Suhaj
Encyclopedia
Sohag also known as Sawhāj, Suhag and Suhaj, is a city in Egypt
that lies on the west bank of the Nile
. It has been the capital of Sohag Governorate since 1960. Prior to that, the capital was the city of Girga
and the name of the governorate was Girga Governorate. It also included Esna Governorate (nowadays Qena Governorate)
It is unclear how long this site has been inhabited. There are several mummies here that date to Roman times, the village. In Coptic times, there was a community of monks living at the White Monastery in the area.
The 10th of April is the national day of the governorate to celebrate the victory of the Egyptian national resistance troops on the French troops in Johaina Battle in 1799.
. In addition, the city includes two islands, Karaman-ez-Zahur Island, which is larger and uninhabited, and ez-Zahur Island (جزيرة الزهور, Ǧazīrat az-Zuhur, "Flower Island") which has some homes.
is the main religion in Sohag, with a minority of coptic orthodox people.
In the masonry on the east, south and west sides are stones engraved with historic inscriptions moved from previous buildings, including a decree of the penultimate Mamluk
sultan
al-Ghawri
(1441–1516) from the year 1506 (911 AH) on the southeast side.
The church of the Holy Virgin (Arabic: كنيسة السيدة العذراء, Kanīsat as-Saiyida al-ʿAdraʾ). The church is located in the north of the bazaar (souq Qaiṣarīya). It consists of five naves. There are three sanctuaries for Saint George (left), the Holy Virgin and the Archangel Michael at the ends of the middle three naves. All sanctuaries are completely screened by a wooden iconostasis. On both sides of the entrances to the sanctuaries are wooden icons of the Holy Virgin and Jesus (see Iconostasis
). The Lord's Last Supper and the crosses are located above the iconstasis. The presentation in the central nave is framed by a fish and a pigeon, the other ones are framed by angels and a dove. Galleries are located above the aisles and the entrance. On the walls, there are paintings of saints and scenes from the life of Jesus.
Church of St. George is the cathedral of the diocese of Sohag(Arabic: كنيسة مار جرجس, Kanīsat Mar Girgis). The church is located 300 meters north of the Opera (Midan Obira) or Culture Square (Midan eth-Thaqafa).
Church of the Archangel Michael (Arabic: كنيسة الملاك ميخائيل). The church is located in the Railway Station Street (El-Mahatta St.), on the east side of the railway tracks.
The Coptic White Monastery is a Coptic Orthodox monastery
named after Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite. It is located about 5 kilometers west of Sohag. The name of the monastery is derived from the color of the white limestone of its outside walls. The surviving building is the church of what was once a much larger monastery complex.
Red Monastery
The Red Monastery is a Coptic Orthodox monastery
named after an Egyptian
saint called Pishay. It is located about 5 kilometers north of the White Monastery. The name of the monastery is derived from the color of the construction material of its outside walls, consisting of red (burnt) brick. These walls are considerably thicker at the base than at the top, and just like the walls of Ancient Egyptian temples, they are surmounted by cavetto moldings. The Red Monastery is architecturally similar to the White Monastery
.
and subsequent Roman emperors. South of this temple was an earlier temple of Ptolemy IX Soter II. One of the tombs nearby, belonging to the brothers Ibpemeny "the younger" and Pemehyt of the late second century BC, has two zodiacs on its ceiling.
Among the most notable regions of the West District are:
The East District is considered a more upscale district that includes some of the most affluent neighborhoods of the city including 15th Street, Al Kashef Street, Jumhuriya Street, The Courts Compound, and The Technical and Agricultural Schools.
Some of the most notable locales of the East District include:
in North Africa. Sohag is ranked the 5th driest place in Egypt
and the 9th globally .Also ranked 4th warmest place in Egypt
and 296th globally .
dialect spoken by Sohagy people like all other Upper Egypt
ian cities . There are some similarities to Standard Arabic and Gulf Arabic
pronunciation.
to Greco-Roman times.
The bazaar in Sohag is named suq Qaiṣarīya, and is partly covered.
Souq el-Itnein
A weekly market held every Monday in the morning for trading in vegetables, fruits,animals and traditional hand made objects (like baskets, farming axes and Bags).
The weekly market is believed to be held for the first time during the Ancient Egypt
ian era .
The place of Souq el-Itnein is changeable for years because of the crawling of the new buildings towards its location .
The souq now is in the south of the city and is held in the streets and beside the city cemetery .
Western Desert, Eastern Desert Road, Rural Road also connected to it through the train.
In February 2010 a new highway
linking the city to the Red Sea
city of Hurghada
was opened facilitating the ease the movement between Upper Egypt
and the Red Sea
coastal region.
In May 2010, the Egyptian Ex-President Hosni Mubarak
inaugurated a brand new airport to serve the city called Sohag International Airport
.
Illiteracy has continued to drop due to schools (literacy) for all ages free of charge.
There Sohag many schools and colleges most famous:
Primary schools:
Middle schools:
High schools:
is a governmental university in Sohag. It is on the eastern bank of the Nile
. It also became an independent university in 2006. Before 2006, it was part of another university. There are currently ten colleges in Sohag University, as well as future plans to found more colleges to better serve the community. With more than 40,000 undergraduates it is highly ranked in Upper Egypt
in terms of undergraduates numbers.
EPL for a few seasons ago. EPL
club El Gouna FC
used the Sohag stadium
as a home ground at times.
Here is a list of the major sport clubs in the city of Sohag:
Abydos
one of the most ancient cities of Upper Egypt
, and also of the eight Upper Nome
of which it was the capital city. It also Considered one of the most important archaeological sites of Ancient Egypt
, the sacred city of Abydos was the site of many ancient temples, including a Umm el-Qa'ab
, a royal necropolis
where early pharaohs were entombed.
Akhmim
has several mosque
s and two Coptic churches, maintains a weekly market, and manufactures cotton
goods, notably the blue shirts and check shawls with silk
fringes worn by the poorer classes of Egypt
.
El-Hawawish
the ancient necropolis
(cemetery) for the city of Akhmim
.
El-Salamuni
comprises a rock-cut chapel dedicated to the god Min
.
The Meritamen statue
in east Akhmim
.
Beit Khallaf
Outside the village are two very large brick mastaba
s from the Third Dynasty.
Athribis
The city is the site of a temple built for the goddess Repyt (Triphis) by Ptolemy XV Caesarion
and subsequent Roman Emperors.
Sohag photo album
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
that lies on the west bank of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
. It has been the capital of Sohag Governorate since 1960. Prior to that, the capital was the city of Girga
Girga
Girga is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt. It is located on the west bank of the Nile River.Girga was the capital of the Girga Governorate until 1960, when the capital was moved to Sohag and the name of the governorate changed accordingly....
and the name of the governorate was Girga Governorate. It also included Esna Governorate (nowadays Qena Governorate)
History
Until the 19th century there was only a village located in the area. In 1960, the capital of the province of Sohag Girga transferred to this location and the city was renamed accordingly.It is unclear how long this site has been inhabited. There are several mummies here that date to Roman times, the village. In Coptic times, there was a community of monks living at the White Monastery in the area.
The 10th of April is the national day of the governorate to celebrate the victory of the Egyptian national resistance troops on the French troops in Johaina Battle in 1799.
Geography
Sohag lies on the western bank of the Nile on a fertile agricultural plain, approximately 6 kilometers southwest of AkhmimAkhmim
Akhmim is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt. Referred to by the ancient Greeks as Khemmis, Chemmis and Panopolis, it is located on the east bank of the Nile, 4 miles to the northeast of Sohag.- History :Akhmim was known in Ancient Egypt as Ipu, Apu or Khent-min...
. In addition, the city includes two islands, Karaman-ez-Zahur Island, which is larger and uninhabited, and ez-Zahur Island (جزيرة الزهور, Ǧazīrat az-Zuhur, "Flower Island") which has some homes.
Economy
The city Sohag of itself encloses only a few archaeological sites, hence tourism represents but a small portion of the city's income. Other sources of income include trade, small industries of carpets, furniture, spinning and weaving and sugar. Administrative and educational services are two big sectors of income as a small university employs a majority of residents.Demographics
| 1928 | 1976 | 1986 | 1996 | 2006 | 2010 | 2011 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20,760 | 101,758 | 132,965 | 170,125 | 189,695 | 209,419 | 390,121 | ||
| Starting in 1976: Population of Sohag City | ||||||||
Religion
IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
is the main religion in Sohag, with a minority of coptic orthodox people.
Mosques
- Sidi Arif MosqueSidi Arif MosqueThe Sidi Arif Mosque is one of the largest mosques in Sohag Governorate. It was built for the first time at the 14th century and was reconstructed several times; the last one was in 1968 and being renewed in 1998 for the last time. At the corners of the facade are two minarets, and the roof is...
(Arabic: مسجد العارف بالله, Masjid al-ʿArif bi-Allah). The mosque is located in the south of the city. The el-ʿArif Mosque was built in the 14th century (the 8th century of the Islamic calendar). The present building was constructed around 1995. At the corners of the facade are two minaretMinaretA minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
s, and the roof is crowned by a dome. Inside the five-naves mosque the bases of the piers and the walls were lined with red granite. The ceiling is painted ornamentally; in its middle is an elongated light dome. The southeasten half is lit by chandeliers. At the end there are the prayer niche (mihrabMihrabA mihrab is semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying...
) with simple ornaments and to the right of it the wooden pulpit (minbar).
- El-Farshuti Mosque (Arabic: جامع الفرشوطي, Jāmʿi al-Farschūṭī). The el-Fashuti Mosque also named el-'Atiq Mosque (the old mosque) is located approximately 350 meters southwest of the Sidi Arif MosqueSidi Arif MosqueThe Sidi Arif Mosque is one of the largest mosques in Sohag Governorate. It was built for the first time at the 14th century and was reconstructed several times; the last one was in 1968 and being renewed in 1998 for the last time. At the corners of the facade are two minarets, and the roof is...
. The most striking feature of the mosque is its 53 meter high minaret in the southeast corner. The minaret has galleries with balustrades on four floors. The mosque is a modern, bright new building. The mosque is divided into five naves by columns and pillars. It has a light dome in the middle which is inscribed at the bottom with a suraSuraA sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
from the Qur'anQur'anThe Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
. The bases of the walls are painted yellow and white with green bands. A very colorful prayer niche next to the wooden pulpit is located at the southeast side.
In the masonry on the east, south and west sides are stones engraved with historic inscriptions moved from previous buildings, including a decree of the penultimate Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
al-Ghawri
Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghawri
Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghawri was the second last of the Mamluk Sultans. One of the last of the Burji dynasty, he reigned from 1501 to 1516.On the disappearance of Sultan Al-Adil Sayf ad-Din Tuman bay I, it was not till after some days that the choice of the Emirs and Mamluks fell upon Al-Ashraf...
(1441–1516) from the year 1506 (911 AH) on the southeast side.
Churches
In the city there are two important churches erected in the 20th century: the church of the Holy Virgin and the church of Saint George.The church of the Holy Virgin (Arabic: كنيسة السيدة العذراء, Kanīsat as-Saiyida al-ʿAdraʾ). The church is located in the north of the bazaar (souq Qaiṣarīya). It consists of five naves. There are three sanctuaries for Saint George (left), the Holy Virgin and the Archangel Michael at the ends of the middle three naves. All sanctuaries are completely screened by a wooden iconostasis. On both sides of the entrances to the sanctuaries are wooden icons of the Holy Virgin and Jesus (see Iconostasis
Iconostasis
In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. Iconostasis also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed anywhere within a church...
). The Lord's Last Supper and the crosses are located above the iconstasis. The presentation in the central nave is framed by a fish and a pigeon, the other ones are framed by angels and a dove. Galleries are located above the aisles and the entrance. On the walls, there are paintings of saints and scenes from the life of Jesus.
Church of St. George is the cathedral of the diocese of Sohag(Arabic: كنيسة مار جرجس, Kanīsat Mar Girgis). The church is located 300 meters north of the Opera (Midan Obira) or Culture Square (Midan eth-Thaqafa).
Church of the Archangel Michael (Arabic: كنيسة الملاك ميخائيل). The church is located in the Railway Station Street (El-Mahatta St.), on the east side of the railway tracks.
Monasteries
White MonasteryThe Coptic White Monastery is a Coptic Orthodox monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
named after Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite. It is located about 5 kilometers west of Sohag. The name of the monastery is derived from the color of the white limestone of its outside walls. The surviving building is the church of what was once a much larger monastery complex.
Red Monastery
The Red Monastery is a Coptic Orthodox monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
named after an Egyptian
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
saint called Pishay. It is located about 5 kilometers north of the White Monastery. The name of the monastery is derived from the color of the construction material of its outside walls, consisting of red (burnt) brick. These walls are considerably thicker at the base than at the top, and just like the walls of Ancient Egyptian temples, they are surmounted by cavetto moldings. The Red Monastery is architecturally similar to the White Monastery
White Monastery
The Coptic White Monastery is a Coptic Orthodox monastery named after Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite. It is located near the Upper Egyptian city of Sohag, and about four kilometers south east of the Red Monastery. The name of the monastery is derived from the color of the white limestone of its...
.
Temples and cemeteries
The city is the site of a temple built for the goddess Repyt(Triphis) by Ptolemy XV CaesarionCaesarion
Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar , better known by the nicknames Caesarion and Ptolemy Caesar , was the last king of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, who reigned jointly with his mother Cleopatra VII of Egypt, from September 2, 44 BC...
and subsequent Roman emperors. South of this temple was an earlier temple of Ptolemy IX Soter II. One of the tombs nearby, belonging to the brothers Ibpemeny "the younger" and Pemehyt of the late second century BC, has two zodiacs on its ceiling.
Subdivisions
The city of Sohag is informally divided into two division: the East District (Arabic: حى شرق) and the West District (Arabic: حي غرب).Among the most notable regions of the West District are:
- Sidi Aref
- Al Shahid (Arabic for the Martyr)
- Gharb Al-Koubry ("West of the Bridge" neighborhood)
The East District is considered a more upscale district that includes some of the most affluent neighborhoods of the city including 15th Street, Al Kashef Street, Jumhuriya Street, The Courts Compound, and The Technical and Agricultural Schools.
Some of the most notable locales of the East District include:
- The Courts Compound of Sohag
- City Hall of Sohag
- Sohag UniversitySohag UniversitySohag University is an independent university in Egypt. It is located in Sohag, on the eastern bank of the Nile.-History:Sohag University became an independent university in 2006. Before 2006, it was part of another university....
- Sohag Teaching Hospital, a member of GOTHI, which is among the biggest hospitals of the region
- Multiple governmental directorates
- Many recreational areas including The Sohag Stadium as well as many parks including Al Zohour (an revitalized park located in the middle of the Nile River).
- Nasr City - the first satellite city to be built in the East District. It was established during the time of the former president Gamal Abdel NasserGamal Abdel NasserGamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
, hence the name Nasr City.
Climate
Sohag is one of the warmest places in Egypt due to its place in the east side of SaharaSahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
in North Africa. Sohag is ranked the 5th driest place in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and the 9th globally .Also ranked 4th warmest place in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and 296th globally .
Culture
The Sa'idi ArabicSa'idi Arabic
Sa`idi Arabic is the variety of Arabic spoken by Sa'idis south of Cairo, Egypt to the border of Sudan. It shares linguistic features both with Egyptian Arabic, as well as Sudanese Arabic. Dialects include Middle and Upper Egyptian Arabic...
dialect spoken by Sohagy people like all other Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
ian cities . There are some similarities to Standard Arabic and Gulf Arabic
Gulf Arabic
Gulf Arabic is a variety of the Arabic language spoken around the shore of the Persian Gulf such as in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman...
pronunciation.
Museums
The Sohag Museum contains about 5000 artifacts gathered from around the Sohag governorate, including items stretching from the Middle KingdomMiddle Kingdom of Egypt
The Middle Kingdom of Egypt is the period in the history of ancient Egypt stretching from the establishment of the Eleventh Dynasty to the end of the Fourteenth Dynasty, between 2055 BC and 1650 BC, although some writers include the Thirteenth and Fourteenth dynasties in the Second Intermediate...
to Greco-Roman times.
Bazaars
Souq el-QisareyaThe bazaar in Sohag is named suq Qaiṣarīya, and is partly covered.
Souq el-Itnein
A weekly market held every Monday in the morning for trading in vegetables, fruits,animals and traditional hand made objects (like baskets, farming axes and Bags).
The weekly market is believed to be held for the first time during the Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian era .
The place of Souq el-Itnein is changeable for years because of the crawling of the new buildings towards its location .
The souq now is in the south of the city and is held in the streets and beside the city cemetery .
Transport
Sohag is linked to Giza and Northern cities through three main roads: road of AsyutAsyut
Asyut is the capital of the modern Asyut Governorate in Egypt; the ancient city of the same name is situated nearby. The modern city is located at , while the ancient city is at .- Etymology :...
Western Desert, Eastern Desert Road, Rural Road also connected to it through the train.
In February 2010 a new highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
linking the city to the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
city of Hurghada
Hurghada
Hurghada is a city in the Red Sea Governorate of Egypt. It is a main tourist center and second largest city in Egypt located on the Red Sea coast.- Overview :...
was opened facilitating the ease the movement between Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
and the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
coastal region.
In May 2010, the Egyptian Ex-President Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
inaugurated a brand new airport to serve the city called Sohag International Airport
Sohag International Airport
Sohag International Airport is a new airport serving Sohag which is located in the Sohag Governorate of Egypt. The airport is located 25km south of the city.The airport was officially inaugurated by the former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on 25 May 2010....
.
| City | Distance (km) |
|---|---|
| Alexandria Alexandria Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving... |
692 |
| Port Said Port Said Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787... |
691 |
| Ismaïlia Ismaïlia -Notable natives:*Osman Ahmed Osman, a famous and influential Egyptian engineer, contractor, entrepreneur, and politician, was born in this town on 6 April 1917.... |
616 |
| Suez Suez Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities... |
605 |
| Cairo Cairo Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life... |
471 |
| Aswan Aswan Aswan , formerly spelled Assuan, is a city in the south of Egypt, the capital of the Aswan Governorate.It stands on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract and is a busy market and tourist centre... |
428 |
| Luxor Luxor Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. The population numbers 487,896 , with an area of approximately . As the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", as the ruins of the temple... |
205 |
| Asyut Asyut Asyut is the capital of the modern Asyut Governorate in Egypt; the ancient city of the same name is situated nearby. The modern city is located at , while the ancient city is at .- Etymology :... |
98 |
Cityscape
Education
Sohag is characterized by very large numbers of graduates in all fields.Illiteracy has continued to drop due to schools (literacy) for all ages free of charge.
There Sohag many schools and colleges most famous:
Primary schools:
- Al-Nasr school
- Huda Sharawi school
- Mulhaqat Al-Mu'allemat school
Middle schools:
- Ahmad Deifalla school
- Nabawi Muhandis school
- Ali Osman Baltak school
- Tarik Ibn Ziad school
High schools:
- Sohag Military school
- Abdelmunim Riad school
- Asmaa Bint Abi Bakr school
University
Sohag UniversitySohag University
Sohag University is an independent university in Egypt. It is located in Sohag, on the eastern bank of the Nile.-History:Sohag University became an independent university in 2006. Before 2006, it was part of another university....
is a governmental university in Sohag. It is on the eastern bank of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
. It also became an independent university in 2006. Before 2006, it was part of another university. There are currently ten colleges in Sohag University, as well as future plans to found more colleges to better serve the community. With more than 40,000 undergraduates it is highly ranked in Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
in terms of undergraduates numbers.
Sports
The most favourite and popular sport in Sohag is football. Sohag has many football clubs, among which only Sohag Football Club and Sohag Railways FC, Which played in the Egyptian Premier LeagueEgyptian Premier League
The Egyptian Premier League is an Egyptian professional league for football clubs and represents the top flight of Egyptian football. The championship consists of nineteen competing teams in a home and away league system. It is currently known as the Etisalat Egyptian Premier League, after the...
EPL for a few seasons ago. EPL
Egyptian Premier League
The Egyptian Premier League is an Egyptian professional league for football clubs and represents the top flight of Egyptian football. The championship consists of nineteen competing teams in a home and away league system. It is currently known as the Etisalat Egyptian Premier League, after the...
club El Gouna FC
El Gouna FC
El Gouna FC is an Egyptian football club based in El-Gouna, Egypt. The club currently plays in the Egyptian Premier League after having been promoted from the Second Division in 2008/09....
used the Sohag stadium
Sohag stadium
Sohag Stadium is located in the city centre of Sohag, its capacity nearing 20,000 and almost identical to any other Egyptian ground on the Nile in Aswan, Naq Hammadi, Minya, Asyut, Beni Suef and Fayum....
as a home ground at times.
Here is a list of the major sport clubs in the city of Sohag:
| Club |
|---|
| Sohag FC Sohag FC Sohag FC is an Egyptian football club based in Sohag, Egypt. The club colours are green, yellow & white.2009/10 they play in the Egyptian Second Division Group A.-Ground:Sohag stadium is home ground to SFC .... | Sohag Railway FC | Nil Sohag | Shobban Sohag |
Notable people
Sohag has established a positive reputation around Egypt .- NarmerNarmerNarmer was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Early Dynastic Period . He is thought to be the successor to the Protodynastic pharaohs Scorpion and/or Ka, and he is considered by some to be the unifier of Egypt and founder of the First Dynasty, and therefore the first pharaoh of unified Egypt.The...
, an ancient Egyptian pharaohPharaohPharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
of the Early Dynastic Period (c. 32nd century BC). - Sheikh Mohamed Siddiq El-MinshawiSheikh Mohamed Siddiq El-MinshawiSheikh Mohamed Siddiq El-Minshawi was an Egyptian Qur'anic reciter. Son of Sheikh Siddiq El-Minshawi, his brother Sheikh Mahmoud El-Minshawi is also a famous reciter.-History:...
, Great Qur'anic reciter . - Muhammad Sayyid TantawyMuhammad Sayyid TantawyMuhammad Sayyid Tantawy was an influential Islamic scholar in Egypt. From 1986 to 1996, he was the grand Mufti of Egypt...
, Former ImamImamAn imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
of Al-Azhar MosqueAl-Azhar MosqueAl-Azhar Mosque is a mosque in Islamic Cairo in Egypt. Al-Mu‘izz li-Dīn Allāh of the Fatimid Caliphate commissioned its construction for the newly established capital city in 970. Its name is usually thought to allude to the Islamic prophet Muhammad's daughter Fatimah, a revered figure in Islam...
. - Rifa'a el-TahtawiRifa'a el-TahtawiRifa'a al-Tahtawi was an Egyptian writer, teacher, translator, Egyptologist and renaissance intellectual...
, writer, teacher, translator, Egyptologist and renaissance intellectual. - Mustafa al-MaraghiMustafa al-MaraghiMustafa al-Maraghi was an Egyptian reformer and rector of Al-Azhar. He was active in encouraging reforms within legal and social contexts as well as within education where he notably campaigned for the introduction of modern sciences to the curriculum...
, reformer and rector of Al-Azhar MosqueAl-Azhar MosqueAl-Azhar Mosque is a mosque in Islamic Cairo in Egypt. Al-Mu‘izz li-Dīn Allāh of the Fatimid Caliphate commissioned its construction for the newly established capital city in 970. Its name is usually thought to allude to the Islamic prophet Muhammad's daughter Fatimah, a revered figure in Islam...
. - Mohammed Aboul-Fotouh HassabMohammed Aboul-Fotouh HassabMohammed Aboul-Fotouh Hassab was an Egyptian gastro-intestinal surgeon. He is well known for the description of his operation Hassab’s decongestion operation for the treatment of oesophageal varices as a result of portal hypertension. Dr...
, gastro-intestinal surgeon well known for the description of his operation Hassab’s decongestion operationHassab’s decongestion operationHassab’s decongestion operation is an elective surgical procedure to treat esophageal varices in patients with portal hypertension as a result of cirrhosis of the liver. It was created by Dr. Mohammed Aboul-Fotouh Hassab, a professor of surgery at Alexandria University in Egypt...
for the treatment of oesophageal varices as a result of portal hypertension. - Gamal El-Ghitani, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of historical novels and cultural and political commentaries and is the current editor-in-chief of the literary periodical Akhbar Al-Adab ("Cultural News") . - Naguib SawirisNaguib SawirisNaguib Onsi Sawiris is an Egyptian businessman and politician. He was executive chairman of the telecommunications companies Wind Telecom and Orascom Telecom Holding before turning to politics in May 2011...
, business pioneer that transformed his telecommunications company Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH) to become one of the leading telecom players in the world. - Youssef WahbiYoussef WahbiYoussef Wahbi was an Egyptian stage and film actor and director, a leading star of the 1930s and '40s and one of the most prominent Arab stage actors of any era. He was born to a high state official in Egypt but renounced his family's wealth and traveled to Rome in the 1920s to study theatre...
, Film ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. - Atef El-TayebAtef El-TayebAtef El-Tayeb was an Egyptian film director.Alternative transliterations of his name are: Atef Al-Tayeb, Attef El Taieb and Atef E-Taieb.-Filmography:...
, Film DirectorFilm directorA film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. - George SidhomGeorge SidhomGeorge Sidhom is a veteran Egyptian comedian.He is famous for being part of the stand-up comedy trio Tholathy Adwa'a El Masrah, alongside Samir Ghanem and El Deif Ahmed....
, Film ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. - Emad HamdyEmad HamdyEmad Hamdy was an Egyptian actor. He was married to the Egyptian actress Shadia and between 1962 and 1975 he was married to the Egyptian actress Nadia El Guindy, and they had one son.- Filmography :* Al Souk Al Sawdaa 1945....
, Film ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. - Baligh HamdiBaligh HamdiBaligh Hamdi ' was an Egyptian composer who created hit songs for many prominent Arabic singers, during the 1960s and 1970s especially.-Early years:...
, composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
who created hit songs for many prominent Arabic singers. - Dhul-Nun al-MisriDhul-Nun al-MisriDhul-Nun al-Misri was an Egyptian Sufi saint. He was considered the Patron Saint of the Physicians in the early Islamic era of Egypt, and is credited with having specialized the concept of Gnosis in Islam...
, Sufi saint. He was considered the Patron Saint of the Physicians in the early Islamic era of Egypt . - Jaber Abu HusseinJaber Abu Hussein-See also:* In Arabic:* In Arabic:...
, The famous narrator ot the Taghribat Bani HilalTaghribat Bani HilalTaghribat Bani Hilal is an Arabic epic recounting the Banu Hilal's journey from Najd to Tunisia via Egypt and conquest of the latter. It is built around historical events that took place in the 11th century...
. - Nadia LutfiNadia LutfiNadia Lutfi , the daughter of an Egyptian father who was an accountant and a Polish mother, was one of the most popular actresses during the final phase of Egyptian cinema's "Golden Age".-Life and career:...
, one of the most popular actresses during the final phase of Egyptian cinema's "Golden Age". - Omar TaherOmar Taher-Biography:Taher was born in 1973 in Sohag to a wealthy Egyptian family from Upper Egypt. He graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor's degree in commerce from Helwan University.- Publications :1-Meshwar lehad el hait -19982-Labodda min kheyana -2000...
, Writer and poet .
Nearby attractions
Abydos, Egypt
Abydos is one of the most ancient cities of Upper Egypt, and also of the eight Upper Nome, of which it was the capital city. It is located about 11 kilometres west of the Nile at latitude 26° 10' N, near the modern Egyptian towns of el-'Araba el Madfuna and al-Balyana...
one of the most ancient cities of Upper Egypt
Upper and Lower Egypt
Ancient Egypt was divided into two regions, namely Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. To the north was Lower Egypt where the Nile stretched out with its several branches to form the Nile Delta. To the south was Upper Egypt, stretching to Syene. The two kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt were united c....
, and also of the eight Upper Nome
Nome (Egypt)
A nome was a subnational administrative division of ancient Egypt. Today's use of the Greek nome rather than the Egyptian term sepat came about during the Ptolemaic period. Fascinated with Egypt, Greeks created many historical records about the country...
of which it was the capital city. It also Considered one of the most important archaeological sites of Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, the sacred city of Abydos was the site of many ancient temples, including a Umm el-Qa'ab
Umm el-Qa'ab
Umm el-Qa`āb is the necropolis of the Early Dynastic kings at Abydos, in Egypt. Its modern name means Mother of Pots, as the whole area is littered with the broken pot shards of offerings made in earlier times...
, a royal necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
where early pharaohs were entombed.
Akhmim
Akhmim
Akhmim is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt. Referred to by the ancient Greeks as Khemmis, Chemmis and Panopolis, it is located on the east bank of the Nile, 4 miles to the northeast of Sohag.- History :Akhmim was known in Ancient Egypt as Ipu, Apu or Khent-min...
has several mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s and two Coptic churches, maintains a weekly market, and manufactures cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
goods, notably the blue shirts and check shawls with silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
fringes worn by the poorer classes of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
El-Hawawish
El-Hawawish
El-diabat is the name given to the site of the ancient necropolis for the city of Akhmim in the Sohag Governorate, Egypt.The cemetery was excavated extensively by an Australian archaeological and epigraphic expedition under the auspices of the Australian Centre for Egyptology and Macquarie...
the ancient necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
(cemetery) for the city of Akhmim
Akhmim
Akhmim is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt. Referred to by the ancient Greeks as Khemmis, Chemmis and Panopolis, it is located on the east bank of the Nile, 4 miles to the northeast of Sohag.- History :Akhmim was known in Ancient Egypt as Ipu, Apu or Khent-min...
.
El-Salamuni
El-Salamuni
El-Salamuni is a village in the Upper Egyptian Sohag Governorate. It is located northeast of the city of Akhmim.-Overview:El-Salamuni comprises a rock-cut chapel dedicated to the god Min. The edifice was created by the first priest of Min, Nakhtmin. About 1,000 later, the chief priest of Min,...
comprises a rock-cut chapel dedicated to the god Min
Min (god)
Min is an Ancient Egyptian god whose cult originated in predynastic times . He was represented in many different forms, but was often represented in male human form, shown with an erect penis which he holds in his left hand and an upheld right arm holding a flail...
.
The Meritamen statue
Meritamen
Meritamen was a daughter and later Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses the Great.- Family :...
in east Akhmim
Akhmim
Akhmim is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt. Referred to by the ancient Greeks as Khemmis, Chemmis and Panopolis, it is located on the east bank of the Nile, 4 miles to the northeast of Sohag.- History :Akhmim was known in Ancient Egypt as Ipu, Apu or Khent-min...
.
Beit Khallaf
Beit Khallaf
Beit Khallaf is a small village 10 kilometers west of Girga in Middle Egypt-Overview:Outside the village are two very large brick mastabas from the Third Dynasty. K1, the largest, has produced remnants from King Djoser and was excavated in 1900-1902. It measures 86 by 45 by 9 metres...
Outside the village are two very large brick mastaba
Mastaba
A mastaba, or "pr-djt" , is a type of ancient Egyptian tomb in the form of a flat-roofed, rectangular structure with outward sloping sides that marked the burial site of many eminent Egyptians of Egypt's ancient period...
s from the Third Dynasty.
Athribis
Athribis (Upper Egypt)
Athribis , also known to the ancient Greeks as Triphieion or Tripheion, and to the ancient Egyptians as Hut-Repyt, was an ancient city of Egypt, in the Panopolite nome. The modern village of Wannina in the Sohag Governorate is situated here...
The city is the site of a temple built for the goddess Repyt (Triphis) by Ptolemy XV Caesarion
Caesarion
Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar , better known by the nicknames Caesarion and Ptolemy Caesar , was the last king of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, who reigned jointly with his mother Cleopatra VII of Egypt, from September 2, 44 BC...
and subsequent Roman Emperors.
See also
- Upper EgyptUpper EgyptUpper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
- Sa'idi people
- Sa'idi ArabicSa'idi ArabicSa`idi Arabic is the variety of Arabic spoken by Sa'idis south of Cairo, Egypt to the border of Sudan. It shares linguistic features both with Egyptian Arabic, as well as Sudanese Arabic. Dialects include Middle and Upper Egyptian Arabic...
External links
Sohag on WikivoyageSohag photo album