Egypt: 19th book fair in Alexandria attracts summer visitors

In the Egyptian city of Alexandria, summer visitors are flocking to the 19th book fair, a two-week event running until July 28th.

Stacks upon stacks of books lined the shelves, tables and walls at a book fair held at the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria.

The event - which runs until July 28 - is held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the modern Library of Alexandria, an elaborate piece of architecture which opened in 2002.

There are 77 publishes at this year's fair and an entire section dedicated to children's literature, said Mohamed Soliman, who leads cultural outreach at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Some visitors are bringing their children to the 19th book fair.

The two-week exhibition will feature 160 cultural events involving around 600 artists and intellectuals, a statement on the library's website said.

Ahmed Diouf, director of Koutoubia publishing house, said there are increasingly more events in the book fair every year.

"The exhibition is growing. You see new events every year, along with new publishing houses," he said.

Alexandria, Egypt's second city, is surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean Sea and backs up to a lake.

The city is a summer destination for Egyptians from across the country.

That makes the timing of the book fair convenient for visitors from out of town who are already streaming into Alexandria, said Yousef Shammah, who was touring the exhibition.

Shammah said he was impressed with the variety of books on display.

"As for the prices, I think that they are neither expensive nor cheap given that prices have generally gone up," he added.

Alexandria has survived invasions, fires and earthquakes since it was founded by Alexander the Great more than 2,000 years ago, but its famed ancient Library burned to the ground when Julius Caesar set fire to an enemy fleet in 48 B.C.