Tanta

About

Up until the end of the 20th century when it developed into a large city, Tanta was a scattering of villages amongst vast cotton plantations. Today, this working city is best known for its signature sweet: sugar-coated nuts known as 'seeds of the Beloved Prophet'. These are often sold around the Ahmad Al-Badawi Mosque, which while closed to non-Muslims is an elegant example of Arabic architecture. After the cotton harvest in late October, millions of people descend on Tanta for an 8 day celebration in honor of Sayid Ahmed el-Badawi, the founder of one of Egypt’s largest Sufi orders, who is buried in the buried in Ahmad Al-Badawi Mosque. This colorful celebration is often described as “mayhem”, and so most travellers might want to skip a stop these days.