Editing El Alamein

{{About|the town|the Second World War battles|First Battle of El Alamein|and |Second Battle of El Alamein|other uses}}
{{Multiple issues|{{expand Arabic|topic=geo|date=April 2019}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2016}}
{{cleanup|date=November 2017|reason=The gallery is too big}}}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->| name               = El Alamein
| other_name         = al-ʿAlamayn
| native_name        = {{lang|ar|العلمين}}
| nickname           = 
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in Egypt|City]]
| image_skyline      = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Porto marina resort and spa.jpg
| photo2a = El Alamein Deutsches Kriegsgraeberdenkmal.jpg
| photo2b = Porto Marina (El Alamein).jpg
| photo3a = Armen Agop Untitled 2018.jpg
| photo3b = Museum at El Alamein - Flickr - heatheronhertravels.jpg
| photo4a = Sunset at north coast of egypt.JPG
| photo4b = MarinaAlameinArchSiteTombSuperstructures.jpg
| size = 275
| spacing = 2
| color = transparent
| border = 0
}}
| image_caption      = '''Left to right from top:''' <br/> Marina's Porto Resort, The German Memorial, Alamein Port, Armen Agop Structure at Alamein Hotel, Alamein Military Museum, Sunset on Alamein's Beaches, Marina Alamein Arch Site Tomb Superstructures
| image_flag         = 
| flag_size          = 
| image_seal         = 
| seal_size          = 
| image_shield       = 
| shield_size        = 
| image_map          = 
| mapsize            = 300px
| map_caption        = Map of '''El Alamein''' ('''Al 'Alamayn''')
| pushpin_map        = Egypt<!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
| pushpin_label_position = bottom
| pushpin_mapsize    = 300
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Egypt
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{Flagu|Egypt}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Governorates of Egypt|Governorate]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Matrouh Governorate|Matrouh]]
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = 
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| established_date   = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = <!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion-->
| area_land_km2      = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->
| population_as_of   = 2007
| population_total   = 7,397{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}
| timezone           = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset         = +2
| timezone_DST       = 
| utc_offset_DST     = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|30|50|N|28|57|E|region:EG|display=inline}}
| population_est     = 10,013
| pop_est_as_of      = 2017
}}
{{Historical populations|2007|7,397|2017|10,013|}}
'''El Alamein''' ({{langx|ar| العلمين|translit=al-ʿAlamayn|lit=the two flags}}, {{IPA|arz|elʕælæˈmeːn|IPA|El_alemayn.ogg}}) is a town in the northern [[Matrouh Governorate]] of Egypt. Located on the [[Mediterranean Sea]], it lies {{Convert|106|km|mi|0}} west of [[Alexandria]] and {{Convert|300|km|mi|0}} northwest of [[Cairo]]. The town is located on the site of the ancient city '''Antiphrai''' which was built by the Romans.({{Langx|el|Ἀντίφραι}}).<ref>{{Cite web |title=TM Places |url=https://www.trismegistos.org/place/8554 |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=www.trismegistos.org}}</ref>

== Tourism ==

===Military cemeteries===

====Germany====
There are Italian and German military cemeteries on Tel el-Eisa Hill outside the town. The German cemetery is an [[ossuary]], built in the style of a medieval fortress.

====Italy====
The cemetary of the [[Italian War Memorial at El Alamein]] contains 5,200 graves.

====Greek====
There is a Greek cemetery at El Alamein.

====Commonwealth of Nations====
The Commonwealth [[Alamein Memorial]] and attached war cemetery, built and maintained by the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]], has  graves of soldiers from various countries who fought on the Allied side. Buried here are 6,425 identified Commonwealth service personnel, 815 unidentified ones, and 102 of other nationalities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2019001/EL%20ALAMEIN%20WAR%20CEMETERY|title=Cemetery Details &#124; CWGC}}</ref> These include four [[Victoria Cross]] recipients:<ref>[http://www.victoriacrossorg.uk/ggegypt.htm] {{dead link|date=September 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} Burial locations of VC holders in Egypt.</ref>
*Private [[Percival Gratwick|Percy Gratwick]], [[Second Australian Imperial Force]]
*Private [[Stan Gurney|Arthur Stan Gurney]], Second Australian Imperial Force
*Sergeant [[Bill Kibby|William Bill Kibby]], Second Australian Imperial Force
*Private [[Adam Wakenshaw]], [[Durham Light Infantry]]

Others buried here include:
*Squadron Leader [[George Barclay (RAF officer)|George Barclay]], [[Royal Air Force]] [[Battle of Britain]] fighter pilot<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2092156/BARCLAY,%20RICHARD%20GEORGE%20ARTHUR|title=Casualty Details &#124; CWGC}}</ref>
*Major [[Henry Rew]], [[Royal Tank Regiment]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2211516/REW,%20HENRY|title=Casualty Details &#124; CWGC}}</ref>

This has monuments commemorating Greek, New Zealand, Australian, [[Military history of South Africa during World War II|South African]], [[India in World War II|Indian]]  and [[Canada in World War II|Canadian]] forces. The cemetery entrance is through the [[Alamein Memorial]] and there is also a separate Alamein Cremation Memorial to 603 Commonwealth service personnel who died in Egypt and Libya and were cremated in line with their religion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2019001/alamein-cremation-memorial/|title=Cemetery Details &#124; CWGC|website=www.cwgc.org}}</ref>

The names of 213 Canadian airmen appear on the Alamein Memorial in Egypt.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009128 |title=Monuments, World Wars I and II |encyclopedia=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]] |access-date=29 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810091629/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009128 |archive-date=10 August 2011}}</ref>

The cemetery was designed by [[Hubert Worthington]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cwgc.org/|title=The Commonwealth War Graves Commission &#124; CWGC|website=www.cwgc.org}}</ref>

===Beaches===
Many Egyptians, particularly the upper and middle class travel to El Alamein during summer to flee the summer heat in other cities and towns.

==Climate==
El Alamein has a [[Desert climate#Hot desert climates|hot desert climate]], [[Köppen climate classification]] ''BWh'', common with most of the Middle East and North Africa. However, like the rest of the [[northern coast of Egypt]], its climate is slightly less hot, compared to the rest of Egypt, because of the prevailing [[Mediterranean Sea]] winds.

{{Weather box
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|location=El Alamein

|Jan high C=17.8
|Feb high C=18.7
|Mar high C=20.3
|Apr high C=23.5
|May high C=25.7
|Jun high C=28.8
|Jul high C=29.5
|Aug high C=30.5
|Sep high C=28.7
|Oct high C=27.5
|Nov high C=23.6
|Dec high C=19.7

|Jan mean C=12.4
|Feb mean C=13.3
|Mar mean C=14.9
|Apr mean C=17.7
|May mean C=20.5
|Jun mean C=23.8
|Jul mean C=25.2
|Aug mean C=25.7
|Sep mean C=24.4
|Oct mean C=22.1
|Nov mean C=18.3
|Dec mean C=14.4

|Jan low C=7
|Feb low C=7.9
|Mar low C=9.5
|Apr low C=12
|May low C=15.4
|Jun low C=18.8
|Jul low C=20.9
|Aug low C=21
|Sep low C=20.1
|Oct low C=16.7
|Nov low C=13
|Dec low C=9.2

|Jan precipitation mm=29
|Feb precipitation mm=17
|Mar precipitation mm=8
|Apr precipitation mm=2
|May precipitation mm=1
|Jun precipitation mm=0
|Jul precipitation mm=0
|Aug precipitation mm=0
|Sep precipitation mm=0
|Oct precipitation mm=5
|Nov precipitation mm=21
|Dec precipitation mm=24

|source 1= climate-data.org<ref>{{cite web|title=Climate El Alamein Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table|url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/5566/|publisher=climate-data.org|access-date=13 August 2013}}</ref>
}}

==World War II==
[[File:Montgomery watches his tanks move up.jpg|thumb|right|[[Bernard Montgomery]] watches his tanks move up during the Battle of El Alamein.]]
Two important [[World War II]] battles were fought in the area:

*At the [[First Battle of El Alamein]] (1–27 July 1942), the advance of [[Axis powers|Axis]] troops on [[Alexandria]] was blunted by the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]], stopping the Italian and German forces that were trying to outflank the Allies' position.
*At the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] (23 October – 4 November 1942), Allied forces broke the Axis line and forced them all the way back to [[Tunisia]]. [[Winston Churchill]], the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] at the time, said of this victory: "Now this is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." After the war, he wrote: "Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein, we never had a defeat."

== Gallery ==

<gallery>
File:El Alamein Commonwealth Denkmal.jpg|[[Cross of Sacrifice]], El Alamein Commonwealth cemetery
File:South African Memorial El Alamein.jpg|South African Memorial El Alamein Commonwealth cemetery
File:El Alamein Commonwealth Cemetery 11.JPG|El Alamein Commonwealth cemetery plaque – 1939-1945 – The land on which this cemetery stands is the gift of the Egyptian people for the perpetual resting place of the sailors, soldiers and airmen who are honoured here.
File:El Alamein Commonwealth Cemetery 2.JPG|El Alamein Commonwealth cemetery
File:El Alamein Italian memorial entrance.jpeg|[[Italian War Memorial at El Alamein]]
File:El Alamein Deutsches Kriegsgraeberdenkmal.jpg|El Alamein German memorial
File:El Alamein Commonwealth Cemetery 5.JPG|El Alamein Commonwealth cemetery – A soldier of the 1939-1945 war known unto God
File:Египет47.jpg|In El Alamein museum
File:Египет48.jpg|German cannon
File:Египет49.jpg|The list of fallen German soldiers
File:Египет111.jpg|German Memorial
File:Египет112.jpg|British [[Crusader tank]]
</gallery>

==See also==
{{portal|Egypt}}
* [[El Alamein Fountain]] (war memorial commemorating the battle, in Sydney, Australia)
* [[El Alamein International Airport]]
* [[Enham Alamein]] (village in Hampshire in England, renamed after the battle)
* [[Marina, Egypt|Marina El Alamein]] (tourist resort)
* [[New Alamein]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.fallingrain.com/world/EG/22/Al_Alamayn.html|title=Geographical information on Al 'Alamayn, Egypt|access-date=29 March 2008|author=Falling Rain Genomics, Inc}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.globopix.net/fotografie/elalamein_1.html|title=El Alamein photos: Commonwealth war cemetery, Italian and German memorial, El Alamein war museum, Egypt|access-date=4 September 2011|author=Matteo Ferrari}}

{{Cities of Egypt}}
{{Egyptian Cities}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|30|50|N|28|57|E|display=title}}

[[Category:El Alamein| ]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Egypt]]
[[Category:Populated places in Matrouh Governorate]]
[[Category:Tourism in Egypt]]
[[Category:World War II sites in Egypt]]