Siwa Oasis
Marsa Matrouh was once visited by Alexander the Great. He was on his way to the Siwa oasis (Egypt. Sekhetam – Palm Land). The history of the Wahat Siwa – the western-most oasis of Egypt – goes back to the 18th dynasty, 1500 years B.C. Remains of a local temple dedicated to the god Amun/ Amon date back to 600 B.C. It was a statue of this god, the oracle of said temple, whose call the Macedonian was following. He had himself confirmed as Amun’s son on the elevated rock above Aghurmi, 331 years before our time. This was a necessary adaption, for the conqueror’s intention was to be crowned Pharaoh.
The oasis, situated between the vast expanse of sand in the south and the Oattara Depression in the north, spans an area of 80 km, its width varying between 2 and 20 km. The depression, lying at an average 18 meters below sea level, is dotted with date palms and olive trees. Of course, there are also vegetables grown here, along with figs, oranges and even wine. After all, there are 23,000 inhabitants to be fed, most of whom are Berbers (Siwa is a linguistic enclave speaking the Berber tongue) – not to forget the tourists.
There was but one reason for Alexander to pass through Marsa Matrouh on his way to Siwa: It was the only access to the oasis and its oracle 310 km away. The same holds true today, except that nowadays there are air-conditioned buses that connect the port and Siwa proper several times a day. And the oracle is said to be functioning to this day. At least sometimes. The last time was arguably when a few German privates bathed naked in the oracle’s holy cistern. A sacrilege – and punishment ensued: Rommel’s troops suffered a crushing defeat at El-Alamein shortly after.
Rommel Museum
Another attraction is the Rommel Museum. A rock cave, the museum lies to the east of the city on a tongue of land leading west. A hallway lined by thirteen portraits of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel leads to a small room featuring his bust, his coat, a swastika flag, maps, and a chest. The exhibits were sponsored by Rommel’s grandson Manfred.
Cleopatra Bath
About five kilometers west of Marsa Matrouh lies the Bath of Cleopatra. The bath is made of a single piece of rock which was engraved with tunnels by the sea water on its way back into the ocean. Archaeological studies have found that Cleopatra used to bathe here.
El Alamein
Around 184 kilometers east of Marsa Matrouh lies the city of Alamein, the staging ground of the decisive battle in the Northern African conflict of World War II, 1942. The city has something in store for everyone, be they history enthusiasts or merely interested in a stroll.
