Abu Qir

Abu Qir (, Abu Qīr,  or ,  ), formerly also spelled Abukir or Aboukir, is a town on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, near the ruins of ancient Canopus and  northeast of Alexandria by rail. It is located on Abu Qir Peninsula, with Abu Qir Bay to the east.

Name
The town's present name is Arabic for "Father Cyrus", an Egyptian Christian martyr.

History

Near the village are many remains of ancient buildings, Egyptian, Greek and Roman. About  southeast of the village are the ruins of Canopus. A little farther east, the now-dry Canopic branch of the Nile entered the Mediterranean.

Stretching eastward as far as the Rosetta mouth of the Nile is the spacious Abu Qir Bay (Khalīj Abū Qīr), where on 1 August 1798, Horatio Nelson fought the Battle of the Nile, often referred to as the "Battle of Aboukir Bay". The latter title is applied more properly to an engagement between the French expeditionary army and the Turks under Mustapha Pasha fought on 25 July the following year; see Battle of Abukir of 1799. Later in the war, on 8 March 1801 at the beginning of the Battle of Alexandria, units of the British army commanded by Sir Ralph Abercromby landed from their transports near the town, and faced strenuous opposition from General Louis Friant's French forces entrenched on the beach. The battle continued on down the peninsula toward Alexandria and didn't end until 22 March.

The town contains a castle that was used as a state prison by Muhammad Ali in the early 19th century. The prison was known as Liman Abu Qir.

In 2000, an Italian archaeological team discovered the remains of British officers, sailors, marines, women, and children  on Nelson's Island, which lies in the bay.

Climate
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot desert (BWh), but it lies at the northern coast of Egypt, moderating its temperatures. Due to its proximity to Alexandria, it has a very similar climate. The wettest places in Egypt are Rafah, Alexandria, Abu Qir, Rosetta, Baltim, Kafr El Dawwar, Mersa Matruh.

See also
 Abu Qir Bay
 Alexandria
 Cyrus and John
 HMS Aboukir
 Lake Mariout
 Nelson's Island

Notes

References
 

 

Attribution:

External links

Category:Populated places in Alexandria Governorate