Egypt partners with Google to promote 'unmatched diversity' tourism campaign    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Taiwan GDP surges on tech demand    World Bank: Global commodity prices to fall 17% by '26    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    UNFPA Egypt, Bayer sign agreement to promote reproductive health    Egypt to boost marine protection with new tech partnership    France's harmonised inflation eases slightly in April    Eygpt's El-Sherbiny directs new cities to brace for adverse weather    CBE governor meets Beijing delegation to discuss economic, financial cooperation    Egypt's investment authority GAFI hosts forum with China to link business, innovation leaders    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's Gypto Pharma, US Dawa Pharmaceuticals sign strategic alliance    Egypt's Foreign Minister calls new Somali counterpart, reaffirms support    "5,000 Years of Civilizational Dialogue" theme for Korea-Egypt 30th anniversary event    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Angola's Lourenço discuss ties, African security in Cairo talks    Egypt's Al-Mashat urges lower borrowing costs, more debt swaps at UN forum    Two new recycling projects launched in Egypt with EGP 1.7bn investment    Egypt's ambassador to Palestine congratulates Al-Sheikh on new senior state role    Egypt pleads before ICJ over Israel's obligations in occupied Palestine    Sudan conflict, bilateral ties dominate talks between Al-Sisi, Al-Burhan in Cairo    Cairo's Madinaty and Katameya Dunes Golf Courses set to host 2025 Pan Arab Golf Championship from May 7-10    Egypt's Ministry of Health launches trachoma elimination campaign in 7 governorates    EHA explores strategic partnership with Türkiye's Modest Group    Between Women Filmmakers' Caravan opens 5th round of Film Consultancy Programme for Arab filmmakers    Fourth Cairo Photo Week set for May, expanding across 14 Downtown locations    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Ancient military commander's tomb unearthed in Ismailia    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM praises ties with Tanzania    Egypt to host global celebration for Grand Egyptian Museum opening on July 3    Ancient Egyptian royal tomb unearthed in Sohag    Egypt hosts World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Somabay for 3rd consecutive year    Egyptian Minister praises Nile Basin consultations, voices GERD concerns    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Saving a landmark of Islamic Cairo
Published in Al-Ahram Weekly on 08 - 09 - 2011

Can the Al-Muizz Street regain its serenity and divinity? Nevine El-Aref wonders
When in 2000 the government launched its huge restoration campaign, the Historic Cairo Rehabilitation Project (HCRP), with the aim of protecting, conserving and preserving historic Cairo with a view to developing it into an open air museum, it was widely thought the dream was somewhat far-fetched. Over the centuries the majestic buildings of Islamic Cairo have suffered heavy damage, and none more so than those in Al-Muizz Street in the heart of the Islamic city. Encroachment along the one- kilometre-long street lined with more than 30 tall buildings displaying the distinctive architectural style of Islam -- embellishment with fine mashrabiya (decorative woodwork) façades and domes painted in geometric patterns -- as well as other forms of misuse by residents have caused irreparable harm. Environmental pollution has further undermined foundations and the 1992 earthquake left visible marks on the fragile historical zone.
A large share of the LE850-million HCRP project has been spent on restoring the 34 listed monuments on Al-Muizz Street and a further 67 Islamic edifices in neighbouring alleyways. All of these can now be seen in their old glory, with their original features. Road surfaces and street furniture have also been given appropriate treatment to enhance visual impact along the full length of Al-Muizz Street, from gate to gate. The street width has been reduced to its original level, and paving has been kept simple to give direct expression of the urban quality of the street and recreate the irregular pattern it had during its heyday. Residential houses have had their façades spruced up and repainted in appropriate colours to blend in with the character of the street and its buildings, and a high-tech drainage system for rain water has also been installed.
The project was completed and Al-Muizz Street officially reopened in 2008, with the street showing off its original splendour and allure. The street has been made a pedestrian zone from 7am to midnight so that visitors, including the many foreign tourists, could not only enjoy seeing and admiring the magnificent Islamic monuments within their original environment, but could also experience the living traditions and customs of those who lived during the various ages of the Islamic era. Trading is allowed outside these hours, so merchants can easily transport their goods in and out of the street. Access to emergency vehicles is allowed at all times.
Unfortunately, however, the lack of security in Egypt following the January Revolution has taken its toll to Al-Muizz Street and its monumental edifices. With little or no supervision, peddlers, fruit vendors and grocers have moved in to sell their goods all over the street, often even on the monuments themselves. The street is used as a shortcut for vehicles, and has transformed the open courtyards of the Fatimid and Ottoman mosques into parking lots.
The open court in front of the Ibn Barquq Mosque, which is in the monument safe zone, has been transformed into a folkloric food court where colourful wooden hand carts laden with koshari (a rice and macaroni dish), liver, brains and hummus (chick-pea paste) serve pedestrians and workers in the neighbourhood. Meanwhile, the empty space between the Beit Al-Suheimi, one of the area's most beautiful and interesting houses, and the house next door is now an oriental coffee shop with a dozen small tables.
"It's in real chaos," Ehsan Mohamed ,a 55- year-old housewife who lives at Al-Muizz Street, told Al-Ahram Weekly. She went on to say that the people who had installed the coffee tables and chairs next to the Beit Al-Suheimi "were always making trouble". She said her family could not sleep at night because of the loud cassette music and the noise of customers playing cards and backgammon.
"The atmosphere in the street has totally changed for the worse," Ahmed Mahmoud, a bazaar owner in Al-Muizz Street told the Weekly. He said the vibration from passing vehicles posed a huge threat to the monuments. He also complained about the noise tune of car horns.
Karim Abdel-Hakim, another bazaar owner, pointed to the chaotic obstructions in the street. "The lack of security is affecting our business" he said. "Nobody can come here and stroll around the monuments or buy things from our stalls." He continued that the refuse from the food carts was thrown beside shops like his, which he called "a timing bomb that could explode at any time if anyone threw a cigarette butt. "The blaze could be all over the street and burn the monuments," Abdel-Hakim said.
In an effort to halt the chaos, soldiers from the Tourism and Antiquities Police invaded the street and removed all the encroaching objects, but three days later the chaos was back.
Asked by the Weekly about the procedures that could be taken to prevent the encroachment, Mohamed Abdel-Fattah, secretary- general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that following exclusive meetings several solutions had been suggested.
Among them would be to install a permanent police unit to control the infiltration of cars and vehicles into the street. Security could be tightened in front of every monument in the street, as well as its four gates, to prohibit any violation or encroachment on the street and its archaeological edifices. "Archaeologists at the street are not equipped to deal with the security issue," he pointed out.
Another suggestion is to create a special department to supervise the street and monitor any encroachment.
Meanwhile, activists have launched a Facebook group named "Save Al-Muizz Street" to rescue the street and organises lectures to raise cultural awareness among the locals, emphasising the link between the monuments and their income. Most residents work in tourism or tourism-related professions.
Abdel-Fattah promised that within the coming days Al-Muizz Street would return to be a pedestrian zone where people could stroll peacefully about the monuments.


Clic here to read the story from its source.