, az-Zaqāzīq, in the Cairo dialect iz-zäʾäzīʾ, in the local dialect iz-Zägäzīg spoken), is the capital of the egyptian Governorates al-Sharqiyah in the eastern Nile Delta on the Tanitic arm of the Nile (at the confluence of the Tur'at al-Suways al-Chulwa [freshwater canal] and Tur'at al-Mu'izz) irrigation canals, about 77 km northeast of Cairo. In 2006 about 303,000 people lived in the city.[1] In the southeast of the city is the excavation area of ​​the ancient Egyptian city Bubastis, Next Tanis the most important archaeological site of the 22nd ancient Egyptian dynasty, the Bubastid dynasty.

background

city

The city only founded in 1830 Ez-Zaqāzīq is an important administrative center and at the same time the most important university town in Nile Delta. The economic basis is the grain and cotton trade.

Ancient Egyptian history

See also:Tell Basṭa

But ez-Zaqāzīq is famous because of the ancient Egyptian city Per-Bast (et), the "house / domain of the (goddess) Bastet", Greek Bubastis or in the Old Testament Pi-beseth (Pi-Beset, Pibe’seth, Ezekiel 30:17), whose most important parts are on the Tell Basta (Arabic:تل بسطاء‎, Tall Basṭāʾ orتل بسطة‎, Tall Basṭa) are located in the southeast of the city of ez-Zaqāzīq. Originally about 200 ha in size, today about 75 ha are accessible on the excavation area (north-south extent approx. 1500 m, east-west extent approx. 500 m). In Pharaonic times the city was part of the 13th Lower Egyptian or Heliopolitan Gaus. In the late period this Gau was subdivided, Bubastis is now the capital of the 18th Upper Egyptian Gau. During the entire Pharaonic period, Bubastis is the most important Cult place of the cat-shaped goddess Bastet. In addition to the Bastet, the gods Atum and their sons Mahes, Horhekenu are also worshiped here.

The city was since the 1st – 2nd Dynasty settled until the end of the Roman period and until the Arab conquest (after 642); this can be seen particularly in the graves of residents and officials. It reached its first climax with the increase in importance of the goddess Bastet in the 4th dynasty, at the end of the 6th dynasty it was the most important city in the Nile Delta: Teti and Phiops I build their Ka chapels here.

In the Middle Kingdom there is a resumption of construction activities. Although Bubastis is not a district capital, it is still a religious center. There are testimonies of a Bastet cult under Amenemhet I, Sesostris I and Sesostris III, under the latter king a new Bastet temple was built. The testimonies from the New Kingdom are incomplete, only Amenophis III. erected a small temple, civil servants like the two viceroys of Kush, Hori II. and his son Hori III., built their graves here.

Bubastis reaches its bloom among the Bubastids, 22nd Dynasty, as the seat of the ruling family and probably the Egyptian capital of this dynasty. Under Osorkon I, a columned hall is built in the temple of Bastet, the temple is extended by a portico with Hathor columns and a pylon and a new decoration is attached to the temple; the Atum / Thoth temple outside the actual temple area is also attributed to him. Osorkon II expanded this temple on the occasion of his Sedfestes (30-year coronation anniversary) for another court and the famous Sedfest portal; he also built a small temple for Mihos, Bastet's son. The Sethfest depiction is the most extensive in all of Egypt, unfortunately the relief blocks have been lost or scattered all over the world.

With the rule of the Cushites, the city loses its importance. Only a few additions follow. In the 26th dynasty, barrel-vaulted adobe buildings for cat mummies (Cat necropolis) and erected several small shrines for various deities under Nectanebo II. During the second Persian conquest, 342 BC. BC, several cities in the delta including Bubastis are sacked, the city is the site of a battle between Persian troops and Greek mercenaries.

In Greco-Roman times, the city is seen as founded by Isis, probably due to the etymological modification of the name to "ba iset" (soul of Isis), but there are only a few testimonies from this time, mostly statues. The city becomes an important commercial and religious center. Herodotus describes in his histories the city and the temple of "Artemis" as if lying on an island and surrounded by water; Further references can also be found in Strabo, Pomponius Mela, Johannes, Bishop of Nikion, and the Arab historian el-Maqrīzī.

With the arrival of Christianity, the temple is closed. Large Roman or Byzantine fortresses are built at the entrance to the city.

Bubastis is also used in Old testament mentioned: the biblical prophet Ezekiel foretells the decline of the city during his march into Egypt (around 550 BC, Ezekiel 30:17).

Important excavations were carried out from 1882 to 1889 by Edouard Naville (uncovering the Sedfest gate), from 1939 to 1944 by the Egyptian Egyptologist Labib Habachi, since 1961 by the local Antiquities Authority and the University of ez-Zaqāzīq, and since 1990 by Dr. Tietze from the university Potsdam. Significant finds recently were smelting plants and the larger than life statue of a daughter of Ramses ’II.

Another spectacular find was made in September 1906 during construction work on the Cairo - ez-Zaqāzīq railway line via Bilbeis, 160 m west of the Bastet Temple: two valuable ones Gold and silver treasures were discovered here, which are now in the jewel hall of Egyptian Museum to Cairo or are exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of New York. Some fragments of precious metal vessels from this find are kept in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin.

getting there

City map of ez-Zaqāzīq

In the street

Ez-Zaqāzīq can be reached in two ways from Cairo by car or taxi:

  1. about the Route agricole to Benha and from here in an easterly direction to ez-Zaqāzīq.
  2. above Heliopolis in a north-easterly direction to Bilbeis and from here in a north-easterly direction to ez-Zaqāzīq.

If you only want to visit Bubastis, the cost of a taxi is unnecessarily high.

buses

Microbuses or service taxis drive in Cairo from Midan Abud to Zagazig to the train station. The fare is LE 10 (as of August 2014). The Midan Abud in Cairo can be easily reached from the city center at the Ramsis train station with minibuses (fare LE 2).

There are other bus connections to and from Alexandria (four times a day, four hours' drive), Banhā (every half hour, three quarters of an hour's drive), Ismailia (four times a day, two hours' drive) and Port Said (four times a day, four hours' drive).

In Zagazig you cross under the train tracks through a pedestrian tunnel and ask for a minibus to Tell Basta on the other side. The fare is LE 0.75 (as of August 2014).

By train

Ez-Zaqāzīq can easily be reached by train Ismailia to reach. Express trains run from Cairene Train station at 6:25 am, 7:30 am, 8:55 am, 11:30 am, 2:35 pm and 5:45 pm, possible return times are 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm; the fare for first class is LE 8 and the journey takes about one hour. In between, there are also suburban trains that stop at all subway stations; the fare for the second class is LE 3.

North before 1 Ez-Zaqāzīq train station(30 ° 34 '56 "N.31 ° 30 ′ 6 ″ E), on the Midan Orabi, you can rent a taxi to Tell Basta or to the university.

mobility

The best way to get to your destination in ez-Zaqāzīq is by taxi. The cost of a trip to the university or to the Tell Basta excavation site from the train station is around LE 2.

Tourist Attractions

Excavation area at the temple of Tell Basta.

The 1 Excavation area(30 ° 34 '18 "N.31 ° 30 ′ 51 ″ E) of Tell Basta is located at the intersection of the Shari 'Mustafa Kamil and the Shari' Bilbeis. Opening hours: 9 am–5pm. Admission price: LE 30 (as of August 2014).

Usually one visits the southern part of the excavation area, here is the magazine of the antiquities administration and the ticket booth.

Area of ​​the Bastet Temple

On the site you can explore:

  • Sculptures originating from Bubastis, Tanis and Athribis. This Sculpture park was established in 2000. The pieces include a basalt statue of Ramses II, crowned with a scarab, from Bubastis, a limestone sphinx of Amenemhet I (?) From the Middle Kingdom, a quartzite statue of a falcon deity from Athribis and a double rose granite statue of Ramses 'II. With Ptah.
  • The remains of the Bastet temple, originally 180 m long and 55 m wide, from the time of Osorkon II. Scattered here are columns, capitals, architraves and blocks, some of which are decorated with reliefs. Recent excavations suggest numerous other finds, especially from the New Kingdom, below the current ground level.
  • A few years ago, in the southeast corner of the Bastet Temple, the approx. 4 m high one was about 2 m deep Granite statue of a daughter of Ramses ’II. found.
  • To the east of the warehouse of the antiquities administration is the New Kingdom cemetery.
  • In the southeast of the excavation area is the Palace complex from the Middle Kingdomwhose foundations can be easily identified.

More temples

You should ask the guards to be able to visit the northern part of the excavation area across the street. Here you will find the undergrowth Ka Temple of Teti. But nothing can be discovered of the old cat necropolis and the cemetery of the Old Kingdom.

Archaeological Museum of the University of ez-Zaqāzīq

A very impressive museum was created in two large halls with the cooperation of the local students. It's on the 1 University campus(30 ° 35 ′ 16 ″ N.31 ° 28 ′ 56 ″ E) not far from the El-Fath Mosque, in the main building, 2nd floor (above the office of the university president). The finds range from the predynastic period to the Greco-Roman period. From pre- and früdynastic times, among other things, plates and platters made of greywacke, pots made of calcite alabaster and a ceramic jug with the carved name of an early king come from. Amulets and chains made of carnelian, faience and gold date from the time of the Old Kingdom. From the Middle and New Kingdom there are numerous ceramic vessels, the unfinished limestone statue of an adoring (?) Monkey, masks from clay coffins, copper and bronze mirrors. Another highlight is a third treasure find consisting of 54 pieces, which was deposited in two simple alabaster vessels. These include gold chains, earrings and amulets. A bronze cat statue, ushabtis, scarabs and a chain with a pectoral belong to the late period. Several fragments of sculptures and numerous coins date from Greco-Roman times.

As access to the museum is currently restricted, it is advisable to book a visit and coordinate it with an employee of the university, Institute for Ancient Near Eastern Studies.

Mosques

Churches

  • 3  Cathedral of St. Virgin and St. John (‏كنيسة مطرانية العذراء مريم وماري يوحنا‎, Kanīsat Maṭrānīya al-ʿAdhrāʾ Maryam wa-Mārī Yūhannā). Episcopal Church.(30 ° 35 ′ 13 ″ N.31 ° 30 ′ 13 ″ E)
  • 4  Church of St. George (‏كنيسة مارجرجس‎, Kanīsat Mār Ǧirǧis). The lower church was consecrated in 1948, the upper church in 1961.(30 ° 35 ′ 6 ″ N.31 ° 30 ′ 5 ″ E)
  • 5  Church of St. Takla Haimanot (‏كنيسة الأنبا تكلا هيمانوت‎, Kanīsat al-Anbā Taklā Haimānōt). Coptic Orthodox Church built in 1848. It is the only church in Egypt dedicated to this Ethiopian saint.(30 ° 35 ′ 41 ″ N.31 ° 30 ′ 30 ″ E)

Other structures

El-Qanatir et-Tisʿa

Gardens and parks

activities

Culture

Sports

Festivals

The Mūlid (festival of saints) of Abū Chalīl takes place every year in the month of Schauwāl of the Islamic calendar.

shop

kitchen

Restaurants

Fast food restaurants

nightlife

accommodation

Cheap

medium

  • 3  Marina Touristic Hotel (‏فندق مارينا‎, Funduq Mārīnā), 58 Gamal Abdel Nasser St., ‏شارع ٥٨ جمال عبد الناصر‎. Tel.: 20 (0)55 231 3934, (0)55 236 0336, Fax: 20 (0)55 231 3934. 2-star hotel with 32 double rooms and a restaurant. Rooms are equipped with bathroom, air conditioning, balcony, TV and refrigerator.(30 ° 35 ′ 9 ″ N.31 ° 29 ′ 39 ″ E)

Learn

  • University of Zaqāzīq (‏جامعة الزقازيق‎). The university has, among other things, important faculties for agriculture and engineering.

health

Practical advice

post

phone

The telephone code for ez-Zaqāzīq is 055 or 002055 from Germany.

Banks

police

trips

  • If you are traveling by car or taxi, it is worth visiting Bubastis with 1 Tanis connect to.
  • The ancient sites of 9 Mendes (Tell er-Rub ') and Tell et-Timai. It can be reached via Abu Kebir and Simbillāwein. Shortly before reaching el-Mansūra, turn east at an intersection towards Mīt Fāris, and a little later turn onto a dirt road to the south.
  • When it is open again, a visit to the Sharqīya National Museum in the suburb is worthwhile 2 Hirrīyat Razna in the northeast of ez-Zaqāzīq.

literature

  • Mouton, J.-M.: al-Zaḳāzīḳ. In:Bearman, Peri J. (Ed.): The Encyclopaedia of Islam: Second Edition; Vol. 11: W - Z. Suffer: Brill, 2002, ISBN 978-90-04-12756-2 , P. 420 f.
  • Timm, Stefan: az-Zaqāzīq. In:Christian Coptic Egypt in Arab times; Vol. 6: T - Z. Wiesbaden: Reichert, 1992, Supplements to the Tübingen Atlas of the Middle East: Series B, Geisteswissenschaften; 41.6, ISBN 978-3-88226-561-3 , P. 2996.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑Population according to the 2006 Egyptian census, Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, accessed December 17, 2014.
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