Rosetta (Rashid)
رشيد
The site where the Rosetta Stone was discovered, an Ottoman-era old town at the mouth of the Nile, with red-and-black brick houses and Qaitbay Fort.
Rashid lies at the mouth of the Rosetta branch of the Nile. In 1799, French troops discovered the Rosetta Stone at Fort Julien, the Qaitbay Fort north of the town. The original stone is now in the British Museum, and a replica is displayed inside the fort. The old town retains more than twenty brick houses from the 17th and 18th centuries in the Ottoman style, with alternating red and black bricks and fine mashrabiya wooden lattice windows. The Arab Killy House has been turned into a museum, and there are also the Al-Amasyali House and Zaghloul Mosque. Rashid is about 65 km from Alexandria, roughly 1 hour by hired car or self-drive, and half a day to a full day is recommended. Foreign visitor fares have been raised several times in recent years, so check the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities website or ask on site.
Opening hours
Museum and fort approx. 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Montaza Palace Gardens
- Mahmoud Said Museum
- Royal Jewelry Museum
- Stanley Bridge & Beach
- Mustafa Kamel Necropolis
- Shallalat Gardens
- Alexandria National Museum
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina