What an extraordinary sight, on the road from the airport into central Cairo, to see an Oriental palace, more at home in Cambodia or Laos than Egypt. Military bases, yes. Villas of the rich and famous, yes. But an Indian-style Hindu temple! Yet that is what greets visitors as they look left on their first journey into the capital. Indeed, the most recent restoration of the palace and grounds has left the Baron's Palace, as it is called, a remarkable monument. Especially at night, when a clever use of lighting transforms the building, the palace looks very beautiful. The Baron's Palace, of course, is not a temple at all, but was built between 1907 and 1911 as the eccentric home of the wealthy Belgian industrialist, Eduard Louis Joseph, Baron Empain, where he lived on and off until his death in 1929. Baron Empain had come to Egypt in 1904 to try and salvage a contract of one of his companies to build a railway line between Mansoura and Matariyah. The contract was lost to another company, but the Baron stayed on, as many foreigners have done before and after him, entranced by Egypt itself. In 1906, he established a company on six thousand acres of land acquired from the government at the ridiculous price of one pound an acre. The land was in the desert, ten kilometres from Cairo, but Empain was to transform it into the chic suburb of Heliopolis, the city of the sun. Just as modern cities like 6th October and El-Obour provide many of Cairo's citizens with cleaner air and more space, so Heliopolis offered every amenity to the wealthy patrons who chose to live there. Spacious villas and exotic apartment blocks were built next to a golf course, a racetrack and park. The fabulous Heliopolis Palace Hotel became the headquarters of Egypt's last President. To preside over all this, Baron Empain had built for himself an extraordinary residence, atop an artificial hill from which he could survey his city of the sun, and no doubt be seen by all its residents. It is said that not only could he see the whole of Heliopolis from the palace tower, but could even see as far out as the pyramids, so many miles away. Taking just over three years to build, and inspired by the temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia and by Hindu temples in Orissa, the palace was designed by Alexandre Marcel, who also designed the Basilica in Heliopolis. It was he who had constructed and decorated the Oriental Pavilion next to the Royal Palace of Laeken in Belgium. King Albert and Queen Elizabeth of the Belgians must have been reminded of home, when they stayed here during their pre -World War One visit to Egypt. Surprisingly, the whole structure is made of reinforced concrete, although its design suggests sandstone. The exterior of the palace is covered with so many statues of so many varied designs. Snakes and elephants sit alongside Buddhas and Renaissance figures. The overall effect is truly astounding, making onlookers pause to take a second breath as they view it for the first time. A team of artists and sculptors was brought over from Indonesia to give the exterior such an oriental feel. The interior was designed by Georges-Louis Claude and is equally extraordinary, with marble and wood vying with each other alongside painted ceilings and stuccoed walls. Or that, at least, is what it used to look like before the decay which set in when the Empain family sold the property. After the 1952 Revolution it fell into a condition of total disrepair, the parquet floors, Belgian mirrors and gold door-knobs being stolen by anyone who could manage to get in. The palace remained in this condition until just a few years ago, becoming the secret rendezvous of wealthy rebellious teenagers. Far from being the home of a wealthy industrialist and his family, the palace became the home of thousands of bats and stray dogs, with stories of ghosts and strange goings-on to accompany them. To mark the centenary of the building of Heliopolis, the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Culture managed to acquire the property from its owners and to begin a restoration. Whilst the interior has been thoroughly cleaned, there still remains much to be done. The exterior of the palace, though, and its grounds have been beautifully restored and will one day be the venue for TV events and musical concerts. The long-term future use of the Baron's Palace is yet to be decided. Muslims read in the Holy Qur'an: "No indeed! When the Earth is crushed to powder, and your Lord comes down with angels in rows after rows, and Hell is brought out that day. On that day man will remember, but what will remembrance avail him?" 89:21-23 The palace of Baron Empain may have been a frivolous distraction for its owner and for the wealthy residents who lived around it. There may even have been those who looked to gods of wood and stone, or to money and power, who believed themselves to be invincible, such was their control over men during their lives. The Baron himself, fabulously wealthy in his day, now lies in a granite tomb beneath his Basilica in Heliopolis, whilst his extraordinary home is now a ruin. Enjoying the beautiful things of the past is not only great fun, but it teaches us a salutary lesson. Let us enjoy his palace. Let us even enjoy, but never be taken in too much, by the things of this world. But we should always keep one eye on the future! British Muslim writer, Idris Tawfiq, is a lecturer at Al-Azhar University. The author of eight books about Islam, he divides his time between Egypt and the UK as a speaker, writer and broadcaster. You can visit his website at www.idristawfiq.com.
