The Capital Location

The point where the Delta met with Upper Egypt was a unique location around which the capitals of Egypt continued to revolve. The capital moved from one place to another, but did not leave this location except for temporary periods; it always returned to the same geographical location. The capital moved within this region, but never left it.

The Pharaonic Era

Throughout the ages, Egypt has had many capitals, whose names and locations changed with the change of its rulers. Among these capitals are the city of Memphis, the city of On, the city of Thebes, and the city of Tell el-Amarna in the Pharaonic era.

The Greco-Roman Era

The city of Alexandria, Egypt's capital during Greco-Roman times, was founded by Alexander the Great as a Greek city. Within a few years, it became the Mediterranean's largest metropolis. Located on the Mediterranean coastal strip northwest of the Nile Delta, the city was planned by the Greek engineer Dinocrates, commissioned by the Alexander, and rapidly emerged as a cultural, political, and economic center, especially as a Ptolemaic capital of Egypt. The new city was renowned for its ancient university, scientific complex, and the library—a pioneering research institution in history and its beacon that became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Although the Ptolemies were not Egyptians, yet they ruled as Egyptians- Pharaohs- and during their reign, Alexandria has witnessed its true birth and golden age as Egypt’s capital for over three centuries. However, the city's prominence waned during the Roman era, as Egypt lost its independence and became a province of the Roman Empire until the Islamic conquest.

To End with the city of Cairo

The story of founding of the city of Cairo began in the year 969 AD during the era of Fatimid rule, and since then the capital bears this name to this day. There were different opinions about the reason for naming Cairo by this name. It was said that Jawhar al-Siqilli initially named the city al-Mansuriyya, after the name of the city of Mansuriyya, which was established by Al-Mansur Billah, the father of Al-Mu’izz Lidin Allah, outside Kairouan, or after the name of Al-Mu’izz’s father himself, in commemoration of his memory. This name continued until Al-Mu’izz came to Egypt and gave it the name “Cairo”, four years after its founding, out of optimism that it would conquer the Abbasid state competing with the Fatimids. It was also said that he named it Cairo to conquer the world, or that it was named in reference to the conquering planet, which is Mars. The city of Cairo has several famous names, including Egypt Al-Mahrousa, Cairo of Al- Mu’izz, the City of a Thousand Minarets, and the Jewel of the East.

Medieval Cairo

The various capitals of Egypt since the Islamic conquest (Al-Fustat - Al-Askar - Al-Qata'i - Cairo of Al-Mu'izz) have united to form what is now called Historic Cairo. This name is to distinguish it from the urban sprawl that occurred at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century.
The map of the city of Cairo, drawn at the beginning of the sixteenth century by the Ottoman navigator Piri Reis shows the shape of the city of Cairo in that era. It also shows the walls, narrow and curved roads, and huge gates with a center of the urban mass around which buildings and roads wrap to form a connective urban fabric and the Islamic architectural style.
Moreover, the map shows that the city of Cairo is located at a distance of more than 4 kilometers from the bank of the Nile River.

Cairo at the time of Bonaparte's arrival (1798-1801)

At the end of the Mamluk rule, if the wind blew in Cairo, it would turn it into a cloud of foul-smelling dust. Cairo was surrounded by narrow hills, and its roads were built irregularly, deprived of any sun or air. Thus, diseases spread.
In this era, Cairo was divided into 63 neighborhoods or districts. Each neighborhood had a gate at the entrance to the street leading to it, and the gates were closed at Isha prayer time.
There was no specific architectural style for homes; people built their homes however they wanted and according to their needs and social level.

The advent of the French campaign to Egypt (1798-1801 AD)

With the advent of the French campaign to Egypt (1798-1801 AD), with its huge military and civilian vehicles, and their European architectural and urban notions, they bestowed their architectural and urban touches on the historic city of Cairo.

The French replanned the city of Cairo, separating the Boulak neighborhood from the downtown neighborhood by building a straight street between them. This was the first cross street to be planned inside Cairo, where the rest of the streets were longitudinal, which entailed the demolition of many houses and mosques. They also drained the Azbakeya pond and removed the cemeteries located inside Cairo. They removed the huge neighborhood gates, in order to facilitate the movement of soldiers and vehicles, and because they needed wood during the reconstruction process of the Azbakeya neighborhood, which they used as the headquarters of their military rule.

Cairo During the French campaign to Egypt

The facilities established by the French were characterized by a military nature due to their desire to secure themselves. Therefore, they built more forts and destroyed homes and mosques in most of Cairo’s neighborhoods. One of the results of this French campaign was that they applied the European architectural and artistic styles prevailing in Europe at that time to the architecture of the city of Cairo.
This was the first step in Egypt's openness to the West, which was followed by several steps until the architectural and urban renaissance occurred in the nineteenth century, resulting in the Khedival Cairo.

Cairo during the reign of Muhammad Ali Pasha (1805-1848)

The deteriorating health and urban situation of the city of Cairo continued after the arrival of the French campaign due to the struggle to seize power until Muhammad Ali Pasha was able to take control of the government in 1805 AD.

There is no doubt that the Pasha’s rise to power in Egypt was a significant turning point in the history of Cairo; his reforms were ahead of their time and stemmed from his desire to make Egypt the base of an eastern empire.

When he assumed the throne in 1805 AD, Muhammad Ali Pasha; the founder of modern Egypt realized that he would not be able to advance his kingdom unless he copied the Eur -European civilization and adopted the means of a comprehensive modern scientific renaissance, after he got rid of the old Mamluk aristocracy and began a policy of modernizing the political, administrative and economic systems. In addition to developing advanced industries accompanied by massive commercial expansion.

At the beginning of Muhammad Ali's reign, Cairo city was planned according to the radial planning approach and the center was the citadel in which the Al Gawhara Palace was built.

Cairo during the rule of Muhammad Ali Pasha (1805-1845)

Capital reconstruction works

With the arrival of Muhammad Ali, the city grew and expanded beyond the old city walls, and its morphology and architecture changed, as large roads replaced small medieval alleys.
Muhammad Ali Pasha began developing his capital by issuing his first decree of an urban nature in 1816, as he ordered the inventory of buildings in danger of collapse in preparation for their demolition, and then he ordered their reconstruction.
In the year 1817, he ordered the markets to be swept and regularly sprinkled with water, to light lanterns at the doors of houses, and to allocate a lantern for every three shops.
In the year 1820, general cleaning work began for the city, which affected public health, as epidemics became rare after this year. He also worked to settle the basic industries that he began to introduce in the Al-Sabtiya area.
In 1827, using dust produced through demolishing the rubble from all over Cairo, he was able to fill in many of the ponds that existed within the city.
The reconstruction and development of Cairo continued during Muhammad Ali's reign until 1831 AD, when an order was issued to reconstruct the ruins.

Cairo during the rule of Muhammad Ali Pasha (1805-1845)

Regulatory work for the capital

In December 1843, Muhammad Ali issued an order to establish a council to supervise the improvement and development of Cairo and the modification of its roads.
In the year 1846 AD, Muhammad Ali issued an order to the Diwan al-Madrasas saying, “As it had previously been declared to expand the alleys and open the streets of Al-Muski, and to cut off Sheikh Salama’s Kom, Boulak Street, Foum Al-Khaleej, Al-Qala’a Street, and other streets that needed to be opened and widened for the convenience of the people to replace the narrow alleys, and to decorate the city, therefore it was necessary to purchase the included places that from their owners and deducting their prices from government” - that is, expropriating its ownership and compensating their owners.
He also issued an order to number the streets in 1847 AD, which was ordered by “Al-Mahrousa Planning Council.”
In the same year, 1847 AD, extensive operations began to develop and modify the streets of Al-Mahrousa. It began with the expansion of a street from Bab Al-Hadid to Al-Zahir, as well as the work of widening Darb Al-Jamamiz, Bab Al-Khalq, and Al-Husseini mosque. Trees were also planted in the streets.

Cairo during the rule of Muhammad Ali Pasha (1805-1845)

Regulatory work for the capital

A modern road was also paved between Cairo and Shubra to become the most beautiful street in Egypt. It was paved in a straight line to become the widest and straightest street in Egypt. It connected the capital to Muhammad Ali’s palace in Shubra, and on both sides of it, sycamore and lebbek trees were planted, and workers were appointed whose task was to spray the street with water twice a day. It became the most beautiful street for walking in all of Egypt. In the same year 1847 AD, the filling of areas of the Azbakeya Pond began in preparation for converting it into a public park. Trees were also planted on both sides of the Rumaila Road and Qara Maidan Road under the Citadel.

Muhammad Ali Pasha is considered the one who began the urbanization of the Qasr El Nil area. He ordered that a palace be built for his daughter, Zainab Hanem, on the coast of the Nile, and the palace was considered an architectural masterpiece. It was specifically in the area where the Arab League building and the Nile Hilton Hotel are now located. Until Saeed Pasha, son of Muhammad Ali, eliminated that masterpiece and built barracks for the Egyptian army in its place (Qasr al-Nil Barracks).

Cairo during the reign of Ibrahim Pasha (1848)

When Ibrahim Pasha came to power, he asked the engineer Bonfour to remove the rubble located between the Nile, Bulaq, Misr, and Fustat and asked him to build private parks in their place. Thus, a magnificent city appeared, decorated with towering trees - as Ali Mubarak says in his plans - and the hills of the Nasiriyah, Al-Zahir, and Faggala neighborhoods disappeared. The rubble was thrown in nearby ponds, such as the Ritl and Tabala ponds and others until Cairo got rid of these ponds and replaced them with orchards and farms.

During Ibrahim Pasha's reign, the Garden City neighborhood became known after the construction of the High Palace. It was noted in this historical period that urban neighborhoods began to appear after building a palace for the ruler in a new area. The area would be cleaned, and urbanization began to sprawl into the area surrounding the palace, consequently, neighborhoods emerged.
As what happened with Muhammad Ali Pasha, and the Shubra Palace, which marked the beginning of the Shubra neighborhood. In the time of Saeed Pasha, the Sakakini neighborhood was named after Habib Gabriel Antoine, born in Egypt and nicknamed Sakakini.
With the arrival of Khedive Ismail, the seat of government moved to Abdeen, and thus the Abdeen neighborhood that we know now appeared.

Cairo during the reign of Said Pasha (1854-1863)

The most prominent milestone of Said Pasha's reign was the agreement to dig the Suez Canal in 1854 AD, which he signed with Ferdinand de Lesseps, who made Egypt an essential link in the global transportation network, which impacted Cairo and made it an attractive factor for foreigners.
Saeed Pasha also inaugurated the railway line between Cairo and Alexandria - the concession of which was granted to Abbas Hilmi I by the British - in the same year. The main station was outside the city limits in the Bab Al-Hadid area, and its presence was an influential factor in the urban growth of the surrounding area. Its presence also encouraged the internal migration to Cairo.
During the reign of Muhammad Ali, the city of Cairo was an isolated and somewhat closed city, and these two developments had a great impact on the city, making the way open for European communication in Cairo. It had an impact on attracting Egyptians and foreigners, and thus a boom in construction occurred, and many hotels, shops, and cafes appeared in the Coptic neighborhood, which is located between Al Mahatta Square and the Azbakeya area.
It is also worth noting that Said Pasha’s construction of the Qasr al-Nil barracks, on the same site on which the Nile Hilton Hotel and the Arab League building were built, sparked interest in the area west of Cairo, which is where the main features of Khedive Ismail’s civilizational project will be concentrated in the future.

The condition of Cairo before Khedive Ismail

When Khedive Ismail gained the rule of Egypt (1863 AD), the city of Cairo was in a deteriorating condition, as it was surrounded by radish fields to the north of Cairo, “Bab al-Hadid” where Faggala is, and cemeteries surrounded it and they interspersed its neighborhoods. Hills also bordered the city from the west; as for the southern side, it contained the remains and ruins of ancient Egypt, Fustat, and the Zeinhom Hills The city did not have a system for distributing drinking water or a sewage system, and waste was collected in the sewers and its water leaked into the ponds from which the city’s residents supplied water, which led to the spread of typhoid in addition to other diseases, and during the flood, this water would also go out into the streets, which resulted in the rising of the groundwater level, threatening homes with collapse.

Seven Projects Program

The first project: Stabilizing the course of the Nile

Diverting the course of the Nile, or more precisely, stabilizing the course of the Nile at Cairo, as the main channel passed on the western side, parallel to Dokki Street now, passing through Boulaq al-Dakrur and Imbaba. The eastern branch, or the current Nile, was a narrow stream from which the water receded for most months of the year due to the high level of the bottom. The water boys dispatched water from it to the neighborhoods of Cairo, and because of the pollution of the Nile water in this almost stagnant flow, diseases spread because it was a breeding ground for mosquitoes. When Ismail assumed power, among his projects he made the project of diverting the original course of the Nile his top priority; it was diverted from the western side at Giza to the eastern side, adjacent to Cairo. Filling of the old course, and the subsequent establishment of the residential neighborhoods of Al-Giza and Dokki, as well as the Zoo and Orman Garden in situ.

The second project: Removing hills and ruins

The project aimed to remove the hills and ruins that surrounded Cairo or in the middle of it, level its land, and prepare it for construction. Also, fill in the ponds and swamps that were widespread in central Cairo. What was filled in amounted to 20 ponds and swamps, and their area exceeded 200 acres. Examples of filled-in ponds include the Pharaohs' pond in front of Abdin Palace, where he built Abdin Square and the adjacent headquarters of his guards (now the Cairo Governorate headquarters).

He proceeded to move the cemeteries that were in the middle of Cairo and turn them into squares and residential neighborhoods. Among the most famous were the cemeteries that were located in the area surrounding Ataba Square, the beginning of the current Al-Azhar Street, and the beginning of Abdul Aziz Street. The cemeteries were demolished, and some of the bones were moved to the graveyard of Imam Al-Shafi’i, while others were buried in a specially built cistern. A mosque was built over it, known as Al-Izm Mosque "the mosque of bones", which is near Al-Ashmawi Mosque, to the right of those passing through the street leading to Al-Ataba El-Khadra and Abdeen.

Fourth project: supplying Cairo with drinking water

The Saqqas' role in transporting stagnant water contributed to the spread of diseases and epidemics like typhoid, prompting the development of a system to supply the capital with clean drinking water. On May 17, 1865, the government granted Monsieur Cordier's company the privilege of providing water to Cairo and its surrounding areas.

Fifth project: Drying the lands

Worked on Drying the lands and considering implementing a sewers project for the capital, however, this project was postponed till 1909 and has been implemented during the reign of his grandson, Khedive Abbas Helmy II, at the hands of engineer Cricket James.

Sixth project: constructing roads and squares

He also constructed roads, including longitudinal and transverse streets, extending beyond the urban area, such as Al-Ahram Street. He constructed Mohammad Ali Street, which opened in 1872 AD and was characterized by wide sidewalks and gas lamps. The Khedive ordered the street to be cleaned three times daily to maintain its splendor.

Seventh project: : Creating gardens and reconstructing poor neighborhoods

Numerous gardens and parks were established, including Al-Azbakeya Garden. In his report to the US Department of State on September 15, 1873, the American consul described Ismail's achievements in beautifying Cairo. Elaborating on Azbakeya, he praised its transformation into a beautiful public park with sandy paths, shaded avenues, and green lawns. The artificial lake was breathtakingly beautiful, akin to a verse of poetry. The Khedive also constructed a large theater for Italian opera and a smaller one for French comedy. Additionally, large public fountains, mosques, and palaces were built. Slums underwent reconstruction and repair, and the capital's entrances were improved.

Visiting the International Exposition in Paris 1867 AD

During Khedive Ismail’s visit to the International Exposition in Paris in 1867 AD, he met Baron Haussmann (Georges-Eugène Haussmann), the engineer who renovated the city of Paris. He served as Prefect of the Seine for more than 15 years, during which he was able to plan the center of Paris and its surrounding suburbs. By the end of the nineteenth century, he developed a new style for the European cities planning known as the "Haussmann Plan.“
Impressed by Baron Haussmann's work, the Khedive commissioned him to create a new master plan for Cairo. During Ismail’s visit, he met with Monsieur Pierre Grand Bek, whom he entrusted with the management of the Roads and Bridges Department, and Monsieur Jean-Pierre Barillet-Deschamps, the visionary behind the Boulgne Forest, to whom he accorded the mission of creating a similar garden in place of al-Azbakeya Lake. Hence, he designed the Gezira Saray and its surrounding gardens.
Upon his return from Paris, Khedive Ismail assigned his project to the Public Works Department, where Ali Pasha Mubarak’s main responsibility was to prepare a comprehensive program for the planning and development of modern Cairo in accordance with the urban layout of the city of Paris.

Law Regulating City Management, 1868 AD

Ali Pasha Mubarak prepared a draft law to regulate the city management. On July 8, 1868, he implemented a new administrative division in which the city was divided into four sections, each one encompassing two of the eight neighborhoods originally established by Mohammad Ali Pasha.  

• 1- Bab al-Sha’aria with al-Azbakeya
• 2- Al-Darb al-Ahmar with al-Gamaleya
• 3- El-Khalifa with Qawsun
• 4- Abdeen with Darb al-Gamamiz

The suburbs were divided into four: Old Cairo “Misr al-Qadimah”, Boulaq, Shubra, and al-Waili. Each section had a designated construction department headed by the municipality engineer, responsible for overseeing and monitoring buildings, following up the procedures of map drawing, and applying the regulations. This meticulous program laid the groundwork for Cairo's master plan, which Grand Bek would implement by 1874.

A Modern City Next to the Old City, 1869 AD

Ismail faced numerous challenges and difficulties during the implementation of his projects because of the nature of Old Cairo construction and the previous areas of Fustat, Qata’i, and al-Askar.
Lacking enough time for a radical makeover of Eastern Cairo, Khedive Ismail thought of creating a new city that would represent a modern facade for Cairo on the western edge of the city. He decided to limit the tours for those invited to attend the opening ceremony of the Suez Canal, originally scheduled by Ferdinand de Lesseps at the end of 1868, to the new city. However, the delay in the canal’s completion granted Ismail more time to complete his plans, as the opening date was postponed to November 1869.
Hence, Cairo, that once represented the unified spirit of the Medieval era with all its characteristics, had split into two distinguished identities. Though geographically tethered, one embraced the European style by all standards, while the other clung to its Egyptian-Islamic roots. Some likened it to a vase shattered into halves, or a bicultural tapestry in which the old and the new, the authentic and the foreign, coexist.

This resulted in the emergence of two cities in Cairo: the modern city, which is the more attractive, and the old city, which seems destined to an extended phase of decay and never revive.
In 969 AD, the total area of Cairo was 340 Feddan. However, under the reign of Mohammad Ali Pasha’s family, its area expanded to reach 1,000 Feddan.

The renovation of Cairo City was ongoing since Khedive Ismail assumed power until he traveled to Paris and adopted the urban planning principles of Baron Haussmann. Hence, we could note the overlapping of the development efforts exerted on the seven-project program, initiated by the Khedive, with Haussmann’s planning for the Downtown area, coming together and resulting in the Khedival Cairo.
Here are other examples of development work in Khedival Cairo:

Development of neighborhoods

He founded four new neighborhoods: Abdeen neighborhood - Ismailia neighborhood - al-Azbakeya neighborhood – al-Fajala neighborhood.
He developed four existing neighborhoods: Al-Halmeya neighborhood - al-Sayyeda Zeinab neighborhood - al-Mosky neighborhood - Giza neighborhood.

Al-Ismailia Neighborhood

Al-Ismailia Square (Tahrir) and the city center
It is the heart of European Cairo, which developed with an urban tissue completely distinct from that of the Old City. This neighborhood resembled a vast park; its road leading to Qasr al-Nile Bridge was named “al-Ismailia Street,” after al-Ismailia Palace. The palace was built by Khedive Ismail on part of the lands and properties he donated to his third wife, Jeshm Afet Khanum Effendi, which largely forms the al-Ismailia area.
To the right of the entrance to Qasr al-Nile Bridge stands Qasr al-Nile Barracks, built by Khedive Saeed on the site of the earlier Qasr al-Nile palace built by Mohammad Ali for his daughter Nazli Hanem, and subsequently serving as military headquarters. After the British occupation, the barracks housed the British Army. In 1902, the Egyptian Museum was opened in its current location, having moved from Boulaq and the Giza Palace previously. The Governmental Services Complex was built on part of al-Ismailia Palace. The square includes the old building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prince Kamal al-Din Hussein Palace, and Omar Makram Mosque, built on the same location as Al-Abeet Mosque, mentioned by Ali Mubarak as being inside the western wall of al-Ismailia Palace.
To the south-east, the square connects to the area of ministries and the People's Assembly Building, while to the north-east, it opens onto the renowned commercial area of Downtown.

Ismailia Neighborhood Planning

Designed by the French engineer Haussmann, the layout of al-Ismailia neighborhood included a network of streets linking twelve squares, however, the real full urbanization of the region continued gradually until 1874 AD. The occupied area was about 257 feddan: 30% dedicated to the road network, 13% to buildings, and the rest of the area vast gardens reserved for future urban expansion. The map drawn by Grand Bek indicates the emergence of large streets such as Qasr al-Nile, Solyman Pasha, and Qasr al-Aini.
Khedive Ismail’s construction of the Ismailia Canal led to the emergence of two new neighborhoods: al-Ismailia and Fajala. Several engineering projects were undertaken to dig the canal to strengthen the bridges built on the river under the supervision of the French engineer Brocard. Zamalek Island also became safe from the dangers of flooding.
Al-Tarabili says that Khedive Ismail granted the land to those who would construct buildings, stipulating a minimum construction cost of 2,000 pounds, with the aim of building huge, modern buildings.

Zoning

Witnessing the capital's greatest period of demolition and construction since the rise of Mamluk Cairo, new infrastructure stretched outwards, linking the northern and western edges of the city, with the newly built railway station serving as its entrance. Areas of land were offered to those interested in constructing in the European style.
By 1869, the plan to create new neighborhoods had made significant strides. Wide, newly paved roads were built, and the lands of the new Ismailia neighborhood that reached an area of about one square mile were divided

Infrastructure

Accompanying these public projects were transformers for supplying Cairo with drinking water, gas, and sanitary sewers—facilities deemed utterly essential for any modern city. In February 1865 AD, the Egyptian government granted a concession to supply gas to Cairo, Old Cairo “Misr al-Qadimah”, and Boulaq to a company owned by Charles Lebon. This company received a plot of land in Boulaq for building its station, which opened in April 1867 AD.
On May 17, 1865 AD, the government granted a concession to supply Cairo and its surrounding areas with water to a company owned by Monsieur Cordier. A joint-stock company was formed to fund the project, but it encountered financial and engineering hurdles. These challenges ultimately led to Cordier's relief of his mission, delaying project completion until 1872. Notably, the company built a double network of canals, specifically extending it to al-Ismailia neighborhood to deliver the water needed for home consumption and unpurified water for garden irrigation. The company also constructed a water pumping station at Fumm al-Khalij.

By the late 19th century, Cairo had become divided into two distinct communities, the chasm between them wider than the mere street that physically separated them. This urban duality starkly mirrored a civilizational and cultural division. Reviewing the aspects of life in the two cities reveals a vast difference. Historical Cairo remains, in essence, one of the pre-industrial cities in terms of technology, social structure, and lifestyles. To its west, European Cairo arose, adopting techniques based on modern technology, a faster pace of life, facilities, vehicles, and a European identity, which the city embraced.

Modern Cairo

Cairo, once represented the spirit of the Medieval era with all its characteristics, had split into two distinguished identities. Though geographically tethered, one embraced the European style by all standards, while the other clung to its Egyptian-Islamic roots. Some likened it to a vase shattered into halves, or a bicultural tapestry in which the old and the new, the authentic and the foreign, coexist.
In the nineteenth century, Haussmann, the prefect of Paris and founder of modern urban planning school, which inspired the planning of many European capitals, has designed the city of Cairo by creating new districts that serve as a facade to Old Cairo from the west side.
Haussmann's plan included a network of streets connecting twelve squares in a new scattered urban tissue that differed from the compact urban tissue of Islamic Cairo.
Inspired by French buildings admired by Khedive Ismail, Ali Mubarak modeled the buildings in his major project, including the four Khedive buildings on Emad al-Din Street, which are located in two opposing blocks.
Al-Tarabili says that Khedive Ismail granted the land to those who would construct buildings, stipulating a minimum construction cost of 2,000 pounds, with the aim of building huge, modern buildings.

Ali Pasha Mubarak, the executor of Cairo extension plan, specified the construction requirements for the area, including a minimum construction cost to ensure a certain level of quality without specifying the decorative forms and details. This paved the road for real estate developers and speculators to choose and recruit engineers (coming from various Mediterranean countries, primarily France and Italy, where the architectural profession has flourished), to build residential complexes that showcased a diverse range of architectural styles, even incorporating local motifs at times.

Khedive Ismail was interested in creating gardens in place of ponds and marshlands, to create recreational areas and to improve public health. He established large gardens around the royal palaces, and imported many trees from abroad.

Visual Elements of the Mental Image of Khedival Cairo

1 - The Boundaries

The city of Khedivial Cairo stands as a magnificent testament to Cairo's urban evolution, stretching from Ataba Square in the east to the Nile bank in the west, and from Misr Railway Station Square (currently Ramesses Square) to Abdeen Palace.
You can access the Downtown area through several entrances, including Qasr al-Nile Bridge in the west, Ramesses Street, Qasr al-Aini Street, and other entrances.

2 – Paths

The types of paths vary depending on their purpose. There are streets for vehicles, pedestrian paths, and even bridges spanning the Nile River, such as Qasr al-Nile Bridge. This bridge, initially named the "Qasr al-Nile Viaduct," was the first precedent of its kind in Egypt. The idea of building a bridge linking the east bank of the Nile “Ismailia Square – currently al-Tahrir,” to its bank west “al-Gezira area” emerged simultaneously with the construction of al-Gezira Palace during the reign of Khedive Ismail. In 1865, a Khedival decree was issued to the Superintendent of Works, entrusting the French company Vive Lille with the design and construction of the bridge in 1869.

3 –Landmarks

Khedival Cairo has many distinctive landmarks that leaves an indelible mark on its visitor's mind, such as the old Egyptian Opera House, the statue of Ibrahim Pasha erected in his square, the Egyptian Museum building, along with many other buildings and artistic works.

4 – Nodes

These are points of traffic intersection or areas of concentrated movement and activity. For instance, Emad al-Din Street and Qasr al-Nile Street stand out as vibrant commercial and leisure hubs due to their abundance of stores.
One of the most important squares is Al-Tahrir Square, formerly known as Ismailia Square, Bridge Square, and Sadat Square. However, it has remained etched in the minds of Egyptians as al-Tahrir Square, and has witnessed major uprisings, including the 1919 and 1935 revolutions against British rule, and most recently, the January 2011 revolution.
Downtown area is characterized by its meticulously designed squares, which were often adorned with statues of prominent figures, whose names were then bestowed upon the squares, such as Mustafa Kamel Square. In 1913, the renowned French sculptor Léopold Savine, commissioned by Mustafa Kamel's lifelong friend, Mohammad Farid, sculpted a statue to commemorate the leader's memory. This statue was placed in one of Downtown squares that later carried the name of Mustafa Kamel, who so fiercely defended Egypt, thus, marking his name through history in the very heart of the city.
Mohammad Farid Square is one of Downtown squares, named after him in recognition of his role in the national struggle. Mohamed Farid’s statue stands in the middle of this square, which is located near Abdeen Square, and close to Mohamed Naguib metro station.
The most famous square in Downtown, Talaat Harb Square, bears the name of the great economist who spearheaded Egypt’s modern economic renaissance and is often referred to as "the maker of the modern economy." The middle of this square, located in the heart of Solyman Pasha Street in Downtown, is adorned with his statue, which was sculpted by Farouk Ibrahim before the entire square was named in his honor.

Visual Districts

The districts of Khedivial Cairo are among the most powerful visual districts that lingers in the mind of its visitors because of the unified heights, the harmony of the shapes of the blocks, and their architectural splendor. In modern planning, four districts were established: Abdeen District - Ismailia District - Al-Azbakeya District - Al-Fajala District.
Abdeen Palace is a distinctive architectural landmark that stands in Abdeen Square.
While walking through the districts of the area, your attention is inevitably drawn to the semicircular facades of the buildings around the circular square that mimic the shape of a curved eyebrow framing an eye, as exemplified by al-Tahrir Complex building in al-Tahrir Square, and the buildings overlooking Talaat Harb and Mustafa Kamel squares. It seems as if their design in this shape blends with the movement of the square, and add to it an aesthetic flair.

The Distinctive Architectural Style of the Area

The Khedivial era was one of the most important eras to have passed through Egyptian history. It is distinguished by laying the foundations of modern architectural civilization and by featuring many elements of prosperity and progress.
Khedive Ismail, relying on Western architects, was eager to construct luxurious royal palaces, each bearing the signature of a prominent Italian or French designer. In this pursuit, he stipulated that every foreign architect mentor four Egyptians in the arts of architecture and construction. This approach yielded a flourishing new generation of Egyptian architects, and led to the integration of Western architectural styles on buildings and structures.

The Downtown area is considered an open exhibition, showcasing the works of foreign architects summoned from France, Italy, Austria, and Britain to build Egypt’s urban renaissance. They were able to skillfully display their creative abilities, thus, adding unique aesthetic values to the area.
Pioneering Egyptian and Arab architects contributed significantly to the reconstruction movement of Downtown area. Among them were: The Levant Antoine Selim Nahhas, who designed the Aziz Bahri Building on Emad El Din Street. The Egyptian architect, Mustafa Pasha Fahmy, who designed the Young Muslim Association, the Egyptian Engineers Association, and al-Shawarbi Building. Also, the Egyptian Ahmed Sharmi, who designed the Engineers Syndicate. These contributions, alongside others, transformed Downtown area into a venue for many nationalities. The various architectural styles stands as a testament to the architectural and artistic movements that flourished at the turn of the 20th century.