Roman Theatre, Kom El Dikka

Kom El Dikka is an archaeological park in the centre of Alexandria, a few minutes’ walk from Misr railway station. Its name means ‘mound of rubble’: for centuries the area lay under debris, and in the 1960s a site cleared for building turned out to hold a small Roman theatre. Excavation began in 1960 under the Polish archaeologist Kazimierz Michałowski, and a joint Polish-Egyptian mission from the University of Warsaw still works here today. It is the largest and most complete Roman-era site visible above ground in a city where most of the ancient remains lie under modern buildings or under the sea.

What to see

• The Roman theatre: a compact semicircle of tiered seats made of white marble reused from older buildings, dating to the 4th century AD and remodelled around 500. Scholars think it may also have served as a council chamber or a lecture hall. It is the only Roman theatre of its kind found in Egypt.
• The auditoria: a row of at least twenty small lecture halls with stone benches, used from the 5th to the 7th century. They are often described as part of ancient Alexandria’s university district.
• Roman baths and cistern: the brick remains of a large 4th-century public bath with hot, warm and cold rooms, fed by a big cistern.
• Villa of the Birds: a 1st-century house with floor mosaics, including a panel of nine birds that gives it its name. They are the only mosaics in Alexandria that can be seen where they were laid.
• Underwater finds: statues, sphinxes and columns recovered from Alexandria’s harbour are displayed in the open-air section.

Visiting tips

• An hour is enough for most visitors. It works well combined with the Alexandria National Museum and a walk to the Corniche.
• Pay by card at the ticket office and check whether the Villa of the Birds is open and included on the day of your visit.
• Morning and late afternoon are cooler and the light on the marble is better for photographs.
• Paths are mostly level, but some areas have steps and uneven stone.

Getting there

The site is on the edge of downtown Alexandria, close to Misr station and Midan El Shohada. From the Corniche or Raml Station it is a short taxi or ride-hailing trip, or about a 20-minute walk. If you arrive by train from Cairo, you can walk from the station. See the official Kom El Dikka page for current hours and prices.

Last checked October 2026. Sources: egymonuments.gov.eg, en.wikipedia.org.