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Minya

City of Egypt, El Minya

El Minya is called the 'Bride of Upper Egypt' do to its location which is roughly at the border of Upper and Lower Egypt. It lies about 153 miles south of Cairo and is a center for the manufacture of soap, perfume and sugar processing. It is also the provincial capital. Once a cotton center, there are some fine houses here, though not very old, which housed the Greek and Egyptian cotton barons, but now house government offices.

There is little historical to see here, though the tree lined Corniche along the Nile is pleasant. About four miles outside town is a Muslim and Christian cemetery called Zawiyyet al-Mayyiteen (Place of the Dead) which is said to be one of the largest cemeteries in the world. Other sights to see include the El-Umra Mosque, which is the town's oldest and the El-Lamati Mosque.

Unfortunately, Minya obtained a reputation for Islamic opposition to the Egyptian government. We hope this reputation is changing, as Minya has always been considered a pleasant stop over.

Minya is the capital of Minya Governorate in Egypt. The name of the city is derived from its Egyptian name Men'at Khufu., in reference to an early monastery formerly in the area. It is the city where the Codex Tchacos was discovered.

Minya lies on the west bank of the Nile. It is dubbed by the locals "Bride of Upper Egypt" (Arabic: عروس الصعيد‎). This represents its strategic location in Middle Egypt as a vital link between the north and the south of Egypt. This name may also be an analogy with Alexandria, nicknamed the "Bride of the Mediterranean Sea". The name could also refer to a famous ancient Egyptian tradition, possibly near one of the local ancient sites, known as the bride of the Nile. This was a sacrificial practice of sinking the statue of a woman into the River Nile as a token wife for the annual flood to come high and early.

The capital of Minya governorate is the city of Minya. The governorate is one of the most highly populated governorates of Upper Egypt. It contains nine cities; 3,375 villages; and 10,875 hamlets.


Some Important Monuments Sites in the Minya Governorate Include:

Little is known today about Minya Governorate compared to its great wealth of important archaeological sites. Its remarkable history, including Ancient Egyptian, Hellenistic, Roman and Arabperiods, has not yet received the full attention of scholars.

Ancient Egyptian Period

Dehnet, Fraser Tombs, Sharuna, and Zawyet el-Maiyitin comprise monuments dating back to the Old Kingdom.

The village of Bani Hasan al Shurruq houses 390 rock-cut decorated tombs and chapels from the Middle Kingdom (2000–1580 B.C., especially the sixteenth dynasty). The Speos Artemidos is nearby, and hosts temples built by Queen Hatshepsut.

Akhetaten was built by Pharaoh Akhenaten and dedicated to the god Aten. Akhenaten lived there with his beautiful wife, Nefertiti, and daughters in isolation, devoting himself to the monotheistic religion that he preached. The glorious remains of the palaces, temples and tombs still exist today.

Other significant archaeological sites in the governorate of Minya include Deir Abu Hinis, Deir el-Bersha, El-Sheikh Sa'id, and Tuna el-Gebel.

Greco-Roman Period

El Ashmunein (Hermopolis Magna) was the capital of the region during this period. It was the main center of worship of the god Thoth. Today, the ruins of a Greek temple, similar to the Parthenon, can be still found.

The tomb and chapel of Petosiris are found near the modern village of Tuna el-Gebel.

Antinopolis was built in 130 A.D. by the Roman emperor Hadrian in memory of his favorite cup-bearer Antinous.

Byzantine Period

The Monastery of the Virgin Mary at Gebel el-Teir is an important Christian site near the city of Samalut. Its church was built by Empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, in 328, on one of the sites where the Holy Family is believed to have stayed during its Flight into Egypt.

Oxyrhynchus was an important administrative center during the Hellenistic Period, and remains an important archaeological source for papyruses from the Byzantine Egypt.

Arab Period

Sheikh Ibada contains important monuments dedicated to the renowned Muslim warrior Ibadah Ibn Al Samet. Maghagha hosts the mosque of the famous Muslim Zayid ibn al Mugharah.



Sources:

  • Wikipedia - Minya Governorate
  • Egyptian Tourist Authority
  • Tour Egypt - El Minya
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