Downtown Cairo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
DownTown Cairo, or as the Arabic Speakers call it Wust El-Balad (ar: وسط البلد), which literally means the center of the city, has been the Center of Egypt since its modern history. the District was established in the late 19th century.
Contents |
[edit] History
The area, designed by prestigious French architects commissioned by Khedive Ismail, was once home to the prosperous elite of late 19th and early 20th century Cairo, it is a relic of a bygone era - Egypt's Belle epoque - and demonstrates the Khedive's vision for developing Egypt. yet decades of neglect by the neighborhood;s landlords and tenants, precipitated by the exodus of the expatriate community after the 1952 revolution led by Jamal Abdel Nasser, and the ensuing departure of the upper classes, have left the regal splendor of its ornate edifices mired in decay. lax enforcement of laws and regulations gave way to the entry of commercial establishments into the neighborhood, mostly with no regard to maintaining aesthetic harmony or preserving the historic buildings.
[edit] Hang out Places
[edit] Groppi
one of the most famous Ice cream stores, and one of the earliest, located in Talaat Harb Square the Store was owned by an Italian, descendant to the Groppi Family, and managed to survive the nationalizing movements in the 1950's and 60's.
[edit] Café Riche
one of the most renowned downtown buildings, on the 29th of Hoda Shaarawy Street, is the cafe Riche, opened in 1908, the venue witnessed many historically significant events over the last century, it is said to be where the King Farouk saw his second wife, Nariman Sadek, where the perpetrator of the 1919 failed assassination attempt on prime minister Youssef Wahba Pacha lay in wait for his target, and where the basement, several members of the resistance during the 1919 revolution met to organize their activities and print their flyers. Cafe Riche later became an intellectual hub frequented by the likes of Nagib Mahfouz, Taha Hussein and Ahmed Fouad Negm
[edit] Restoration
groups of heritage enthusiats have long called for a national campaign to restore the area's architectural beauty. only since the 1992 earthquake, which caused notable damage across the country, did a national heritage campaign begin to see the light.
|
|||||
