Zagazig has large cotton factories and used to have offices of numerous European merchants. It is located on the Muweis Canal and is the chief hub of the corn and cotton trade. There is a museum of antiquities, the Sharkeya National Museum (sometimes called the Amed Orabi Museum, at Herriat Raznah) that contains many important archaeological exhibits (currently closed for restoration). Zagazig University, one of the largest universities in Egypt, is also located in the city, with colleges in different fields of science and arts. The Archaeological Museum of the University of Zagazig exhibits significant finds from the nearby sites, Bubastis
Zagazig (Tell Basta) and Kufur Nigm. Also there is a branch for Al-Azhar University, the largest Islamic university in the world. Zagazig is the birthplace of famous Coptic Egyptian journalist, philosopher and social critic, Salama Moussa. The most notable streets in zagazig are Farouk st, Government st and El kawmia st. The ruins of the ancient Egyptian city of Bubastis are located southeast of town. Bubastis was the ancient capital of the 18th nome, and is home to the feast celebrating the cat goddess Bastet. Bubastis is the Greek version of the Egyptian language name "Pr-Bastet" "House [Temple] of Bastet". Bubastis