Located 100 kilometers (62 miles) southwest of Cairo, in theFayoum Oasis, it is the capital of the modern Fayoum Governorate. Originally called Shedet in Egyptian, It is one of Egypt's oldest cities due to its strategic location.
Fayoumwas previously officially named MadīnetAlFayoum. The name Fayoum(and its spelling variations) may also refer to the Fayoum Oasis, although it is commonly used by Egyptians today to refer to the city.
The modern name of the city comes from Coptic,meaning the Sea or the Lake, which in turn comes from late Egyptian pꜣ-ym of the same meaning, a reference to the nearby Lake Moeris; the extinct elephant ancestor Phiomia was named after it.
The Fayoum Oasis is one of Egypt’s most biodiverse and scenic destinations. Brimming with ancient treasures and charms and nestled on the Nile Delta where the ecosystem is both colorful and rich, Fayoum has always been a refuge for local tourists from across the country.
It’s ideal weather makes it an all-year-round destination for weary urbanites and globe trotters alike. And, like most good things in life, Fayoum has something for everyone. Whether you are searching for answers to the universe’s biggest mysteries or simply want to spend your days off lounging and indulging in Egyptian cuisine classics, Fayoum is the place for you.
According to Roger S. Bagnall habitation began in the fifth millennium and a settlement was established by the Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2181 BC) called Shedet (Medinet el-Fayyum). It was the most significant center of the cult of the crocodile god Sobek. In consequence, the Greeks called it "Crocodile City" which was borrowed into Latin as CrocodÄ«lopolis. "Crocodilopolis" redirects here. For the namesake sites in Upper Egypt and Israel, see Crocodilopolis (disambiguation).
Archaeological evidence has found occupations around the Fayoum dating back to at least the Epipalaeolithic. Middle Holocene occupations of the area are most widely studied on the north shore of Lake Moeris, where Gertrude Caton Thompson and Elinor Wight Gardner did a number of excavations of Epipalaeolithic and Neolithic sites, as well as a general survey of the area.
The city worshipped a tamed sacred crocodile "the Son of Soukhos” that was adorned with gold and gem pendants’’. The Petsoukhos lived in a special temple pond and was fed by the priests with food provided by visitors. When Petsuchos died, it was replaced by another.Under the Ptolemaic Kingdom, the city was for a while called Ptolemais Euergétis
Ptolemy II Philadelphus (309–246 BC) renamed the city Arsinoë and the whole nome after the name of his sister-wife Arsinoe II (316–270 or 268), who was deified after her death as part of the Ptolemaic cult of Alexander the Great, the official religion of the kingdom.
Under the Roman Empire, Arsinoë became part of the province of Arcadia Aegypti. To distinguish it from other cities of the same name, it was called "Arsinoë in Arcadia".
With the arrival of Christianity, Arsinoë became the seat of a bishopric, a suffragan of Oxyrhynchus, the capital of the province and the metropolitan see. Michel Le Quien gives the names of several bishops of Arsinoë, nearly all of them associated with one heresy or another.
Al Fayoum famous for:
Fayoum is the source of some famous death masks or mummy portraits painted during the Roman occupation of the area. The Egyptians continued their practice of burying their dead, despite the Roman preference for cremation. While under the control of the Roman Empire, Egyptian death masks were painted on wood in a pigmented wax technique called encausticthe Fayoum mummy portraits represent this technique. While previously believed to represent Greek settlers in Egypt, modern studies conclude that the Fayoum portraits instead represent mostly native Egyptians, reflecting the complex synthesis of the predominant Egyptian culture and that of the elite Greek minority in the city.
Fayoum has several large bazaars, mosques, baths and a much-frequented weekly market. The canal called Bahr Yussef runs through the city, its banks lined with houses. There are two bridges over the river: one of three arches, which carries the main street and bazaar, and one of two arches, over which is built the Qaitbay mosque,that was a gift from his wife to honor the Mamluk Sultan in Fayoum. Mounds north of the city mark the site of Arsinoe, known to the ancient Greeks as Crocodilopolis, where in ancient times the sacred crocodile kept in Lake Moeris was worshipped. The center of the city is on the canal, with four waterwheels that were adopted by the governorate of Fayoum as its symbol; their chariots and bazaars are easy to spot. The city is home of the football club Misr Lel Makkasa, that play in the Egyptian Premier League.
Main sites:
- Hanging Mosque, built when the Ottomans ruled Egypt by prince Marawan bin Hatem
- Hawara, archeological site 27 km (17 mi) from the city
- Lahun Pyramids, 4 km (2 mi) outside the city
- Qaitbay Mosque, in the city, and was built by the wife of the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay
- Qasr Qarun, 44 km (27 mi) from the city
- Wadi Elrayan or Wadi Rayan, the largest waterfalls in Egypt, around 50 km (31 mi) from the city
Home to pristine waterfalls and one of the world’s few remaining populations of the endangered slender-horned gazelle species, this nature reserve is a popular site among bird watchers and sand boarding enthusiasts. This biodiverse protectorate consists of upper and lower lakes connected by waterfalls, the biggest in Egypt. The site, located 65 KM southwest of Fayoum, is surrounded by picturesque springs and sand dunes.
- Wadi Al-Hitan or Valley of whales, a paleontological site in the Al Fayyum Governorate, some 150 km (93 mi) southwest of Cairo. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Some visiting & activities in Al Fayoum:
- Pottery at Tunis Village
One of the most beautiful places in all of Egypt, this village is perched atop a hill overlooking the great Lake Qarun, the country’s second biggest lake. The village was transformed in the 1980s by Swiss potter Evelyn Porret who built a country house there in the style of Hassan Fathi’s iconic green buildings, which eventually spread across the village. Porret also helped popularize pottery in the village with a pottery studio. Today, the village is home to some of the country’s best pottery artists. The village is also a popular bird watching and horseback riding destination.
- Swimming in Magic Lake
Surrounded by sand dunes, rock formations and the Mudawara Mountain, this natural wonder is one of Fayoum’s most popular lakes. Named Magic Lake because its waters change colors and hues several times a day, the lake is the perfect spot for a refreshing swim in the middle of the desert. Located in Wadi El Hitan, Magic Lake’s surrounding area is also a popular camping and sand boarding destination.
- Sightseeing at Medinet Madi (Narmuthis)
One of several such sites, but by far the most exciting, Medinet Madi holds the remains of an ancient town named Dja in the Middle Kingdom and Narmuthis during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. During the reigns of Amenemhat III and Amenemhat IV, a temple honoring the cobra goddess Renenutet was built in Narmuthis. Medinet Madi also holds the remains of two more temples said to honor the gods Sobek and Horus.
- A Walk Through Natural History at the Petrified Forest
Located North of Lake Qarun, Fayoum’s Petrified Forest is one of the largest in the region. Its fossilized trees are believed to belong to an ancient forest that grew more than 30 million years ago. The area holds the remains of trees as tall as 30 meters long and features a fairly diverse array of fossils, most of which are perfectly preserved.