Egypt completes restoration of Kom El Shoqafa catacombs

The famous catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa in Alexandria, Egypt, have been finally restored to their full glory. A prominent site, it has been vulnerable to groundwater leaks for years now, and needed a major overhaul. The catacombs make for some very unique tourist attraction apart from their archaeological value, and are a mix of Egyptian and Greco-Roman architecture.

The said catacombs are also one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. It is believed that the site was initially built to equip one family, but was later extended. They are spread over three levels, cutting their way through rocks; the third level had been under water for a while. The name translates to ‘Mount of Shards’, as it contained mounds of terracotta pieces; these were mainly left over by curious visitors and were found in a large number when the site was first discovered. The restoration efforts started in 2017, and a massive aid of $5.7 million was spent to pull off the feat. The aid was granted by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and was also used for training purposes for the Antiquities Ministry employees, who took care of the restoration work.

Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani said, “The antiquity underwent many restoration projects, the most important of which was in the mid-nineties, which was an ambitious project supervised by the Supreme Council of Antiquities.”
The ministry has previously worked with USAID for a number of sites, including the very famous ones at Cairo, Giza and Luxor.