The quest to rebuild the ancient icon of learning was finally completed with the unveiling of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in 2002, designed with its ancient predecessor in mind. Every detail in this massive complex was designed as a homage to the ancient hallmark of education. Its iconic roof is a sundial made of glass and steel, its triangular facets gleaming under the cloudless skies. The fingers of light slanting through have been carefully redirected to avoid coming into contact with the sacred volumes sealed within. The skylights are a lid to the 20,000m² of open reading space spread over 7 terraces and capable of housing 2000 readers at a time. 4 million tomes of physical books and 4 million more electronic copies are stored within the monument. Assuming you’ve come to terms with the unimaginable depth of information stacked in these wooden shelves, you could move on to the other attractions packed within.

Besides books, there are a total of 4 museums each dedicated to a separate field: Sadat and the Independence of Egypt, Antiquities, Manuscripts and the History of Science. For those fascinated by astronomy, the planetarium is caged within a singled spherical structure where the universe is shrunk to the size of your palm. Ad hoc events are also held here, featuring contemporary artists with both Arabic influences and tints of the different parts of the world, traditional art forms such as tapestry construction are given a new lease of life. A culmination of 2.5 centuries of growth and learning, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a modern miracle that will continue to act as a beacon for many generations to come.