There is much more to Egyptian architecture than pyramids. With a large Islamic presence, a history of French colonialism, and today a strong interest from modern architects to build in the country, Egypt boasts some dynamic and elegant structures.
The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities
Located in Cairo, this museum has 120,000 items of Egyptian antiquity which have been moved several times between numerous museums, a warehouse and even a former royal palace before settling here.
Sitting in the Citadel of Cairo, this gorgeous mosque was commissioned by Ottoman Albanian commander Muhammad Ali in the early to mid 1800s. This is the most visible mosque (and perhaps structure) in Cairo. You can see it from any angle at which you approach the city.
Talaat Harb Square is a historic square in downtown Cairo that also is the site of the financial district. The square is lined with buildings resonant of the French neoclassical era. It is sometimes referred to as part of “Paris of the Nile.”
This stunning structure sits in Heliopolis and was built by Belgian millionaire Édouard Empain. Empain also built the Cairo Electric Railways but is best known today for this palace, for which he commissioned French architects and designers.
This is a complex in Alexandria that holds a Four Seasons, a shopping mall, some offices and some apartments. It is one of the tallest buildings in Egypt and sits on the Mediterranean shoreline.
Sitting in the beach town of Hurghada, this church is for Coptics, one of the largest Islamic Christian groups. The inside of the church looks very much like a European Christian church. The outside is heavily guarded due to Islamic extremist activity in the area.
This is a five-star beach resort hotel in Hurghada, overlooking the Red Sea. It’s a part of the Steigenberger Hotels chain, a luxury German hotel chain. This particular hotel has a golf course and seven dining establishments.
Located in the vacation destination town of Soma Bay, this hotel overlooks the Red Sea and describes itself as a hotel with “European service.” Meanwhile, the exterior looks a bit like a Moorish fortress and as their site says the hotel has “oriental accents.”
This particular cave church is the church of St. Simon the Tanner and it was carved from a huge cave of limestone. This church was built in commemoration of St. Simon who, according to legend, moved a mountain in the area. There are several churches like this one throughout Egypt.
This is a skyscraper that is currently under development plans in Cairo. The skyscraper, designed by IAMZ Studio, is meant to decrease crowding in the area. Divided into three elements, it’s almost like three skyscrapers in one.