EVERYTHING WHAT YOU NEEDTO DREAM...
Egypt >
Al Mansurah
KNOWLEDGE OF Al Mansurah
Al Mansurah (Arabic المنصورة) is considered to be Egypt's "third largest city" after Cairo, and Alexandria . Established in 1219 AD by AlMalek Al Adel Ayoub after the Muslims defeated the Crusaders on its land during the Seventh Crusade (therefore leading to the name Mansurah—"Victorious"). It is a scenic city on the east bank of the Domiat branch of River Nile, in the delta region. It is the capital of Dakahliya province. This province is famous for producing some of the most acclaimed Egyptians in the fields of science, engineering, medicine and arts. The most famous of which is the chanteuse Umm Kolthoum. There is a square bearing her name in the city, where her statue stands. Across from Al Mansurah, on the opposite bank of the nile, is the town of Talkha. Mansurah is about 120 km northeast of Cairo and 40 km north of Mit Ghamr, the Egyptian city center of producing aluminium accounting for more than 70% of the total Egyptian production of this mineral.
Mansoura University was founded in 1962, initially as a branch of Cairo University. The Urology and Nephrology center of Mansoura University is considered by many as the best kidney center in the Middle East and Africa. Besides being a major commercial and administrative center in the, largely rural, Dakahliya district, it could be described as primarily a 'university town'.
Mansoura is also said to have the most beautiful people in all of Egypt. Actors aside, a recent testomony to this was Heba ElSisy, Miss Egypt 2004. In the context of culturally varying views on beauty found around the world, the common Egyptian view is that fair skin and blue or green eyes are desirable traits. This aspect of Al Mansoura's reputation is usually attributed to the events surrounding the Seventh Crusade. Thousands of French prisoners of war were made slaves after the French army's defeat. Taking into account the Islamic laws concerning slavery, many of the French converted to Islam, earning the right to mix with the local population. They settled in the surrounding villages, such as Salamoon. This localised mixing of Europeans with Egyptians, coupled a more widespread mixing accross northern Egypt, with Turks, resulted in a unique genetic mix in Mansoura and it surroundings.
In the Seventh Crusade, the French were defeated and put to flight; between fifteen and thirty thousand of their men fell on the battlefield. Upwards of one hundred thousand horsemen, infantry, trades-people, and others, were made slaves. Louis IX of France was captured in the main battle and confined in the house of Ibrahimben Lokman, secretary to the sultan, and under the guard of the eunuch Sahil. The king's brother was made prisoner at the same time, and carried to the same house. The sultan provided for their subsistence. The house in now the only museum in Al Mansoura, is open to the public and houses articles that used to belong to the French royals, including his personal thirteenth century toilet.
Like Cairo and Alexandria, Al Mansoura was home to a flourishing Greek community until the Nasser era, when many were forced to leave. Many of the older and best established shops and businesses around the city still bear their original Greek names. The first English school in the city was established on the site of the old Greek school in the Toriel area, one of the traditionally relatively affluent residential districts of the city.
The Egyptian Arabic accent spoken by Mansoura's population is, broadly speaking, northern Egyptian Arabic but with a noticable influence from the surrounding rural villages, each of which have, over the years, contributed to the city's population. There are some similarities to Alexandrian Egyptian Arabic in some aspects of pronounciation.
Mansoura also has a sports stadium which is home to its football team. Despite the city's ranking as the 'third Egyptian city', none of the African Nations Cup 2006 games were played there when Egypt hosted the tournament.
Mansoura University was founded in 1962, initially as a branch of Cairo University. The Urology and Nephrology center of Mansoura University is considered by many as the best kidney center in the Middle East and Africa. Besides being a major commercial and administrative center in the, largely rural, Dakahliya district, it could be described as primarily a 'university town'.
Mansoura is also said to have the most beautiful people in all of Egypt. Actors aside, a recent testomony to this was Heba ElSisy, Miss Egypt 2004. In the context of culturally varying views on beauty found around the world, the common Egyptian view is that fair skin and blue or green eyes are desirable traits. This aspect of Al Mansoura's reputation is usually attributed to the events surrounding the Seventh Crusade. Thousands of French prisoners of war were made slaves after the French army's defeat. Taking into account the Islamic laws concerning slavery, many of the French converted to Islam, earning the right to mix with the local population. They settled in the surrounding villages, such as Salamoon. This localised mixing of Europeans with Egyptians, coupled a more widespread mixing accross northern Egypt, with Turks, resulted in a unique genetic mix in Mansoura and it surroundings.
In the Seventh Crusade, the French were defeated and put to flight; between fifteen and thirty thousand of their men fell on the battlefield. Upwards of one hundred thousand horsemen, infantry, trades-people, and others, were made slaves. Louis IX of France was captured in the main battle and confined in the house of Ibrahimben Lokman, secretary to the sultan, and under the guard of the eunuch Sahil. The king's brother was made prisoner at the same time, and carried to the same house. The sultan provided for their subsistence. The house in now the only museum in Al Mansoura, is open to the public and houses articles that used to belong to the French royals, including his personal thirteenth century toilet.
Like Cairo and Alexandria, Al Mansoura was home to a flourishing Greek community until the Nasser era, when many were forced to leave. Many of the older and best established shops and businesses around the city still bear their original Greek names. The first English school in the city was established on the site of the old Greek school in the Toriel area, one of the traditionally relatively affluent residential districts of the city.
The Egyptian Arabic accent spoken by Mansoura's population is, broadly speaking, northern Egyptian Arabic but with a noticable influence from the surrounding rural villages, each of which have, over the years, contributed to the city's population. There are some similarities to Alexandrian Egyptian Arabic in some aspects of pronounciation.
Mansoura also has a sports stadium which is home to its football team. Despite the city's ranking as the 'third Egyptian city', none of the African Nations Cup 2006 games were played there when Egypt hosted the tournament.
Chapi