Abūqīr (also Abū Qīr) is a small fishing village within the Municipality of Alexandria, Egypt, and is famous for its beaches and nearby fortifications. Abūqīr is situated on a peninsula to the east of Alexandria, controlling access to the bay between this city and Rosetta (al-Rashīd), and gained special importance during the French occupation of Egypt, under Napoléon Bonaparte, in 1798-1801. On 1 August 1798, the British navy, under Admiral Nelson, launched a successful attack against the French fleet anchored at Abūqīr. As a result the British were