Rosetta City is a coastal city, where it is located on the western bank of the Nile Delta on a branch of the Nile River called Rosetta. It is located 65 km east of Alexandria and is affiliated to the Beheira Governorate.
The name of the city is derived from the Arabic name Rashid, meaning the guide. The Crusaders called this city Rexi. In the Middle Ages, it was called Rosetta, which means “Small Rose” in Italian and French language.
The history of Rosetta City:
Rosetta City was founded in the ninth century AD. It had a great role during the Ottoman rule of Egypt in 1517 AD due to the collapse of Alexandria. It was famous for its charming Ottoman palaces.
Rosetta City is considered one of the best places in the whole world, where you will be able to see Islamic architecture, as it has a large number of unique Islamic monuments.
During the Fatimid rule in Egypt, Rosetta City played an important role, as the Fatimids were interested in it because it was an important center for foreign trade.
During the Mamluk period, Sultan Qaitbay built a fortress there to defend the city, while Sultan Al-Ghuri constructed a wall around the entire city.
One of the reasons for the fame of Rosetta City is the discovery of the Rosetta Stone there during the French campaign in Egypt in 1799 AD.
Rosetta City played an important role in the defeat of the British army during the Fraser campaign against Egypt in 1807 AD.
Rosetta Stone:
It is a black basalt stone that contains 3 types of ancient calligraphy. The upper part is written in hieroglyphics of the ancient Egyptian language, the middle part is written in demotic of the ancient Egyptian language, and the lower part is written in ancient Greek. After deciphering this stone, scientists were able to know the secrets of the ancient Egyptian civilization.
After the defeat of Napoleon, the Rosetta Stone became owned by Britain. So, it is displayed now in the British Museum. There is a small replica of it in the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.
you can visit Rosetta City with Day Tour to Rosetta City