Damietta in Egypt: A Port City in the Nile Delta, New Damietta, and Top Attractions in Damietta

Damietta in Egypt is a port city and the capital of the Damietta Governorate in Egypt. It is located at the Damietta branch, which is an eastern distributary of the Nile Delta. It is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the Mediterranean Sea, and about 200 kilometres (120 mi) north of Cairo. It was a Catholic bishopric and is a multiple titular see. It is also a member of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.

Damietta, Egypt

The Name of Damietta

The modern name of the city comes from its Coptic name Tamiati, which in turn most likely comes from Ancient Egyptian (dmj), mooring port, town (-t), which is a determinative used for towns and cities, although al-Maqrizi suggested a Syriac etymology.

Damietta throughout History

The 6th geographer Stephanus of Byzantium mentioned it; the city was called Tamiathis in the Hellenistic period.
Under the Rashid caliph Umar (579–644), the Arabs took the city and successfully resisted the attempts by the Byzantine Empire to recover it, especially in 739, 821, 921 and 968. The Abbasid Caliphate used Alexandria, Damietta in Egypt, Aden and Siraf as entry ports to India and Tang China. Damietta was an important naval base during the Abbasid, Tulunid and Fatimid periods. This led to several attacks by the Byzantine Empire, most notably the sack and destruction of the city in May 853.
Damietta in Egypt was again important in the 12th and 13th centuries during the Crusades. In 1169, a fleet from the Kingdom of Jerusalem, with support from the Byzantine Empire, attacked the port, but the besiegers returned home without any success in capturing the port, which Saladin defended.

Damietta at night

During preparations for the Fifth Crusade in 1217, it was decided that Damietta should be the focus of attack. Control of Damietta meant control of the Nile, and from there, the Crusaders believed they could conquer Egypt. From Egypt, they could then attack Ayyubid-ruled Palestine and recapture Jerusalem. After the siege of Damietta of 1218–19, the Crusaders occupied the port. The siege caused the population of Damietta. After the crusaders captured Damietta in November 1219, they looted the city.
Francis of Assisi had arrived to negotiate with the Muslim ruler peaceably. In 1221, the Crusaders attempted to march to Cairo, but were destroyed by the combination of nature and Muslim defences.
Damietta in Egypt was also the object of the Seventh Crusade, led by Louis IX of France. His fleet arrived there in 1249 and quickly captured the fort, which he refused to hand over to the nominal king of Jerusalem, to whom it had been promised during the Fifth Crusade. However, having been taken prisoner with his army in April 1250, Louis was obliged to surrender Damietta as ransom.
Hearing that Louis was preparing a new crusade, the Mamluk sultan Baybars – given the importance of the city to the Crusaders – destroyed it in 1251 and rebuilt it with stronger fortifications a few kilometres from the Nile in the early 1260s, making the mouth of the Damietta branch impassable for ships.

The Climate of Damietta in Egypt

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as a hot desert, but blowing winds from the Mediterranean Sea greatly moderate the temperatures. This is typical of Egypt’s north coast because it makes its summers moderately hot and humid, while its winters are mild and moderately wet, where sleet and hail are also common. Port Said, Kosseir, Ras El Bar, Baltim, Damietta and Alexandria have the least temperature variation in Egypt.

The Damietta Economy And Furniture Industry

furniture industry, Damietta in Egypt

Damietta in Egypt is very famous for its furniture industry. In addition to the Egyptian market, its furniture is sold in Arab countries, Africa, Europe, the United States, and almost all over the world. Today, there is a canal connecting it to the Nile. That has made it an important port once again. Containers are transported through the new Damietta Port. It contains the SEGAS LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) plant, which will ultimately have a capacity of 9.6 million tons/year through two trains. The plant is owned by Segas, a joint venture of the Spanish utility Unión Fenosa (40%), Italian oil company Eni (40%) and the Egyptian companies EGAS and EGPC (10% each).

The plant is unusual since it is not supplied from a dedicated field, but is supplied with gas from the Egyptian grid. As of 2010, EMethanex, the Egyptian division of Methanex Corporation, is a Canadian-owned company. It was building a 3600 MTPD methanol plant.

Tourism and Investment:

Damietta in Egypt is positioned as a growing tourism destination because of its natural attractions and historical monuments. Especially in New Damietta, the real estate zone offers an environment conducive to investment, with infrastructure and diversification of projects. These zones are known for their huge palm groves and guava farms, with palm trees being exported internationally.

Damietta Products

Damietta in Egypt also has a woodworking industry and is also noted for its White Domiati cheese and other dairy products, and Patisserie and Egyptian desserts. It is also a fishing port.

New Damietta

New Damietta in Egypt is a city in the Damietta Governorate, Egypt. It is along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The New Urban Communities Authority established the city in 1980. As of 2023, it has a population of approximately 55,434 people. New Damietta covers an area of 43.96 square kilometres. The city operates under the governance of the New Damietta Municipality.

Infrastructure of New Damietta

Dar Misr in New Damietta

The New Damietta Reconstruction and Housing Authority constructed residential buildings.
Dar Masr and Jannat Masr compounds are offering residential apartments.
Central Park, Alcazaba, and other recreational facilities.
Various banking services are available, including Housing and Development Bank, Bank Misr, and others.
There are approximately 600 factories in the industrial area.

5 TOP ATTRACTIONS IN DAMIETTA

1- AMR IBN AL-AS MOSQUE

Amr ibn al-As Mosque (Damietta) was the second mosque to be built in Egypt and Africa by the Arabs after entering Egypt. It was twice converted to a church during the city’s occupation by the Crusaders. The Amr ibn al-Aas mosque is one of the most famous and oldest mosques in Damietta. Also, it is called Al-Fateh Mosque.

Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque in Damieta

The mosque was built in 642 AD with the same style as the Omar Ibn Al-Aas Mosque in Fustat ( Old Cairo) and has Kufic writings and columns dating back to the Roman era. The mosque consists of a dome in the centre, surrounded by four iwans and located on the side. Gharbia is the main entrance to the mosque, which is a prominent entrance from its walls and near the door, it has a square minaret hall that was destroyed by an earthquake in ancient times.

Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque in Damieta

2- THE FORT OF ORABY

The French expedition built the fort in 1799-1801 to defend the country against sea attacks, and later Egyptian patriots used it during the Oraby revolution (1879-1882) and thus named it after him.

3- THE BAHR MOSQUE

Damietta’s most famous and beautiful mosque is located on the eastern bank of the Nile in Damietta and was first renovated in 1009 during the reign of the Ottoman Empire. It was built on an area of 1200 m² in Andalusian style, then it was restored and rebuilt for the second time in Andalusian style in 1967. Its walls are decorated with the finest Islamic inscriptions and have five domes, two minarets and a cultural and religious library attached to it.

THE BAHR MOSQUE in Damietta

4- AL-MUAINI MOSQUE

It was built by the merchant Damietta Muhammed al-Din -Al-Muaini in the year 810 AH -1310 AD at the time of Nasser Qalawun. It is characterised by the Amazing Mamluk Style, the height of the walls and the minaret, and it is formed. The mosque has 4 Iwans, the largest of which is the qibla iwan, and all ceilings are decorated with Mamlukse ornaments

5- RAS- EL BAR

It is a resort city in the Governorate of Damietta in Egypt. Ras El Bar is located on the Mediterranean Sea at the mouth of the Damietta Nile branch. There are approximately 25,000 permanent residents in the city. However, during the summer peak holiday season, from July to September, the population quickly expands to over 250,000.

RAS- EL BAR, Damietta

There are other places and mosques to visit in Damietta in Egypt.

Conclusion

Overall, Damietta in Egypt is a multifaceted city because it balances its deep historical roots with modern development and environmental challenges. Its strategic location and economic potential make it a key area for tourism and investment, while the ongoing environmental studies highlight the need for sustainable practices in the region.

Damietta in Egypt is a historically significant Egyptian port city on the Nile Delta’s Damietta Branch, known for its culture, natural beauty, and strategic importance, though its coastline is vulnerable to erosion. The region, including New Damietta, is experiencing significant tourism and real estate development, but also faces environmental challenges like pollution and coastal erosion, making it a dynamic area for both investment and environmental research.