For most of their lives, children from historic Cairo’s Al Khalifa district only saw the mausoleums, mosques and madrasa schools that pepper their neighbourhood from outside heavy bronze doors. In one of the world’s oldest Islamic cities, communities were becoming increasingly separated from the centuries-old buildings they lived alongside — prompting architect and heritage management expert May Al Ibrashy to launch a programme to “foster a sense of ownership over this heritage”.
UNESCO’s World Heritage list consecrates sites or areas of cultural significance. The Arab world’s foundational role in human civilisation has meant the region is awash with protected sites, however, a lot of these sites are now at risk of collapse.
After two decades on the UNESCO World Heritage List in Danger, the Abu Mena restoration project should now lead to the site’s removal, writes Nevine El-Aref.
Bedded in the sands of Al-Fayoum is a different understanding of Egyptian history; here, there are no temple tracks and incense, no inked Coptic and no anthan.
Neon lights bring alive the eyes of statues, and the opaque shadow of a column falls over the dancefloor. It’s a grand sight, perhaps for all the wrong reasons: drinks are half-melted at the base of a limestone ram, a bored child picks their nail into the crevices of an already worn set of hieroglyphs, and a once grand place of worship is reduced to little more than a glorified rave site.
A timeless treasure, nearly lost forever. Without the UNESCO‘s unprecedented rescue operation, future generations might have only seen the stunning temples of Ramses II and Cleopatra in the pages of history books.
Founded in the 10th century, Historic Cairo is one of the world oldest Islamic cities, boasting renowned mosques, old markets and streets, and monuments.
At a length of 34 kilometres, the construction of Wadi Al-Hitan’s green road will rely on recycling and utilise a special emulsion that mixes with soil to cut down on heat emissions.
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