# Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, Alexandria > The Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa are a 2nd-century necropolis cut into the rock under Alexandria's Karmouz district, where Egyptian gods wear Roman dress. Foreign visitors pay 200 EGP, students 100. Open daily from 9:00, last entry 16:00. A spiral staircase leads down to the two dry levels — allow about an hour. Web page: https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/kom-el-shoqafa - City: [Alexandria](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria), Egypt - YesGo score: 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Ticket (foreign visitors): 200 EGP - Students up to 24: 100 EGP with valid student ID - Children under 6: Free - Hours: Daily from 9:00, last entry 16:00 - Ramadan: From 9:00, last entry 15:00 - Where to buy: Egymonuments website, Experience Egypt app or the ticket office - Payment: Visa and Mastercard on every channel, including the ticket office - Refunds: Dated tickets, non-refundable - Phone photos: Free - Lowest level: Flooded by groundwater, closed - Getting there: 10-min walk from Pompey's Pillar; Uber or taxi from downtown ≈ 15 min - Neighbourhood: Karmouz, south-west of Pompey's Pillar - Coordinates: 31.18694, 29.90472 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **2nd century AD** — carved under the Antonine emperors; burials continued into the 4th century (source: English Wikipedia; CairoScene; History Hit) - **1900** — rediscovered by accident when a donkey fell through into the access shaft (source: English Wikipedia; History Hit; Wikivoyage; CairoScene) - **3 levels** — cut into solid rock; the lowest is flooded by groundwater (source: English Wikipedia; Showcaves.com; CairoScene) - **Anubis** — shown in a Roman legionary's dress on the main tomb's reliefs (source: English Wikipedia; CairoScene) - **“Mound of shards”** — the meaning of the name — from pottery broken at funeral meals (source: History Hit; Wikivoyage; GPSmyCity) - **Spiral staircase** — winds round a shaft used to lower bodies on ropes (source: English Wikipedia; History Hit; CairoScene) - **Triclinium** — a funeral banqueting hall with rock-cut couches (source: English Wikipedia; History Hit; CairoScene) - **Hall of Caracalla** — an older, separate tomb with human and horse bones, joined by a breach in the wall (source: English Wikipedia; Wikivoyage; CairoScene) - **≈ 300** — burials fitted into the niches once the family tomb was enlarged (source: History Hit; Showcaves.com) - **Medusa** — heads on the shields above the burial chamber door, with guardian serpents either side (source: English Wikipedia; CairoScene) - **Medieval “wonder”** — once listed among the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages (source: English Wikipedia; History Hit) ## Kom el-Shoqafa tickets and opening hours Foreign visitors pay **200 EGP**; students up to 24 with a valid student card pay 100 EGP, and under-6s go free. The site is open **every day from 9:00, with last entry at 16:00** (15:00 in Ramadan). Phone photography is free — no camera ticket needed. Tickets are sold on the ministry's Egymonuments website, in its Experience Egypt app and at the gate. Online tickets are tied to a date and can't be refunded, so if your plans are loose, just buy on arrival — this isn't Giza, and the day won't sell out. [Pompey's Pillar](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/pompeys-pillar) and the [Roman theatre at Kom el-Dikka](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/kom-el-dikka) cost the same, but there is no combined ticket. Visa and Mastercard are accepted on every official channel, ticket offices included. Keep small Egyptian pounds anyway for street taxis and tips. > **Arrive by 15:00** Last entry is 16:00, but the Ministry of Antiquities asks visitors to arrive at least an hour before closing. It is humid underground and some steps are slippery, so wear flat shoes. The third and deepest level is flooded with groundwater; only the upper two are open. ## How to get to Kom el-Shoqafa 1. From Saad Zaghloul Square and the Eastern Harbour Corniche the catacombs are about 2.6 km away as the crow flies, through busy streets — not a pleasant walk. Take an Uber (it officially operates in Alexandria) or a taxi: about 15 minutes. 2. Search for “Kom El Shoqafa Catacombs” in the app. Street taxis have no meter, so agree the fare before you get in. 3. Coming off the train from Cairo at Misr Station, it's about 2 km in a straight line — another short taxi ride. 4. Starting at Pompey's Pillar? Walk about 600 m south-west through Karmouz — 10 minutes. 5. Buy your ticket at the gate, head down the spiral staircase and allow about an hour for both levels. 6. Afterwards, a taxi takes you to Kom el-Dikka downtown or on to the sea and the [Bibliotheca Alexandrina](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/bibliotheca-alexandrina). ## Is Kom el-Shoqafa worth visiting? Yes — it's the most striking ancient site in Alexandria and nothing like Giza or Luxor. The draw is the mix: Egyptian temple architecture carved by artists who thought in Greek and Roman terms, so Anubis turns up dressed as a legionary and Medusa guards a pharaonic doorway. The descent by spiral staircase into the half-dark is memorable in itself. The honest caveats: this is carving in stone rather than bright painting, and if you have just come from the painted tombs of the Valley of the Kings it will feel modest. It's damp below, the bottom level is under water and the signs are brief. If details don't grab you, half an hour is enough. It works best paired with Pompey's Pillar — same price, same hours, a 10-minute walk apart. Together they make a solid morning of Roman Alexandria. ## What to see inside - **The spiral staircase** around a round shaft — bodies were lowered down the middle on ropes while mourners took the stairs. - **The rotunda**, a domed hall on six pillars from which the passages branch out. - **The triclinium** to the left of the rotunda, with rock-cut couches where families feasted at the burial and on anniversaries. - **The main tomb**, with a temple façade: two papyrus columns, a winged sun disc, serpents in Egyptian crowns and Medusa shields. - **The burial-chamber reliefs**: Anubis in Roman dress beside a mummy on a lion-shaped bier, with other Egyptian funerary gods. - **Galleries of loculi** — rows of niches stacked one above another for hundreds of burials. - **The Hall of Caracalla**, an older tomb next door that robbers once broke through to; human and horse bones were found inside. ## A short history Kom el-Shoqafa is an underground burial complex of Roman Alexandria. It was carved in the 2nd century AD, under the Antonine emperors, probably for a single wealthy family, then enlarged until it held around 300 burials. It stayed in use into the 4th century, then was abandoned and forgotten. It was found again in **1900**, when the ground gave way beneath a donkey and the animal tumbled into the shaft. The Arabic name means “mound of shards”, after the heaps of pottery broken at funeral meals. Groundwater has long been the problem here: the ministry ran a project to lower the water table, but the deepest level is still described as flooded. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] I'll be at the gate by 15:00 - [ ] Visa or Mastercard for the ticket - [ ] Small Egyptian pounds for taxis and tips - [ ] Flat shoes for the stairs - [ ] Student ID, if I have one — it halves the price - [ ] Water: it's stuffy below ground - [ ] About an hour here, half a day with Pompey's Pillar ## Kom el-Shoqafa vs Pompey's Pillar vs Kom el-Dikka | | Kom el-Shoqafa | Pompey's Pillar | Kom el-Dikka | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 2nd-century underground necropolis | Granite column and Serapeum ruins | Roman theatre and excavations downtown | | Foreign visitor ticket | 200 EGP | 200 EGP | 200 EGP | | Students up to 24 | 100 EGP | 100 EGP | 100 EGP | | Last entry | 16:00, Ramadan 15:00 | 16:00, Ramadan 15:00 | 16:00, Ramadan 15:00 | | Where | Karmouz | Karmouz, 600 m away | Downtown, near Saad Zaghloul Square | | Time needed | ≈ 1 h | ≈ 45 min | ≈ 1 h | If you only have time for one ancient site in Alexandria, make it the catacombs. Pompey's Pillar is an easy add-on next door, and Kom el-Dikka fits on the way back downtown. ## Alexandria's historic sites compared Every historic site in Alexandria rated by YesGo. - [Citadel of Qaitbay](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/qaitbay-citadel) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP - [Bibliotheca Alexandrina](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/bibliotheca-alexandrina) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 150 EGP, 300 EGP with museums - [Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/abu-al-abbas-mosque) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free, between prayer times - [Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/kom-el-shoqafa) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP - [Roman Amphitheatre (Kom el-Dikka)](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/kom-el-dikka) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP - [Pompey's Pillar](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/pompeys-pillar) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP - [Alexandria National Museum](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/alexandria-national-museum) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 220 EGP, students 110 EGP - [Royal Jewelry Museum](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/royal-jewelry-museum) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 220 EGP, students 110 - [Montaza Palace and Gardens](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/montaza-palace) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 50 EGP, gardens ## Roman Alexandria in half a day The pillar and the catacombs in Karmouz, then the Roman theatre downtown and the Library by the sea. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Pompey's Pillar](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/pompeys-pillar) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP 2. [Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/kom-el-shoqafa) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP 3. [Roman Amphitheatre (Kom el-Dikka)](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/kom-el-dikka) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 200 EGP, students 100 EGP 4. [Bibliotheca Alexandrina](https://yesgo.io/egypt/alexandria/bibliotheca-alexandrina) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 150 EGP, 300 EGP with museums > **Pillar first, catacombs second** The pillar stands on an exposed hill; the catacombs are cool. See Pompey's Pillar early, then walk 10 minutes and go underground when the sun is at its strongest. ## Good to know Kom el-Shoqafa and Kom el-Dikka are different sites — “kom” just means mound. You'll also see Kom ash-Shuqqafa, Kom el-Shuqafa and Kom es-Shouqafa: same place. And these aren't bone-filled catacombs like Paris or Rome; they're a rock-cut Roman family tomb. ## Tips - Pair it with Pompey's Pillar: a 10-minute walk, same price, same hours. - Not sure of your date? Buy at the gate — online tickets are non-refundable. - Shoot without flash and keep a firm grip on your phone over the stairwell shaft. - Flat shoes help: the steps are old and sometimes damp. - To read the reliefs properly, go with a guide — the signs below ground are brief. - Plan an early start: by midday the street above is hot, while it stays cool below. ## Questions ### How much is the Kom el-Shoqafa ticket? 200 EGP for foreign visitors, 100 EGP for students up to 24 with ID. Children under 6 are free. ### What are the Kom el-Shoqafa opening hours? Daily from 9:00, last entry 16:00 (15:00 in Ramadan). Arrive at least an hour before closing. ### How do I get to the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa? Uber or taxi from downtown, about 15 minutes. From Pompey's Pillar it's a 10-minute walk (about 600 m). ### How long do you need at Kom el-Shoqafa? About an hour for both open levels; half a day with Pompey's Pillar and the journey. ### Is Kom el-Shoqafa worth it? Yes, if Roman Egypt interests you — Egyptian gods in Roman dress are unique. It's carving rather than painting, though, so after Luxor's tombs it can feel plain. ### Can you take photos inside? Yes — phone photos are free under the ministry's rules. Skip the flash. ### Can you visit the third level? No. The lowest level is flooded by groundwater and closed; the upper two are open. ### How were the catacombs discovered? By accident in 1900, when the ground collapsed under a donkey and it fell into the access shaft. ### Can I pay by card? Yes. Visa and Mastercard are accepted online, in the app and at the ticket office. ### Is it suitable for children? Yes; under-6s go free. The stairs are easy, but it's dim and damp below. ## How we checked Fares, concessions, hours, the “arrive an hour before closing” rule and free phone photos come from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' official ticketing page; payment and refunds from its FAQ. History and layout are checked against at least two sources. Dates differ — Wikipedia and CairoScene say 2nd century AD, Egypt Independent the later 1st century — we use the 2nd century. Several sources say the lowest level is flooded, but whether pumping has cleared it is unclear, so it is marked “verifying”. Depth and step counts vary between sources, so we leave them out. Taxi times are unofficial. ## Sources - Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Egymonuments ticketing: Kom el Shoqafa Catacombs — fares, concessions, hours, rules; Serapeum of Alexandria and Ancient Roman Theatre for comparison; FAQ — payment and refunds - English Wikipedia: Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa; Wikidata Q2671839 - History Hit: Catacombs of Kom ash-Shuqqafa - CairoScene: Beneath Alexandria Lies a Roman Necropolis in Stone - Wikivoyage: Alexandria - Showcaves.com: Kom es-Shouqafa - Egypt Independent — on the groundwater-lowering project - Uber: Alexandria city page - OpenStreetMap — coordinates for distances --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.