Unknown Soldier Memorial (Egypt)

The Unknown Soldier Memorial

Many Unknown Soldier Memorials for Egyptian and Arab soldiers were constructed inside and outside Egypt. The most famous is the one in Cairo.

The Unknown Soldier Memorial in Cairo is a pyramid-shaped monument in Nasr City. Its construction was ordered by president Anwar Sadat in 1974 in honour of Egyptians and Arabs who lost their lives in the 1973 October War. It was inaugurated in October 1975. The site was also chosen for the president's tomb after his assassination in October 1981.

The Unknown Soldier Memorial as seen from the road

Cairo Memorial

The monument is made of concrete and resembles a hollow pyramid, with a height of 36.64 meters, and a base width of 14.3 meters. The four pillars are 1.9 meters thick, and are inscribed with 71 symbolic names. At the center of the base is a solid basalt cube representing the soldier's tomb. The memorial is open to visitors at all times. It was designed by the artist Sami Rafi, a Professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo who obtained his PhD from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Vienna.[1] A small memorial to the martyrs of 1973 war is present in the 6th of October Panorama.

Other Memorials

Egypt

Alexandria

An Unknown Soldier monument commemorating those who lost their lives in the October War is located in El-Shohada Square, Alexandria (though of a completely different design).

Alexandria Naval Unknown Soldier Memorial

A memorial dedicated to the unknown soldiers who lost their lives in the sea battles, it is present on the sea shore at Alexandria.[2]

Port Said Martyrs Memorial

The Port Said Martyrs Memorial commemorates the martyrs of Port Said in the battles of the tripartite aggression during the Suez Crisis in 1956. It exists in Al-Sharq District, Port Said.[3]

Desouk

There is an unknown Soldier & October war martyrs Memorial in Desouk, Kafr el-Sheikh Governorate.

Sadat City

There is an Egyptian unknown Soldier & October war Memorial at the entrance of Sadat City.

Ismailia

The Egyptian unknown Soldier & October war Memorial at Ismailyia was erected to commemorate the victory of Egyptian army at the Battle of Ismailia.

Israel

Ad Halom area in Israel

The Egyptian unknown Soldier Memorial, Sde Yoav area in Israel. Monument to the memory of four Egyptian soldiers who fell in the battle of Al-Falouja in 1948 including Ahmed Abdel-Aziz.

An unknown soldier memorial for Egyptian soldiers of the 1948 war is present in Ad Halom, also known as "the Ad Halom commemoration wall".[4] The Ad Halom memorial (Ashdod) marks the northernmost point in Israel to which the Egyptian army advanced during the 1948 Arab-Iraaeli War. It is a monument to four Egyptian soldiers – two colonels, a sergeant and a private.[4][5] As part of Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, a monument in the memory of the fallen Egyptian soldiers was established. It was compensation for the abandonment of Israeli obelisks in the Sinai peninsula. The inscriptions on the four edges are in Hebrew, Arabic, English and hieroglyphs.[6]

Memorial for fallen Egyptian soldiers in the Negev

Under the terms of the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty a memorial for fallen Egyptian soldiers in the Negev was erected.[7]

Egyptians soldiers memorial of Battles of Negba at Sde Yoav

see Battles of Negba The Egyptians requested to place a memorial for soldiers fallen in Negba as the monument made to commemorate the Israeli fallen. Due to local opposition, the monument was placed in nearby Sde Yoav.[8]

Palestinian Occupied territories

Beit Nuba Egyptians soldiers memorial, Ramallah; West Bank

A monument was erected in the village of Beit Nuba west the city of Ramallah in the West Bank in memory of 10 Egyptian soldiers bravery during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. It is dedicated to the Egyptian soldiers who refused to surrender the area to Jordan, then the Zionist forces bomb them causing their death.[9] The monument was built on July 17, 2012[10] as a joint effort between the Egyptian embassy and the Fatah party.[9]

Israeli forces entered Beit Nuba on 12 December 2012 and notified the villagers that the monument and buildings would be demolished.[9] The Egyptian Minister of Foreign affairs made contacts with the Egyptian ambassador in the Palestinian territories, to stop the Israeli decision to demolish the Beit Nuba monument of the Egyptian soldiers.[10] Palestinians organized a march and sit-in to protest the decision to demolish the monument.[10]

Kuwait

Egyptian troops Kuwait war memorial

A memorial for the Egyptian troops who fell in the Kuwait war during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign during the Operation Desert Storm. It is displayed at the Kuwait National Memorial Museum to show Egypt's contribution to the liberation. It commemorates Egypt loss of 12 soldiers.[11]

Yemen

Sana'a Monument for Egyptians Martyrs

The Monument for Egyptians Martyrs at Sana'a, Yemen was erected for the memory of the 70,000 Egyptian soldiers that died during the North Yemen Civil War in 1965.[12][13][14]

Table

Memorial Name Location Establishment date & designer Aim Time Era Comments Coordinates
The Unknown Soldier Memorial in Cairo Nasr City, Cairo 1975 by the artist Sami RafiTo honour of Egyptians who lost their lives in the 1973 October War1973 October War made of concrete and resembles a hollow pyramid, with a height of 36.64 meters, and a base width of 14.3 meters.30°03′54″N 31°18′50″E / 30.06500°N 31.31389°E / 30.06500; 31.31389
Alexandria October war unknown Soldier Memorial El-Shohada Square, Alexandria1970s? To honour of Egyptians who lost their lives in the 1973 October War 1973 October War - 31°11′35″N 29°54′22″E / 31.19306°N 29.90611°E / 31.19306; 29.90611
Alexandria Naval Unknown Soldier Memorial Manshaya district sea shore at Alexandria1964dedicated to the Egyptian naval unknown soldiers who lost their lives in the sea battlesEgyptian Revolution of 1952 Originally a memorial to Khedive Ismail built by Italian residents of Alexandria 31°11′59″N 29°53′37″E / 31.19972°N 29.89361°E / 31.19972; 29.89361
Port Said Martyrs Memorial Al-Sharq District, Port Said 1950sto commemorate the martyrs of Port Said in the battles of the tripartite aggression during the Suez Crisis 1956 Suez Crisis constructed in the form of Pharaonicobelisk covered with grey granite31°15′11″N 32°18′18″E / 31.25306°N 32.30500°E / 31.25306; 32.30500
The Desouk unknown Soldier & October war martyrs Memorial Desouk, Kafr el-Sheikh Governorate 1970sTo honour of Egyptians who lost their lives in the 1973 October War1973 October War -31°07′37″N 30°38′33″E / 31.12694°N 30.64250°E / 31.12694; 30.64250
The Sadat City unknown Soldier & October war martyrs Memorial Desouk, Kafr el-Sheikh Governorate 1970sTo honour of Egyptians who lost their lives in the 1973 October War1973 October War -30°21′59″N 30°30′11″E / 30.36639°N 30.50306°E / 30.36639; 30.50306
Ismailia Unknown Soldier Memorial Ismailia 1970sTo honour of Egyptians who lost their lives in the Battle of Ismailia1973 October War made of concrete and resembles a top of a gun30°34′53″N 32°18′36″E / 30.58139°N 32.31000°E / 30.58139; 32.31000
Ad Halom area Egyptian unknown Soldier Memorial Ad Halom area, Ashdod; Israel1980sTo honour of Egyptians who lost their lives in the 1948 Arab Israeli war especially four Egyptian soldiers who fell in the battle of Al-Falouja, 1948 including Ahmed Abdel-Aziz1948 Arab–Israeli War Erected as a part of Camp David Accords in compensation for the abandonment of Israeli obelisks in the Sinai peninsula. The inscriptions on the four edges are in Hebrew, Arabic, English and hieroglyphs.31°46′00″N 34°39′58″E / 31.76667°N 34.66611°E / 31.76667; 34.66611
Battles of Negba Unknown Soldier Memorial in Sde Yoav Sde Yoav, Israel1980sTo honour of Egyptians who lost their lives in the Battles of Negba1948 Arab–Israeli War -31°38′36″N 34°40′53″E / 31.64333°N 34.68139°E / 31.64333; 34.68139
Egyptian troops Kuwait war memorial Kuwait 1990sTo honour 12 Egyptian soldiers who fell in the Kuwait war during the Liberation of Kuwait campaign during the Operation Desert Storm1973 October War made of concrete and resembles a hollow pyramid, with a height of 36.64 meters, and a base width of 14.3 meters.30°03′54″N 31°18′50″E / 30.06500°N 31.31389°E / 30.06500; 31.31389
Sana'a Monument for Egyptians Martyrs Sana'a, Yemen 1960sTo honour for the memory of the 70,000 Egyptian soldiers that died during the North Yemen Civil War in 1965North Yemen Civil War -15°20′54″N 44°12′23″E / 15.34833°N 44.20639°E / 15.34833; 44.20639

Photo gallery

References

  1. ↑ Unknown soldier memorial, Egypt state information
  2. ↑ naval Unknown soldier memorial
  3. ↑ http://www.portsaid.gov.eg/English/Tourism/TouristAttractions/Details.aspx?ID=2
  4. 1 2 http://www.ynetnews.com/|Seven fascinating memorials
  5. ↑ dignity-of-enemy
  6. ↑ Na'aman, Ayelet (2009-04-28). "7 fascinating memorials". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  7. ↑ http://www.timesofisrael.com/sinai-group-aims-to-paint-idf-monument-in-egyptian-colors/
  8. ↑ Aner, Ze'ev ed. (1998). Stories of Kibbutzim. Ministry of Defense Publishing. ISBN 965-05-0946-1. (Hebrew) P.138
  9. 1 2 3 http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/egypt-seeks-halt-israel-s-decision-demolish-egyptians-martyrs-monument Egypt seeks halt Israel decision to demolish Egyptians martyrs monument
  10. 1 2 3 http://www.palestine-info.co.uk/En/default.aspx?xyz=U6Qq7k%2bcOd87MDI46m9rUxJEpMO%2bi1s7%2f%2fXTDxwGfcRmBvr8Yyo4Tm7xvPXs0axIA4zRTANmyhQFPVaqmuQ0%2bN62hjCoqq4YRxviyqXcfSIMxLpXm9BtfIznlaaeQreB7YDs5C5G4q4%3d Cairo moves to stop the Israeli decision to demolish an Egyptian monument
  11. ↑ troops memorial in Kuwait
  12. ↑ http://www.geolocation.ws/v/P/41007376/the-monument-for-egyptians-martyrs-sanaa/en
  13. ↑ http://www.panoramio.com/photo/41007376
  14. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/3613986.stm

External links

Coordinates: 30°03′54″N 31°18′50″E / 30.06500°N 31.31389°E / 30.06500; 31.31389

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