Damanhur, population approximately 188,939) is located 160 km northwest of Cairo and about 70 miles east southeast of Alexandria in the middle of the western Delta. Damanhur, chief town (Capital) of the Governorate of Buhayra (Beheira or Behera), which extends from the Rosetta arm of the Nile to the Western (Libyan) Desert, lies on the Mahmudiya Canal at the west end of the Delta. Though it receives almost no tourists, it is a friendly town that seems to gather around its local mosque for social outings.

It was once the site of Behdet, later known as Time-en-Hor ("City of Horus"), from which its present name derives. In Roman times it was named Hermopolis Parva and was capital of the 15th nome of Lower Egypt.

Damanhur is now an important railroad junction, with several cotton ginning plants. It is also the market town of the very fertile surrounding area and a major center of the rice trade. There are no remains of the ancient city.

One attraction for a visitor occurs in November when there is the Moulid of Sheikh Abu Rish. There is also a Jewish moulid that occurs over two days in January. The moulid is held at the shrine of a 19th century mystic called Abu Khatzeira. All non-Jewish Egyptians are kept out of the festival by the police. Most that attend are Europeans and Israelis that bring their sick relatives or bottled water that is blessed at the shrine during the festival.

The local mosque in Damanhur is one of the largest in the Delta

Data:

• Latitude: 31.03
• Longitude: 30.47

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Last Update: 12/07/2006