The exhibition of a collection of old maps and prints, at the Egyptian Cultural Centre of Athens, was meant at presenting the long lost ancient and medieval Alexandria.

The buildings of modern city stand on the ruins of the old walled town as was decided by Mohamed Ali in the first part of the 19th century. Whatever was still standing of the city’s glorious past was leveled and used as building material. With the exception of the Column of Diocletian, the landmark of Alexandria, the ruins of the Quaid bey fortress and some ruins of the Rosetta gate nothing else survived.

Some 600 travelers have, from the 6th c. A.D. to the end of the 19th , described how life was in that Alexandria of decline, but it is only through  the old maps and prints  that we can have a vision of the city and we can stroll along the streets of that lost Alexandria.

 

The collection belongs to Mr Harry Tzalas, a historian of Greek-Italian origin from Alexandria, who was, and still is interested in studying the topography of ancient and mediaeval Alexandria.  Some of the prints and maps of his collection were acquired before 1957, during the years he was living in Alexandria, but most were purchased later in London.

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Download the exhibition's catalogue here.