Cairo & Downtown: A Relic Of Egypt's Belle Epoque

[OnceBittenTwiceShy]

Cairo’s downtown was engineered by Ismail Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan from 1863 to 1879, instrumental in the creation of the Suez Canal.

He strove to create a “new city” that was European, modern, and easy to secure. It resulted in wide boulevards centered around spacious squares and grand buildings modeled after Europe’s architectural masterworks, capturing their grandeur and conjuring visions of ‘Paris on the Nile’.

This in sharp contrast to the twisting, claustrophobic alleys and narrow streets of Fatimid Cairo. Downtown was once home to the prosperous elite of late 19th and early 20th century Cairo.

[OnceBittenTwiceShy]

Cairo’s downtown aorta is historic Talaat Harb Street, connecting Tahrir Square and Talaat Harb Square. It was originally named 'Soliman Pasha Street', after Egypt's French-born general Soliman Pasha during the Muhammad Ali decades. It was renamed in 1954 after Talaat Harb, a leading Egyptian economist of the early 1900s during a sweeping effort by Egypt’s new president Nasser to eridicate all reminders of the previous dynasty and occupation era.






One fine ‘établissement’ on Talaat Harb Street is historic Café Riche. Its interior walls feature portraits, as in a hall of fame, of famous Egyptians such as Naguib Mahfouz, Om Kolthoum and Ahmed Amin who frequented the café over the years.




Downstairs, Café Riche’s political history comes alive — visitors can see the old printing press that was used to create nationalist literature and the secret passageway that helped smuggle activists in and out of hiding.

[OnceBittenTwiceShy]

Across the street from Café Riche is the legendary Groppi on Talaat Harb Square— Cairo’s original chocolaterie and patisserie. Its captivating aristocratic architecture makes it easy to imagine the appeal it held for elite Cairo of old.




Established in the early 1900s, Groppi was once "the most celebrated tearoom this side of the Mediterranean" and was repeatedly the shop of choice for gifts among royalty, including princess Margaret and Elizabeth of England. It epitomized successful entrepreneurial innovation until socialist Nasser hit down town.



Groppi still exists today, with unprofessional staff, a minuscule choice of pastry and drinks, and tables and floors uncleaned for a long time making the establishment into a museum; not of its past glory but of Soviet-style mismanagement and contempt of customers.

Opposite Groppi’s neglected elegance stands the glimmering white grandeur of the Egyptian Diplomatic Club at the corner of Talaat Harb and Abdel Salam Araf Street. This club claims to be the center of the diplomatic community in Cairo as it holds meetings and events and publishes a monthly political magazine, The Egyptian Foreign Ministry

[Dunzdeck]

Beautiful! Please let us see more!

[The-s]

Nice places, nice architecture !

Keep it up

[OnceBittenTwiceShy]

Back to Groppi and the Egyptian Diplomats Club on Talaat Harb Square. Now turn onto the pedestrian thoroughfare of Sherifain Street, and you will be immediately struck by the architecture of the historic Cosmopolitan Hotel.




Designed by Italian architect Alphonse Sasso and built in 1928, this building is a fine example of belle-époque architecture in Cairo.

Further up the pedestrian walk is Egypt’s stock exchange, El Borsa. Newly renovated, El Borsa is a quintessential landmark of the architectural treasures to be found in the area.

[italiano_pellicano]

very nice

[OnceBittenTwiceShy]

Back the downtown's beating heart of Talaat Harb Square:








We turn left past Groppi onto Mahmoud Bassiouni Street and take the second right onto Champollion. You will pass by one of downtown’s most neglected landmarks, the Mansouria Girls’ School. It is now an abandoned and dilapidated building that has scarcely managed to maintain its dignity over the years.









While the building and its grounds have been granted protection as historic monuments, nothing has been done to bring them back to their former glory, so visitors must be content to look and imagine from the street.

[OnceBittenTwiceShy]

A walking tour of historic downtown includes the ‘avenues’ of Mohamed Bassouini, Champollion and Mohamed Sabri Abu el Alam.

[UnHavrais]

That's so beautifull !!!

[Tjj]

Originally Posted by OnceBittenTwiceShy

Cairo’s downtown aorta is historic Talaat Harb Street, connecting Tahrir Square and Talaat Harb Square. It was originally named 'Soliman Pasha Street', after Egypt's French-born general Soliman Pasha during the Muhammad Ali decades. It was renamed in 1954 after Talaat Harb, a leading Egyptian economist of the early 1900s during a sweeping effort by Egypt’s new president Nasser to eridicate all reminders of the previous dynasty and occupation era.

Sorry to say, but that´s not Midan Talat Harb, it´s Midan Mustafa Kamel

[OnceBittenTwiceShy]

The ‘avenues’ of Mohamed Bassouini and Mohamed Sabri Abu el Alam illustrate the ‘grandeur’ of downtown Cairo.

[Tjj]

I wanted to add a few pictures I have taken during my stays in Qahira. But unfortunately I can not find the opportunity how to post pictures (can only find the possibility of posting links to pics) ... any ideas? thx