An environmental researcher has discovered a historic water reservoir that was used when an old port, the Aizab Port on the Red Sea, was operational.
The reservoir is 10 by three meters and has a depth of two meters. It is located 300 meters from the sea.
Researcher Ali Dawra said the fresh water reservoir is located 23 meters north of Halayeb and called on the transportation minister to reopen the nearby historical port, located opposite Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, saying it could be used for imports and exports, as well as a transport site for pilgrims.
Mohamed Abdel Sattar Othman, professor of archeology and Islamic architecture, said the port was established during the Fatimid era and was the chief port for trade and pilgrimage for Egypt and North African countries for hundreds of years, particularly during the Mamluk era. The port was also visited by several Arab explorers, including Ibn Battuta.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
