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Province · Nile Delta
Sharqia
Sharqia, east of the Delta: the ruins of Tanis and the pharaohs’ tombs, Tell Basta, the city of the cat-goddess Bastet, and Zagazig.
In the photo: Stone blocks and ruins of the Bubastis temple at Tell Basta.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The province
Get to know Sharqia
Sharqia lies in the eastern Nile Delta, between the Damietta branch and the desert that leads to the Suez Canal. The capital is Zagazig, a trading and university city, and much of the governorate consists of irrigated fields and villages.
At the entrance to Zagazig are the ruins of Tell Basta, ancient Bubastis, the city of the goddess Bastet, depicted as a cat. The site has remains of a red granite temple and a cemetery of mummified cats; finds from there are in the site museum.
In the northern part of the governorate, Tanis (San el-Hagar) was Egypt’s capital in the early first millennium BCE. In 1939 royal tombs with treasures of gold and silver were discovered there; these are now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. On the site are scattered blocks, fallen obelisks and statues across a large mound of ruins.
The sites in Sharqia receive few visitors. A day trip with a driver from Cairo allows you to see Tell Basta and Tanis.
When to go
From October to April the days are mild for outdoor sites, which have little shade. Summers are hot.
Getting there
Zagazig is about 80 km from Cairo, served by trains and buses. Tanis is about 70 km north of Zagazig; the most practical way is by car with a driver.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Sharqia
What is Tell Basta?
They are the ruins of ancient Bubastis, the city of the goddess Bastet, represented as a cat, at the entrance to Zagazig. The site includes remains of the temple and a cemetery of mummified cats.
What to see in Tanis?
The ruins of the ancient capital, with blocks, fallen obelisks, statues and the spot where, in 1939, royal tombs containing treasures of gold were found—items now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Can you see Tell Basta and Tanis in one day?
Yes, by car with a driver from Cairo. Tell Basta is in Zagazig, about 80 km from Cairo, and Tanis is about 70 km north of Zagazig.
How to get to Zagazig?
By train or bus from Cairo, in about one and a half to two hours.