Transformed from a neglected storehouse to a splendid Islamic monument, the former palace of Prince Taz is dazzling visitors and reviving a great Mamluke era. Nevine El-Aref attended the opening ceremonies Soft oriental tunes filled the evening air of the open court area of the old Prince Taz Palace. A couple in traditional Egyptian garb stood at the entrance to welcome visitors as they stepped into a courtyard bedecked with softly lit trees, palms and plants. The atmosphere was serene and enchanting on the day of its opening after four years of extensive restoration. At the of invitation Culture Minister Farouk Hosni, Mrs Suzanne Mubarak attended the inauguration and was given a tour of this unique cultural landmark. Mrs Mubarak is well known as a champion of the arts, and has lent her support to several projects that cultivate awareness of Egypt's heritage, both ancient and modern. One of the most beautiful historic sites in mediaeval Cairo, the Prince Taz Palace is located in Saliba Street neighbouring several magnificent Islamic monuments. Like numerous Islamic edifices in heavily populated areas, it was seriously suffering from environmental damage including air pollution, a high subsoil water level, a high level of humidity, leakage from the water fountain, and outdated and decayed sewerage installed 100 years ago, not to mention the more recent adverse effects of the 1992 earthquake which caused a number of cracks on the palace walls. "One of the most serious causes of the damage has been the ill-use of the palace's various halls by the Ministry of Education, which used it as a main storehouse for books, desks and cars," the restoration project director Ayman Abdel-Moneim said. He added that encroachment by hawkers over the centuries had also played a role in the palace's deterioration. The whole area was a garbage dump; wooden planks were scattered all over it, along with broken desks, blackboards, turned down books and iron bars. Cars and buses were also abandoned there. The walls of the building had cracked, masonry was damaged and most of the flooring was broken. The condition of the monument went from bad to worse, and in 2002 the palace's western wall collapsed on a neighbouring building. The palace was badly damaged, but fortunately there were no casualties. Abdel-Moneim told Al-Ahram Weekly that at that time it had swiftly become apparent that the restoration should not be confined to one building only, but should be extended to encompass the surrounding area as well. The restoration project therefore included the Prince Taz Palace, the Edken Al-Bandekdari Zaweiya (small mosque) and the sabil-kuttab (water fountain and Qur'anic school) of Ali Agha Darul Saada. "Restoring the Prince Taz Palace was a challenge for me, a fun and thrilling experience," Abdel-Moneim said. "We had a budget of LE16 million. All the restoration has been carried out according to the latest and most scientific methods, and every effort has been made to ensure that all the original architectural features were retained." Abdel-Khaleq Mokhtar, director-general of monuments in the south Cairo area, told the Weekly that the restoration project combined the highest levels of monument conservation together with upgrading the quality of life of the community living around them. Tareq El-Mori, the project's consultant engineer, said that during restoration and cleaning a number of structures dating from different Islamic eras had been unearthed, while missing parts of the house had been discovered. A watering trough for animals was found under the heap of dust and sand, along with two wells. Other discoveries included several reliefs with Islamic texts, as well as manuscripts, pipes, a minbar (pulpit), iron nails and canon balls. Culture Minister Farouk Hosni said the restoration project had become a model for the restoration and upgrading of a site in its totality. "The success achieved in the Prince Taz Palace and neighbouring monuments stands as a living witness to a very rich Islamic era and the ability and skill of the Egyptian school in restoring Islamic monuments," he said. "Such a school can now proudly stand on an equal footing with any other school in the world."
