The Serapeum of Alexandria was a sanctuary dedicated to Serapis, the head of the Alexandrian divine triad during the Graeco-Roman period (306 BCE – 325 CE). Known later as Amoud el-Sawary or Pompey’s Pillar, the site included a massive red granite monolith dedicated to Emperor Diocletian. Serapis, a syncretic deity created by the Ptolemies, combined traits of the Egyptian gods Osiris and Apis, appealing to both Egyptians and Greeks.
The sanctuary, situated on a hill in Rhakotis, included structures dating back to the reigns of Ptolemy II, Ptolemy III, and Ptolemy IV. The main temple was rebuilt larger after being burnt down in 181 CE. It was finally closed and destroyed in 391 CE when Christianity became the official state religion.
The underground galleries, once mistaken for part of the Library of the Serapeum, were likely used for the burial of sacred animals. Several Pharaonic relics, such as a giant scarab and a statue of Ramses II, are also present at the site.
Today, visitors can explore the remnants of this spiritual tradition, including the Nilometer and the replica basalt statue of Serapis as the Apis bull. The original statue is housed in the Graeco-Roman Museum of Alexandria.
