Fayed

Fayed

Fayed is located about 20 kilometers south of Ismailia on the western shore of the Great Bitter Lake, which is a large saltwater lake in Egypt that is a section of the Suez Canal. Prior to the construction of the canal in 1869, the Great Bitter Lake was an arid salt valley or basin. The Great Bitter Lake is mentioned in the ancient pyramid texts. This strategic position allows the town to benefit from the lake's natural resources, while also providing a vital link between the Suez Canal and the Sinai Peninsula. The town was primarily a fishing village, as fish from the Bitter Lakes is highly prized and expensive in Egypt. It was not until the historic Ismailia Canal was dredged and flooded during the construction of the Suez Canal that agriculture returned on a large scale, and the town's economy is primarily based on it, with crops such as cotton, sugarcane, and dates being major productions. Today, Fayed is a thriving town with a population of over 30,000 people. The town's scenic location on the shores of the Great Bitter Lake makes it an ideal spot for water sports and activities such as swimming, fishing, and boating. Several camps for German prisoners of war were located in and around Fayed during World War II. Known for their poor conditions, the camps held up to 15,000 people each. Since June 1941, Fayed has housed a British military cemetery with about 1800 graves for the dead of the garrison and German prisoners of war. At present the cemetery is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.