LANDMARKS OF ROSETTA ACCORDING TO THE FRENCH TRAVELER SONNINI, AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF ITS ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

Abstract

This research presents an analytical and documentary study of Rosetta in the 18th century, through an examination of the memoirs of the French traveler Charles Nicolas Sonnini. The research aims to highlight the city's strategic and economic importance as a vital link between Cairo and Alexandria, focusing on its defensive system, characterized by towers and northern forts.

The research also delves into the city's morphological and urban characteristics, comparing the residential style in Rosetta with that of Cairo, and analyzing the role of the natural environment in shaping the architecture. The research offers a critical reading of the illustrations (pls. 1, 1a, and 2) that Sonnini included in his memoirs, emphasizing their value as archaeological and architectural documents that complement the written text and enrich the accuracy of the historical documentation.