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Girga
Girga (Egyptian Arabic: جرجا, romanized: Girgā, [ˈɡeɾɡæ]), alternatively Digirga, Digurga or Jirjā is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt located on the west bank of the Nile. It is the metropolitan see of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and is the oldest continuously-inhabited city on the African continent (late 4th millennium BC).[citation needed]
The name of the city comes from Ancient Egyptian: (tꜣ)-grg.t, lit. 'the settlement', which is also preserved in possibly corrupted Coptic: ⲑⲁⲣϫⲉ, romanized: tarje and its alternative name Digirga.
Some Egyptologists such as Brugsch believe that the name of the city derives from the ancient Egyptian word grg miri-amoun Ramessou which means "The establishment of Ramesses II", although Daressy and Budge identify the name with Coptic Balyana near Abydos.
Through folk etymology the city became associated with St. George and a now non-existent monastery dedicated to him nearby, hence Leo Africanus calls it Giorgia and Peust suggests an older vocalisation Gurga.
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.
The city might have been the location of the ancient city of Thinis (Greek name; also spelled This) – the first capital city of unified Egypt under Narmer. As of 2025, it remains inconclusive whether Girga or nearby village of Birba is the site of Thinis (Birba was confirmed to be the site of the capital of Egypt during the 1st and 2nd dynasties[citation needed]).
There are ancient sites located on the territory of Girga including Beit Khallaf, a necropolis with mudbrick tombs dating back to the 3rd dynasty.
Girga was the capital of Upper Egypt during Ottoman rule.
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Girga
Girga (Egyptian Arabic: جرجا, romanized: Girgā, [ˈɡeɾɡæ]), alternatively Digirga, Digurga or Jirjā is a city in the Sohag Governorate of Upper Egypt located on the west bank of the Nile. It is the metropolitan see of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and is the oldest continuously-inhabited city on the African continent (late 4th millennium BC).[citation needed]
The name of the city comes from Ancient Egyptian: (tꜣ)-grg.t, lit. 'the settlement', which is also preserved in possibly corrupted Coptic: ⲑⲁⲣϫⲉ, romanized: tarje and its alternative name Digirga.
Some Egyptologists such as Brugsch believe that the name of the city derives from the ancient Egyptian word grg miri-amoun Ramessou which means "The establishment of Ramesses II", although Daressy and Budge identify the name with Coptic Balyana near Abydos.
Through folk etymology the city became associated with St. George and a now non-existent monastery dedicated to him nearby, hence Leo Africanus calls it Giorgia and Peust suggests an older vocalisation Gurga.
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.
The city might have been the location of the ancient city of Thinis (Greek name; also spelled This) – the first capital city of unified Egypt under Narmer. As of 2025, it remains inconclusive whether Girga or nearby village of Birba is the site of Thinis (Birba was confirmed to be the site of the capital of Egypt during the 1st and 2nd dynasties[citation needed]).
There are ancient sites located on the territory of Girga including Beit Khallaf, a necropolis with mudbrick tombs dating back to the 3rd dynasty.
Girga was the capital of Upper Egypt during Ottoman rule.
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