Benghazi

Also known as Banġāzī, Bengazi

Benghazi () () is the second-most-populous city in Libya as well as the largest city in Cyrenaica, with an estimated population of 859,000 in 2023. Located on the Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean, Benghazi is also a major seaport.

AI overview

Benghazi is Libya's second-largest city and the main urban center of the Cyrenaica region, located on the Mediterranean coast where it serves as a major seaport. With nearly 860,000 residents, it plays an important role in Libya's economy and regional geography.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

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Place details

Locality: بنغازي
Region: بنغازي
Country: ليبيا
Population: 757,490
Timezone

Travel guide

Understand

The people of Benghazi are incredibly friendly. However, very few people speak any English and, because of the writing style (which is written right to left in Arabic), it can be almost impossible to recognize any public signs if you don’t know how to speak or read Arabic. Most things can, however, be sorted out with a bit of pointing and hand waving. The name derives from the Ottoman Turkish word Marsa ibn Ghazi who was a Turkish soldier.

The dress code is not as liberal as in Tripoli, and women should keep themselves covered - not because there would be trouble, but just out of respect. However, locals do not expect non-Muslim visitors to thoroughly comply with their customs.

People in Tripoli like a good argument and may shout at one another, but this is not an indication of any trouble. Even if it sounds harsh to you, if you understand Arabic, you will find out it is generally nothing of any consequence.

If you travel on a tourist visa, you must get the hotel staff to have your passport stamped or visit the local police station to register where you are staying and get a stamp in your passport - otherwise, you will not find it easy to leave the country.

If you wish to drive out of the city and visit the ruins or other sites of interest, you can get a local guide, but you will need a permit from the local tourist office before you may leave the city.

Eat

Anything. There is nothing that isn't acceptable to the western palate - the food can be quite spicy, although not excessively so.

Traditional Libyan fare appears to be couscous, kebabs, spicy potatoes, salads, and nothing that you wouldn't find in London.

There are a number of good restaurants. Although very basic by western standards, they do produce good meals. Round the back of the Tibesti Hotel there are some good Turkish restaurants; most of their food is very edible, and the prices are very reasonable.

Generally, service is very slow, so leave a good amount of time to have a meal. There are kebab takeaways if you are in a hurry, but in a hotel you can wait 30 minutes to get a waiter to take your order or bring you a menu. To save time it is often easier to pay for your meal/drinks as they are served, before saving the half-hour wait to get a bill.

The food is generally served a little cooler than you expect - it is generally warm rather than hot, and the chips are worth avoiding as they tend to be rubbery.

~44 min read

Article

31 sections

Contents

History
Ancient Greek colony
Roman and Byzantine periods
Ottoman province
Italian colonial rule
World War II
Contemporary Benghazi
2011 Revolution
2012 attack on U.S. diplomatic mission
Second Libyan Civil War
Administrative divisions
Population
Demographics
Religion
Education
Geography
Natural recreation and parks
Climate
Economy
Transport
Cityscape
Culture
Architecture
Sports
Food
Notable people
See also
Notes
References
Sources
External links

A Greek colony named Euesperides had existed in the area from around 525 BC. In the 3rd century BC, it was relocated and refounded as the Ptolemaic city of Berenice. Berenice prospered under the Romans, and after the 3rd century AD it superseded Cyrene and Barca as the centre of Cyrenaica. The city went into decline during the Byzantine period and had already been reduced to a small town before its conquest by the Arabs. After around four centuries of peaceful Ottoman rule, in 1911, Italy captured Benghazi and the rest of Tripolitania from the Ottoman Empire. Under Italian rule, Benghazi witnessed a period of extensive development and modernization, particularly in the second half of the 1930s under the Italian Libya colony. The city changed hands several times during World War II and was heavily damaged in the process. After the war Benghazi was rebuilt and became the co-capital of the newly independent Kingdom of Libya. Following the 1969 coup d'état by Muammar Gaddafi, Benghazi lost its capital status and all government offices relocated to Tripoli.