Egypt's antiquities ministry says archaeologists have discovered remnants of an ancient gymnasium dating back about 2,300 years, from the Hellenistic period.
The discovery was made by a German-Egyptian mission at the site of Watfa in Fayoum province, about 80 kilometres, or 50 miles, southwest of the capital, Cairo.
Watfa is the site of the ancient village of Philoteris, founded by King Ptolemy II in the 3rd century BC.
Ayman Ashmawi of the ministry says the gymnasium consists of a large meeting hall, once adorned with statues, a dining hall, a courtyard and a nearly 200-meter-long racetrack.
Cornelia Roemer, head of the mission, says the discovery clearly shows the impact of Greek life in Egypt, not only in Alexandria, but also in the countryside.
A German-Egyptian archaeological mission has discovered the first Hellenistic gymnasium ever found in Egypt, located at Medinat Watfa, in the northwest of Fayoum Oasis.
The mission from the German Archaeological Institute (DAI), headed by Professor Cornelia Römer, made the discovery as part of its ongoing excavations at the Watfa site.
Watfa is the location of the ancient village Philoteris, founded by king Ptolemy II in the 3rd century BCE and named after his second sister Philotera.
Aymen Ashmawi, head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities sector at the Ministry of Antiquities, said that the gymnasium included a large meeting hall, once adorned with statues, a dining hall and a courtyard in the main building.
There is also a racetrack of nearly 200 metres in length, long enough for the typical stadium-length races of 180 metres.
Generous gardens surrounded the building, completing the ideal layout for a centre of Greek learning.
These gyms acted as centers of Greek learning, where wealthy, Greek-speaking young men would gather.
Similar foundations have been seen in Athens, Pergamon and Miletus in Asia Minor, and Pompei in Italy.
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