Qasr Ahmed
Encyclopedia
Qasr Ahmad or Gasr Ahmed is a neighborhood in the eastern region of the city of Misrata in Libya
. The population residing in this location constructed houses to be at a close distance to the port that carries the same name.
It is approximately 15 kilometers away from Aljama' Ala'li, which is at the heart of Misrata's city center, and about 250 kilometres away from Tripoli
, capital of Libya.
, and Qasr Ahmad is believed to be the residence of Ahmad Karamanli, a member of Karamanli dynasty
that ruled Ottoman
Libya.
n and Roman
foundations prove the existence of a huge wall in the surrounding area. And the same coincidence below the lighthouse
removed the dust that buried Roman coins
, pottery
, and room formations that are believed to be Roman baths
, which are remains of the Roman station port of Kayvalai Bromentoriom.
and ship transport
centers in North Africa
, being the major sea entrance to Libya. It is also the seat of the Libyan Ports Company.
, serving its imports, and export services.
project, the headquarters and factories of the Libyan Iron and Steel Company, and the administration of major private Libyan banks.
The free zone was established in order to vary and support the national income sources by attracting the investments to Great Jamahiriya in an environment free of management and fiscal restrictions development of commercial, goods and service exchange and creating an industrial base in addition to transporting and setting technology and training upon it and providing work opportunities for the citizens and with this zone and its development will increase opportunities of attracting the investors in industrial, service and commercial activities which target the African market to settle their investments in Jamahiriya.
Misrata Free Zone extends to 3539 hectares (8745.06 acres), including Misrata Seaport with a capability of expansion in the southern side up to more than 2000 hectares (4942.1 acres).
The company operates from a headquarters building, five factories, a sea port, and warehouses in Qasr Ahmad.
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. The population residing in this location constructed houses to be at a close distance to the port that carries the same name.
It is approximately 15 kilometers away from Aljama' Ala'li, which is at the heart of Misrata's city center, and about 250 kilometres away from Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
, capital of Libya.
The Palace of Ahmad
Qasr is an Arabic word for palacePalace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
, and Qasr Ahmad is believed to be the residence of Ahmad Karamanli, a member of Karamanli dynasty
Karamanli dynasty
The Karamanli or Caramanli or Qaramanli or al-Qaramanli dynasty was a series of Pashas, of Turkish origin who ruled from 1711 to 1835 in Tripolitania . At their peak, the Karamanlis' influence reached Cyrenaica and Fezzan covering most of Libya. The founder of the dynasty was Pasha Ahmed Karamanli...
that ruled Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Libya.
Kayvalai Bromentoriom
Development and construction works in Qasr Ahmad revealed archeological constructions, where evidence of PhoeniciaPhoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
n and Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
foundations prove the existence of a huge wall in the surrounding area. And the same coincidence below the lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
removed the dust that buried Roman coins
COinS
ContextObjects in Spans, commonly abbreviated COinS, is a method to embed bibliographic metadata in the HTML code of web pages. This allows bibliographic software to publish machine-readable bibliographic items and client reference management software to retrieve bibliographic metadata. The...
, pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, and room formations that are believed to be Roman baths
Roman Baths
The Roman Baths complex is a site of historical interest in the English city of Bath. The house is a well-preserved Roman site for public bathing....
, which are remains of the Roman station port of Kayvalai Bromentoriom.
Ports
Qasr Ahmad is famous for being the location of the Port of Misrata, which holds its name, but the total number of ports in Qasr Ahmad is two.Port of Misrata
One of the major business centers in all of Libya, the port is one of the most important maritimeSea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
and ship transport
Ship transport
Ship transport is watercraft carrying people or goods . Sea transport has been the largest carrier of freight throughout recorded history. Although the importance of sea travel for passengers has decreased due to aviation, it is effective for short trips and pleasure cruises...
centers in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, being the major sea entrance to Libya. It is also the seat of the Libyan Ports Company.
Port of Libyan Iron and Steel Company
Constructed as an extension to the Port of Misrata, the Port of LISCO is totally owned and operated by the Libyan Iron and Steel CompanyLibyan Iron and Steel Company
The Libyan Iron and Steel Company is one of the largest iron and steelmaking companies operating in North Africa. Based in Misrata, it is subsidized and owned by the Libyan government. Muammar Gaddafi officially laid Lisco's foundation stone on 18 September 1979...
, serving its imports, and export services.
Business Importance
Qasr Ahmad is the location of major commercial and financial activities of the Libya government, being the ground soil of the first Libyan free zoneFree Zone
Free Zone may refer to:*A free economic zone or free port, an area with relaxed customs, immigration, visa, and/or taxation jurisdiction with respect to the country of location...
project, the headquarters and factories of the Libyan Iron and Steel Company, and the administration of major private Libyan banks.
Misrata Free Zone
It's a zone free of any restrictions such as tax, custom duties, commercial and monetary restrictions, among others, established by decision of people's committee General No (495) 2000 and reorganized by decision of General People's Committee.The free zone was established in order to vary and support the national income sources by attracting the investments to Great Jamahiriya in an environment free of management and fiscal restrictions development of commercial, goods and service exchange and creating an industrial base in addition to transporting and setting technology and training upon it and providing work opportunities for the citizens and with this zone and its development will increase opportunities of attracting the investors in industrial, service and commercial activities which target the African market to settle their investments in Jamahiriya.
Misrata Free Zone extends to 3539 hectares (8745.06 acres), including Misrata Seaport with a capability of expansion in the southern side up to more than 2000 hectares (4942.1 acres).
Libyan Iron and Steel Company
The Libyan Iron and Steel Company (LISCO) is one of the largest iron and steelmaking companies operating in North Africa. Based in Misrata, it is subsidized and owned by the Libyan government. Muammar Gaddafi officially laid LISCO's foundation stone on 18 September 1979. In 2004, the online magazine Arab Steel ranked Lisco ranked third among the largest Arab iron and steel companies.The company operates from a headquarters building, five factories, a sea port, and warehouses in Qasr Ahmad.
External Links
- About Misrata Free Zone http://www.mfzly.com/en/free.html
- Over the Ages, Misrata (Archeological Paper) http://libyan-group.com/arabic/index.php?view=article&id=9%3A2009-02-11-13-39-51&format=pdf&option=com_content&Itemid=28&lang=en
- Free-Zones.org Misrata http://www.free-zones.org/MISURATA%20BROCHURE.doc
- ندوة المناطق الحرة في ليبيا التي استضافتها مدينة بنغازي (الجزيرة نت) http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/18CCB76C-FB92-42A9-B7D7-9A9B08127469.htm