The rich 4,000-year-old Egyptian civilization is represented by impressive monuments throughout the country. The pyramids, of course, are well-known memorials constructed to to keep the memory of the pharaohs alive. The Sphinx is another creation of the ancient Egyptian people. Port Said was not a center of early Egyptian culture and therefore does not boast any of these ancient monuments. It is true that ancient upper class Egyptians visited what is now Port Said as a seaside getaway, but they did not do much construction either of buildings or monuments.
The history of Port Said, named for Pasha Said, one of the Egyptian creators of the Suez canal, has influenced its statues and monuments. Port Said, at the head of the Suez Canal, became a fast-paced city by the early 1900s. By 1956, 75,000 Europeans lived alongside 130,000 Egyptians. The European influence strongly affected the culture of the Egyptians, not only with its monuments, but also with the night clubs, taverns and brothels that serviced mainly foreigners. The most famous statue was that of Ferdinand de le Sepps the architect of the Suez Canal.
The statue of De le Sepps, however, is no longer in Port Said. It was destroyed as the British and the French left the country in 1956. An angry crowd of Egyptians blew the 35-foot high statue off its base. Another famous monument that was destroyed at the same time was the Australian War Memorial. It was dedicated to Australian and New Zealand soldiers who died defending the Suez Canal during World War I. It was a statue of two mounted cavalry riders. While the statue of the riders was destroyed, a small monument dedicated to dead soldiers is in the Memorial Cemetery.
As of 2011, Port Said is not known for its monuments. However, a rewarding museum is dedicated to the turbulent history of the port. You can find pictures and an extensive history of the De le Sepps monument and the Australian War Memorial. The exhibit includes photographs of the destruction of both of these monuments.
One of the most famous monuments of all times, the Statue of Liberty, was originally going to be given to Port Said. The base of the statue is a replica of an ancient Egyptian monument.
