Ismailia

One of the Canal cities and the capital of the Ismailia Governorate. The city and its suburbs have a population of approximately half a million. It was built on the western bank of Lake Timsah—part of the Suez Canal waterway—roughly midway between Port Said to the north and Suez to the south, to serve as the headquarters of the Suez Canal Navigation Company during the reign of Khedive Ismail.
The city has developed significantly in recent years due to population growth. The Gamal Abdel Nasser Tunnel was constructed in the city center, and Future City was developed to accommodate the increased population. It is located on the Cairo-Ismailia Desert Road. The governorate has also begun renovating and constructing new bridges over the Ismailia Canal.
The city is known for its numerous parks and natural gardens, and its clean air, due to the limited number of industrial facilities compared to neighboring governorates. This makes it a popular destination for visitors, especially during the spring and holidays.
The city’s origins date back to the pre-dynastic era, when it was the eighth province in the Upper Egypt region, with its capital (Pratum) in the Tel El-Maskhuta area of ​​present-day Abu Suweir. The prophets of God, Abraham, Joseph, Jacob, and Moses walked on its land, and it was honored by the journey of the Holy Family. Then Islam entered it with the Arab conqueror of Egypt at the hands of Amr ibn al-Aas. As for the origin of Ismailia in the modern era, it was officially established during the reign of Said Pasha, when the foundation stone was laid on April 27, 1862, and it was named the Crocodile City because it was located at that time north of Lake Timsah. On March 4, 1863, a large ceremony was held by the Suez Canal Company, where the name Ismailia was given to the city in reference to Khedive Ismail. In January 1960, Law No. 24 of 1960 was issued establishing the Ismailia Governorate. The city of Ismailia and its people played a prominent role in confronting the British occupation. Ismailia celebrates its National Day on January 25th of each year in commemoration of the steadfastness of the Egyptian police forces against the British forces in 1952.