Heliopolis

 

(hēlēŏp'əlĭs) [Gr.,=city of the sun], ancient city, N Egypt, in the Nile delta, 6 mi (10 km) below modern Cairo. It was noted as the center of sun worship, and its god Ra or Re was the state deity until Thebes became capital (c.2100 B.C.). The god Amon was then joined with Ra as Amon-Ra or Amon-Re (see Egyptian religion). Under the New Empire (c.1570 B.C.–c.1085 B.C.), Heliopolis was the seat of the viceroy for N Egypt. The obelisks called Cleopatra's Needles were erected there. Its schools of philosophy and astronomy declined after the founding of Alexandria in 332 B.C., but the city never wholly lost importance until the Christian era. The Egyptian name was On; little of the city remains.

Heliopolis, meaning "sun city" in Ancient Greek, can refer to

• Heliopolis (ancient), the ancient city in Egypt
• Heliopolis (Cairo Suburb), a suburb in modern Cairo, Egypt
• Heliopolis style, the architectural style of the modern Heliopolis Cairo suburb
• Baalbek in ancient Syria (now in modern Lebanon), also known to the Romans as "Heliopolis"
• Ilioupoli or Ilioupolis, meaning "Heliopolis" in Modern Greek, a southeastern suburb of Athens, Greece
• Heliópolis, the largest favela of São Paulo City, Brazil
• Heliopolis (Cosmic Era), a fictitious territory/colony in the sci-fi anime series Gundam Seed
• Heliopolis (Stargate), a fictitious planet in the sci-fi television series Stargate SG-1 (see The Torment of Tantalus)
• Heliopolis (album), is a psychedelic trance album released by Swedish artist Filteria
• Héliopolis, a town in France situated on the Île du Levant
• Heliopolis (Marvel Comics), a location in Marvel Comics

See also

• Sun City

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