Mansura is in the delta region and lies on the east bank of the Damietta branch of River Nile. The city is 120 kilometres north-east of Cairo. The town of Talkha is on the opposite bank of the Nile. Together they form a metropolitan city.

Mansura was established in 1219 by Salaadin's brother, Saphadin of the Ayyubid dynasty. After the Egyptians defeated the Crusaders on its land during the 7th Crusade it was named El Mansura "The Victorious".

Dakahliya province is famous for producing world-class scientists and scholars in the fields of science, engineering, medicine and arts. Most famous of them is the Umm Kolthoum. There is a square in the city named after her and her statue stands there.

Like Cairo and Alexandria, Mansura was home to a flourishing Greek community but many of them were forced to leave at Nasser era. A great deal of the best and older shops and businesses in the city still has their original Greek names. Greek Toriel region is one of the relatively affluent residential districts of the city.