Montaza ( arz, المنتزه) is the name of both a district and a park in

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

. The district includes the park, but the two are legally distinct.

Etymology

"Montaza" does mean "park", but like most words in

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

there is an essence that is missing by literal

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

translation Translation is the communication of the Meaning (linguistic), meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The ...

. It can only be understood with a greater awareness of the

root In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the sur ...

: "nuzha" ( ar, نزهة, links=no). This means variably - to be far, untouched, unblemished, and free. Thus "montaza" takes meanings such as promenade, walk, stroll; recreation ground; park.These are according to Hans Wehr.

Montaza district

The Montaza district ( ar, حي المنتزه ''Ḥayy al-Muntazah'') is a

local government district The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. As the st ...

Alexandria Governorate Alexandria Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. The city of Alexandria was historically the capital of Egypt until the foundation of Fustat, which was later absorbed into Cairo. Today the Alexandria governorate is considered second i ...

on the northeastern end of the city along the coast. Besides the neighborhood-sized park of Montaza which gives it its name, Montaza district includes the neighborhoods of Soyof, El Falaky, El Mandara,

Sidi Bishr Sidi Bishr ( ar, سيدي بشر) is a neighborhood in the Montaza District of Alexandria, Egypt. Established as a summering site by the Egyptian middle class before the Revolution of 1952, it has since become one of the largest neighborhoods of ...

Maamora Maamora is a town and commune in Bouïra Province, Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinate ...

, Khurshid, Abu Qir and parts of

Asafra Asafra ( ar, العصافرة) is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. See also * Neighborhoods in Alexandria Alexandria, Virginia, an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, is located along the western bank of the Potomac River. ...

. With a population of approximately 1.2 million, the Montaza district is the largest district of the governorate by population. The Montaza district administrative building is in

, at the intersection of Masgid Sidi Bishr and Malak Hefni Streets, near the Sidi Bishr tram station. The building was damaged by fire during the

Egyptian Revolution of 2011 The 2011 Egyptian revolution, also known as the 25 January revolution ( ar, ثورة ٢٥ يناير; ), began on 25 January 2011 and spread across Egypt. The date was set by various youth groups to coincide with the annual Egyptian "Police ho ...

; the building had contained a police station, which, like police stations across Egypt, was a particular target for protesters.

Montaza Park

MONTAZA GARDENS BRIDGE, ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

The neighborhood of Montaza is at the far northeast end of Montaza District, along the coast. Built under the monarchy, it is a favored tourist spot on account of its sizable gardens and palaces left by its royal heritage; the Egyptian government charges a nominal fee ( ).

Montaza Palace Montaza Palace ( ar, قصر المنتزه) is a palace, museum and extensive gardens in the Montaza district of Alexandria, Egypt. It was built on a low plateau east of central Alexandria overlooking a beach on the Mediterranean Sea. History The ...

, which gives the park its name, was constructed during the reign of the

Khedive Khedive (, ota, خدیو, hıdiv; ar, خديوي, khudaywī) was an honorific title of Persian origin used for the sultans and grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire, but most famously for the viceroy of Egypt from 1805 to 1914.Adam Mestyan"Kh ...

Abbas II, the royal family's habit of summering in the palace eventually drew wealthy Egyptians and foreigners to the same location (although foreigners in general tended to congregate at the opposite end of the city, in

Agami Agami ( arz, العجمى ', mostly shortened to , ;, ) is a city in the Alexandria Governorate of Egypt. west of Alexandria, the town is a popular destination for both local Alexandrians and tourists in Giza and Cairo. Overview The city sta ...

). It is considered to be quite exclusive to be in possession of a cabin in the Montaza. It can not be bought and is usually passed down from generation to generation. There are several different "suburbs" within the Montaza, the most exclusive being Aida. Montaza also plays host to a noted clock tower and two old hotels (the Helnan Palestine and Salamlek Palace). The Sheraton Montazah is actually across the street from the park, in the neighborhood of Mandara.

References

{{coord, 31.28, 30.02, display=title Neighbourhoods of Alexandria