Ancient gym discovered in Egypt

A team of German and Egyptian experts has discovered an ancient gym at Watfa, in Fayoum province, south of the capital Cairo.

Newly discovered vestiges of an ancient gym.

The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities said on November 6 that a team of German and Egyptian experts, led by German archaeologist Cornelia Roemer of the German Institute for Archaeological Research, discovered an ancient gymnasium in Watfa, in the Fayoum governorate, south of Cairo. This is the remains of the first ancient Greek gymnasium found in Egypt.

The Greek-style gymnasium features a large meeting hall, a dining room, a central courtyard, and a nearly 200-meter outdoor running track.

The Watfa gymnasium is clear evidence of the impact of Greek life in Egypt, not only in Alexandria but also in the countryside, says archaeologist Roemer.

According to Ms. Roemer, gymnasiums were once the private property of the wealthy, who wanted their villages to be even more Greek in style.

The German Archaeological Research Institute has been conducting explorations and excavations at Watfa since 2010.

According to VNA