Antiquities · Karmouz, Bab Sidra
The official portal · Alexandria Governorate
West District
Welcome to West District: the district’s services, landmarks and news in one place.
The hill of Bab SidraImage credits
- Today
The district office
Sunday to Thursday
Appointments from 9:00 to 13:30
Next free appointment
Book an appointmentNational government complaints line
16528
The district
Two qisms, on both banks of the Mahmoudiya
Two qisms and 21 shiakhas in western Alexandria, from Karmouz and Pompey’s Pillar to El Qabbari and El Wardian.
Karmouz
- Population, estimate for 2017
- 104,326
Mina El Basal
- Population, estimate for 2017
- 253,187
The district in numbers
21
Shiakhas
2
Administrative sections
60+
Years since the district was created (1965)
Sources: CAPMAS: population estimates for 1 July 2017; Alexandria Governorate: West District, its divisions and the boundaries of its shiakhas (January 2016)
The district’s history
The district’s history in one scroll
Moments in the district’s history as its landmarks tell it, each with its source.
The Ptolemaic period
Pompey’s Pillar and the Serapeum
The site held the Serapeum, one of the best known Ptolemaic temples, for the cult of Serapis, Isis and their son Harpocrates.
1st or 2nd century AD
Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
The district’s guide dates the cemetery to about the end of the 1st century AD, for a Roman family that had most likely taken on Egyptian ways; the governorate’s landmarks page dates it to the 2nd century AD.
6 Shaaban 662 AH (1264)
Sidi al-Qabbari Mosque
The sheikh died in his house in the middle of his garden and was buried on its western side; a small mosque was raised over his tomb.
1872
Mina El Basal Cotton Exchange
The exchange was founded, built by the Italian engineer Pietro Avoscani for Khedive Ismail on more than 8,000 square metres. Al-Dostor (2019) dates the first cotton sales at Mina El Basal to 1879.
Source: El Watan: the Mina El Basal Cotton Exchange (10 Feb 2025) (opens in a new tab)
1900
Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
The cemetery was discovered by chance.
June 1997
Gabbari Necropolis
The cemetery was found by chance while the Qabbari flyover was being built in western Alexandria.
Landmarks & Culture
Discover West District
From Pompey’s Pillar to the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, choose a place to explore its history and plan a visit.
Antiquities · Karmouz, Kom El Shoqafa
Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
News
Latest news
Services
22 reports and spoiled food destroyed in a campaign on El Isnawi and El Ahwazi streets
A surprise inspection of shops ended with 22 reports, 5 warnings and spoiled food destroyed, and pavements cleared of encroachments.
Announcements
Families from the El Mazini Street building begin moving their belongings
Announcements
A building tilts on El Mazini Street: evacuation, shoring and a removal order
Community & culture
An Alexandria University medical convoy at Bashayer El Kheir
Upcoming events
EventsNo upcoming events are currently listed.
Visiting the office
Greetings from West District
Working hours
Sunday to Thursday during official working hours, except public holidays. Call the district to confirm before you visit.
- Address
- West District headquarters: call the district on 03 4973116 to confirm the address before you visit
- Phone
- +20 3 4973116
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