Qusayr, an Egyptian city, administratively affiliated with the Red Sea Governorate.
History
From there, Queen Hatshepsut began her expedition to the Land of Punt. It was also a site for gold prospecting in the times of the Pharaohs, and in the sixteenth century it was ruled by Sultan Selim I, whose statue still exists in the center of the city. El Quseir had strategic military importance, and today it is considered a quiet tourist resort with its sandy beaches, water sports, clear waters, and coral reefs such as Al-Wazr area, K40, is one of the largest concentrations of coral reefs. In addition, the area is famous for phosphate extraction. It was a gathering center for Muslim pilgrims coming from Egypt, the Maghreb, and Andalusia to perform the Hajj.
Monuments
The city has a group of Christian and Islamic monuments belonging to different eras. For example, there is a castle built in 1799 AD. It also contains the shrine of Sheikh Abi Al-Hassan Al-Shazly, which was established in 1892 AD during the reign of Abbas Hilmi II.
There are Coptic and Roman ruins in the old Qusayr area to the north at Kilometer 8. There are also Islamic ruins, namely the citadel, as well as some buildings in the center of the country. Al-Qusayr is connected to the Nile Valley by a 180-kilometre-long road that passes through Wadi Hammamet and reaches the city of Qift in Qena Governorate. This valley contains Pharaonic monuments dating back to the era of Queen Hatshepsut and a gold mine in Wadi Al-Fawakhir.
Naming
It is said that the name “Qusayr” was given to the city because it is the shortest distance between Upper Egypt and the Red Sea, and in the past it was the only road connecting them.