Girga is located in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt. The city shares its boundaries with the west bank of the Nile. Until 1960, Girga was the capital of the governorate. However, at that point, the capital was shifted to Sohag. The estimated population of Girga is about 71,564. The town is renowned for its sugar refining industry and pottery production. It’s also home to many other sectors as well. Some believe that the ancient capital Thinis once flourished where the town is now located, but there is no confirmed evidence. Also, some believe Girga was where the village of Birba was once situated. Birba was Egypt’s capital during the 1st and the 2nd dynasties in ancient Egypt. Due to its hot weather, Girga is classified as a hot desert region with extreme summer temperatures.
Location of Girga City
Girga (Egyptian Arabic: جرجا, Coptic: ⲧⲓⲛ Din [dɪn]) is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt. It is located on the west bank of the Nile River.
Etymology
It is viewed by some Egyptologists such as Brugsch that the name of the city derives from the ancient Egyptian word grg-miri-amoun Ramessou which means “The establishment of Ramesses II”. However, Daressy and Budge identified the name with Coptic Balyana near Abydos.
Overview
Girga was the capital of the Girga Governorate until 1960, when the capital was moved to Sohag, and the name of the governorate changed accordingly. Girga has an estimated population of 71,564 (as of 1986) and has various economic industries, which include cane sugar manufacturing and pottery. Near the city is a monastery dedicated to St. George, from which local folklore derives the town’s name. Also, the city has another monastery; the el-Sini is reportedly the oldest Roman Catholic monastery ever built in Egypt. Girga has also been famed for its landscape, the beautiful paved Suq, and the el-Sini (Porcelain Mosque), which is reportedly the oldest known Roman Catholic monastery and was almost swept away by the Nile at once.
History
The Girga city was home and headquarters of the first Pharaoh of a unified Egypt, Narmer. As of today, it is unconfirmed whether this is the site of the ancient city of This (Thinis) or the nearby village of Birba, which was the capital of Egypt during the 1st and 2nd dynasties. Also, neighbouring Girga is the ancient sites, including Beit Khallaf, a necropolis where tourists can find mudbrick tombs dating back to the 3rd dynasty. The city was known as Dgerja (Arabic: دجرجا) or Gerga (Arabic: جرجا) in medieval times. At one time, it was the centre of Ottoman rule in South Egypt, one of the largest cities of the Ottoman Empire.
In 1791, Saint Yousab El Abah (Joseph el-Abbah) was the city’s bishop.
