Ferdinand De Lesseps statue Base قاعدة تمثال فرديناند ديليسبس, Historical monument at Port Said entrance, Egypt
The base of the Ferdinand de Lesseps monument stands at the Suez Canal entrance in Port Said and marks where a bronze statue once rose over the water. It sits near the maritime museum on the western bank of the canal.
A bronze statue created by artist Emmanuel Frémiet in 1899 once stood here as a welcoming symbol for ships entering the canal. It was torn down in 1956 during the Suez Crisis by Egyptian resistance fighters, leaving only the foundation behind.
For local residents, the base symbolizes the shift from foreign control to Egyptian self-determination in Port Said. It stands today as a quiet marker of this transformation at the canal entrance, visible to visitors and townspeople alike.
To see the base, walk along the western bank of the Suez Canal near the maritime museum complex. The spot is easy to reach on foot and offers an open view of the canal itself.
The stone beneath your feet once quietly witnessed over five decades of shipping history as millions of vessels passed by. Today visitors can sense the missing statue through its absence at this spot, understanding the weight of what was removed.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
