Who built the Suez Canal and when?
Posted on Aug 01, 2025 / Travel
The Suez Canal was built by the Suez Canal Company, led by French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps. Construction began in 1859 and took ten years to complete, officially opening in November 1869. Thousands of workers, many from Egypt, labored in difficult conditions to dig the canal. It was an ambitious engineering feat for its time, involving advanced techniques and machinery. The canal initially faced political and financial challenges but quickly proved its immense value for global trade. Over time, control over the canal shifted, with Egypt eventually nationalizing it in 1956 under President Gamal Abdel Nasser. This move solidified the canal’s importance not only economically but also politically.
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