Egypt has provided humanity with valuable treasures of various architectural forms; it is truly among the most creative countries in the world, both in quantity and in quantity. Architectural works in ancient Egypt can generally be divided into two types, according to the building material. The first type is the mud bricks, which was used in the construction of the houses of the Egyptians; since the Pharaonic era, and to the present time in some villages. And the other type of structures built with stone. Egypt has a large wealth of stones, including basalt, limestone, alabaster, granite and others. The State had supervised the work of the quarries to extract the stones; it involved the organization of missions near the quarry until the work was completed. Numerous tools were used in this work, including hammers, axes, scales, gears, angles, movables, construction scales, building triangles and wall masonry tools. Architectural design has retained its importance since Pharaonic times; it was necessary before embarking on construction work. Built-in architectural designs were found on the remains of pottery or stones. As a result of the continuity of construction activities through the ages, Egypt had skilled craftsmen in the construction work with its complex techniques. The character of the building was inherited from generation to generation. Through the ages, these generations have provided the world with unique and varied architectural forms. The most important of these projects were state-backed, such as royal tombs, temples, dams and others. The interest in the royal tombs began at an early stage of Egyptian civilization, especially as it enjoyed the gift of unique architecture in the two ancient and central states, namely the pyramids, with a total of 110 of them. In addition to the tombs, places of worship have received special attention in Egypt. The state has allocated the best materials. The land of Egypt still hosts Pharaonic and Ptolemaic temples, as well as churches and mosques.
In addition to the religious and funerary architecture, there was the military architecture of the castles and towers; examples of the ancient history of the Middle Kingdom are found in the Pharaonic times. The multi-purpose civil architecture flourished in the Greek era, most notably the Alexandria Lighthouse, the third great wonder of the ancient world. It was built during the reign of Ptolemy I, and completed during Ptolemy II. It was then 150 meters high and was used to guide ships day and night until the fifteenth century AD. And the Roman theater in Kom el-Dekka, Alexandria, another example; discovered by the Polish archaeological mission in the early sixties of the twentieth century.
Multi-purpose architecture has received special attention in the reigns of succession of Muslim rulers, represented in the establishment of mosques, schools, castles, palaces, forts and houses. Military architecture flourished during the Ayyubid era, with the establishment of castles such as the citadel of Saladin and Qal'at al-Muzaffar. A new form of architecture also received attention, such as the building of charity, such as the houses of the poor, hospitality and public reasons. Such architecture flourished during the rule of the Mamluks, which witnessed the establishment of many houses, palaces, guesthouses, residences, agencies, schools and grounds. There is no doubt that historic Cairo remained the city of glamorous architecture until the end of the Ottoman rule. The walls were surrounded by gates of control: only the door of victory, Bab el-Fotouh and Bab Zuwaila remain today.

Tags: Arts

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