VISUAL EXPERIENCE (VISUAL SEQUENCES) OF QAIETBAI CASTLE IN ALEXANDRIA IN THE NATURAL AND BUILT CONTEXT

Abstract

Qaietbai Castle in Alexandria is one of the most important Islamicmonuments that possesses a unique position according to the city شs builtcontext as it gathers between the natural component that are representedin the heaven space and aqua surface, as well as its other activities onthe hand, and the built context represented in the surrounding urbanizedareas with their visual components on the other.This paper aims at studying the possibility of upgrading aesthetic imagelevel , and achieving a higher positive level of visual realization ofhistorical places as well as investing this in urbanized built upgrading ofvaluable historical building ,and other surrounding areas throughreaching ordered systematic steps that enable us to achieve a higherlevel of visual realization of heritage building through its visual richnessand surrounding areas , and prevent confusion that contributes toreducing visual realization .This study depended on descriptive and analytical approach throughstudying the most important elements that affect visual richness andrealization of historical places, through describing and analyzing thecase study of Qaietbai Castle in Alexandria to specify the problems facedby valuable monumental placesSo the study was conducted to investigate the visual experience to realizethe castle on the way to the beach of Alexandria city through dividing itinto sectors of sight to study the visual sequence towards the castle , thepossibility of its visual richness , and the visual experience inside thecastle , its neighborhoods and the surrounding urbanized environment .The study showed the importance of visual studies in Egyptian cities ,enriching urban and archeological areas , and not neglecting orconsidering them secondary things especially in the archeologicalregions , and taking serious steps to prevent visual aggressiveness in allits kinds to create interaction between the receiver and the visualenvironment of heritage zone that should be in the mind of the visitor asan unforgettable visual experience . As for the city inhabitant, hisinteraction with the visual environment in his city does strengthen hisbelonging to the city, and encourages him to converse its heritage zones.They are all positive values we wish to enhance, converse, andstrengthen.The research consists of four parts , the first part deals with the problemof research and its methods, the second part is a theatrical introduction to visual realization of heritage and historical areas in the built contextand environmental surroundings , as well as the most important meansthat leads to visual richness of such areas . the third part deals with astudy of the visual experience to realize the building of Qaietbai Castle ,the possibility of its visual richness and giving the surrounding area aunique visual character due to the visual reference represented in thebuilding of the castle . The fourth part deals with the concluded results.