The tranquility of its beaches, the splendor of its coral reefs, the serenity of its water, and the variety of its water sports, all help it to be nominated as a first-class tourist resort waiting to be added to the forefront of Egypt’s Red Sea tourist map.
What the name of el quseir meaning:
El qusier meaning the “short” name of the city is due to the fact that it is the shortest distance between Upper Egypt and the Red Sea, and in the past it was the only link between them.
Al Qoseir[other spellings 1], the Arabic writing is : القصير ,el Qoṣēr Arabic pronunciation: [elʔoˈsˤeːɾ])
Location:
El Quseir city located in eastern Egypt, on the Red Sea coast, near to Marsa Alam, and Hurghada, Populated for approximately 5,000 years, its ancient name was Leucus Limen (meaning white port in Greek, Λευκός Λιμήν). el Qoseir is located 138 kilometers south of Hurghada, 139 km north of Marsa Alam and 73 km north of the Marsa Alam International Airport. In 1986, its population was approximately 20,000. Today, the population of El Qoseir is around 50,000.
History:
Queen Hatshepsut began her exploratory journey to Puntland. It was also a site for the exploration of gold in the Times of the Pharaohs [5], and in the sixteenth century ruled by Sultan Selim I, whose statue is still present in the city center, and the king had the importance of war strategy, and today is a peaceful tourist resort with its sandy beaches and water sports and its clear waters And its amazing coral reefs, such as the 40-plus area, which is one of the largest amazing coral reefs, in addition, the region is renowned for its phosphate extraction. It was the center of the gathering of Muslim pilgrims from Egypt, the Maghreb and Andalusia to perform Hajj.
Why I shoudl visit El Quseir?
Those who wish to chill out or relax after a hard day’s sightseeing, should make for the fishing harbour which has two small but quiet beaches nearby and a great seafood restaurant, Al Fanoos, opposite the car park deservedly popular with Egyptians. Here you can enjoy a great meal at a table right on the beach.
Also surrounding the harbor are the old police station, the Faran and Sidi Abd El Rahim mosques, the old granary (which in the nineteenth century stored wheat for shipment to the Arabian peninsula) and behind the old police station, the old quarantine hospital built during the reign of Sultan Selim II ( 1566 – 1574 ).
The corniche, known as Sharia Port Said, which runs both north and south west from the harbour is flanked by numerous narrow alleyways lined by old houses with wooden balconies and brightly painted doors. Amid this arthitectual mix you can also find a number of small cafes and restaurants which line the beach on the south western side of the harbour.
Surprisingly you won’t normally find many tourists in this part of El Quseir but it’s a rewarding area to stroll around, watch the fishermen and forget the worries of the world.
The monuments:
The city has a collection of Christian and Islamic monuments of different eras, for example, there is a fortress built in 1799 [6], as well as the mausoleum of Shaykh Abi-Hasan el-Shazly, which was established in 1892 under the reign of Abbas Helmy II.
There are short Coptic and Roman monuments in the old Qusayr area north of Kilo 8, and there are Islamic monuments, the citadel as well as some buildings in the center of the country. Al-Qusayr connects the Nile Valley with a 180 km road that passes through Wadi Hammamet and reaches the city of Qat in Qena Governorate. In this valley there are pharaonic traces dating back to the age of Queen Hatshepsut and a gold mine in the valley of the Fulatter
The history of the Italians in El Quseir:
The period of the Italians in the city, which began since 1912, when the phosphate company began work by a group of investors and about 200 Italians, beside another group of Egyptians, and the company continued its work for more than half a century, laid the cornerstone of the Church of St. Barbara by the Italians in the city The short in 1938 in the headquarters of the phosphate company, the tennis courts, the cinema and concerts of the Italian Orchestra, and the Italian nuns teach Egyptian girls needle work and tailoring and knitting in a manufactures operator and in schools
This period enjoyed a rich economic, cultural and human renaissance in the city, which was co-woven by the workers, administrators and Italian company owners along with the local population.
This period has produced many achievements and stories, which can serve as an example and guidance for coexistence and mutual understanding between peoples of different origins and cultures.
The mines had a negative side on the environmental concerns about the damage of phosphate ore dust to the coral reefs and human health mounted, many of the El Quseir mines closed.
However in the 1990s El Quseir found a new economic lifeline – as it started to attract divers and other tourists wishing to avoid the crowds of Sharm El Sheikh and looking for virgin unspoilt areas. Fortunately the town itself has remained free of the large scale resorts and construction that might have otherwise destroyed its’ quiet charm
The tour price up to your hotel distance
you will find some hassle from the sellers in the market,
If you would like a guide in el Quseir city will be extra charge.
The town offers a large number of traditional tourist friendly bazaars along Sharia Al Gomhuriya which lies below the castle selling the usual array of papyrus, alabaster statues, t shirts and leather goods etc. However there were also some fascinating local markets, especially on a Friday, to which the Ababda Bedouin and local farmers bring their produce
The fort of El Quseir lies on high ground in what is now the centre of town. Coming from Marsa Alam jump out of your taxi near the petrol station and then it’s a five minute walk up the hill. Coming the other way from Safaga you can’t miss it as you follow the one way main road in to town.
Your attention is immediately arrested by the muzzels of two potruding cannon. Brought by the French to protect the town and harbour, they now overlook visitors as they shop in the bazaars beneath. Only one of them is actually of French manufacture, the other is probably of Dutch origin.
The castle was originally built by Sultan Selim I in 1517 (those guide books which state 1571 forget that Selim I was long dead by then ) to protect what was Egypt’s most important port on the Red Sea. El Qusier means “the short” in Arabic and probably the town earned this name because it was the port allowing inland pilgrims to make the shortest journey possible from the Nile valley to Mecca.
El Quseir’s strategic importance derived from it being located close to an ancient route from the Red Sea to the Luxor area via the Wadi el Hammamat – a twisting valley which cuts a snake like path through the mountains of Egypt’s Eastern Desert.
Haj pilgrims would leave their camels and horses at the castle before embarking by ship for Mecca. The port also served as a vital entrepot for Egypt’s trade with Arabia and Asia and was a major transhipment point for the spice trade on the route to Europe.
It was in the late sixteenth century, at the same time the castle was built, that the town centre of El Quseir moved from its’ original site, which was near the modern Movenpick hotel, to its’ current location around the fort and harbour.
In 1799 the French, who had sent a military expedition to Egypt under the command of General Napoleon, seized the fort, built a tall viewing platform ( now rebuilt), widened the ramparts and added a number of cannon, some of which can still be seen. They also left a garrison of some one hundred soldiers.
In August of the same year the fort’s enhanced defences withstood a three day assault by two British 32 gun frigates, HMS Daedalus and HMS Fox. However, before retreating, these two battleships caused major breaches to the walls, especially in the area close to the main entrance.
The British twice attempted landings in order to destroy the drinking wells of the city but were forced to withdraw in the face of heavy cannon and musket fire and lost one cannon in the surf which may subsequently have been added to the fort’s own battery of guns.
In June 1801 the fort was finally abandoned by the French army when an army of some 6000 British and Indian soldiers, under General Baird, landed at El Quseir. This force then crossed the Eastern Desert in a ten day march at the height of summer to capture Qena on the Nile. A feat which helped to hasten the final surrender of French forces in September.
In 1816 the fort was used as a base for Muhammad Ali Pasha’s wars against Arabia but after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, its’ strategic significance was considerably diminished. However, it remained in use as a base for the Egyptian coast guard until 1975.
Today, at the main gate you can buy a 15LE ticket* (open daily from 0900 to 1700) which gains you access to the entire fort which includes several small exhibits of the area’s history, shipbuilding, phosphate mining and Bedouin life and traditions.
Climate:
Summers in el Quseir are hot and winters are warm. Winter night temperatures in El Quseir, along with those of Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh are the warmest of any other cities and resorts in Egypt. Additionally, Port Said, El Quseir, Ras El Bar, Baltim, Damietta and Alexandria have the least temperature variation. Rain is very rare as in most of Egypt. Seasonal variation is small, comparable to Marsa Alam, but its summer days are cooler, even cooler than similar more northern areas at the Red Sea, like Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.
