Five hundred and sixty seven years ago, Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf ad-Din Qa’it Bay had fallen in love with Alexandria’s charm during a visit to the city. He, therefore, ordered the construction a citadel that would ink his name in the history of the city hoping for his memory to last throughout time. If the poor guy had known that we will gleefully celebrate in his memorial on DJ’s tunes or purple hue spotlights, he would have saved his money and built a fancy ship instead!

Few days ago, one of the most important Islamic monuments in Alexandria, Qiatbay Citadel, was furnished with tables, chairs, dinnerware, napkins, a projector, a tent and a kosha. Our historical Citadel hosted a wedding placed, 3o2bal 3andoko, under the Ministry Of Antiquities’ supervision.

Screen Shot 2016-05-16 at 12.56.35 AM

As if turning such an outstanding monument of immeasurable value into a wedding venue isn’t scandalous enough, what adds insult to injury is the Ministry justifying this as a perfect way to provide income and support tourism!!

Summer is just around the corner, and that means the peak wedding season is too. If you’re determined to keep your wedding costs in check, here is the perfect package ladies and gentlemen. Earn yourself a 200 guests wedding at the Citadel for a mere 15 thousand pounds rental fee!!! Wait there’s more! This also includes other administrative expenses, the workers’ fees, the archaeological supervision and electricity facilities fund, mounting the total cost to about 25 thousand pounds. Walahi Ya balash!

Insulting, that what’s the situation is, and claiming that it is for the benefit of the tourism is all the more frustrating. Yeah, maybe this wedding caused no damages to the place but can you guarantee that this will happen in the future? Will you be able to give the place back its grandeur? After being one of the most important defensive strongholds along the Mediterranean Sea coast, you with all the recklessness in the world transform it now into a cheap wedding venue?!!

Why do we want tourists to come from around the world to see our monuments if we don’t even respect them? Are these really your creative ideas to revive the tourism? If so, that’s literally what they call ‘Geh yeka7alha 3amaha’

With each passing day, everything priceless and invaluable in this country becomes cheap, and what’s good for nothing costs an arm and leg. They were right to call it balad el 3agayeb!