New Alamein Festival 2023: A Celebration of Egyptian Culture and Heritage

The New Alamein Festival is a cultural and entertainment event that takes place in the city of New Alamein, Egypt, and it features a variety of activities, including music concerts, dance performances, art exhibitions, and sporting events.

The festival is a great opportunity to experience the culture and history of New Alamein, and it is also a great place to enjoy the beautiful beaches and weather of the Mediterranean coast.


Some of the highlights of the festival include:

New Alamein Festiva 2023

• Music concerts by popular Egyptian and international artists.
• Dance performances by traditional and contemporary Egyptian dance troupes.
• Art exhibitions featuring works by Egyptian and international artists.
• Sporting events, such as beach volleyball, basketball, and football.
• Food and drink stalls offering a variety of Egyptian and international cuisine.

The New Alamein Festival is a great way to experience the best of what Egypt has to offer. If you are planning a trip to Egypt, be sure to check out the festival and see for yourself why it is becoming one of the most popular events in the country.

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Manal Raafat

Read more about New Alamein

New Alamein: Egypt's New City of the Future

New Alamein: Egypt's New City of the Future

Have you visited New Alamein in Egypt recently?

New Alamein is a city in northwest Egypt, inaugurated by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on March 1, 2018. 

It lies on the Mediterranean Sea, approximately 85 km west of Borg El Arab International Airport. Some areas till under construction, New Alamein was conceived by the Egyptian government as a center for tourism, education, and government. The city has its own presidential palace and ministry building. Construction is ongoing at New Alamein for three universities, fifteen skyscrapers and 10,000 hotel rooms.

New Alamein Towers

New Alamein is located on the site of the Battle of El Alamein, which was a major turning point in the North African Campaign of World War II. The city is home to a number of memorials and museums dedicated to the battle.

New Alamein is a planned city, and its design is based on the principles of sustainable development. The city is divided into a number of zones, including a residential zone, a commercial zone, and an industrial zone. There are also plans to develop a number of tourist attractions in New Alamein, including a beach resort, a golf course, and a theme park.

New Alamein is expected to have a population of 500,000 people by 2030. The city is seen as a major development project for Egypt, and it is expected to boost the country's economy and attract foreign investment.

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Manal Raafat

The Land of the Pharaohs

Ancient Egypt was a civilization in Northeast Africa, concentrated along the Nile River in the place that is now the country Egypt.

Ancient Egypt was one of the world's first civilizations. It is also one of the most famous civilizations in history.

 Egyptian civilization followed prehistoric Egypt before 3100 BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology) with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under Menes (often identified with Narmer). The history of ancient Egypt occurred as a series of stable kingdoms, separated by periods of relative instability known as Intermediate Periods: The Old Kingdom of the Early Bronze Age, the Middle Kingdom of the Middle Bronze Age and the New Kingdom of the Late Bronze Age.

The ancient Egyptians developed a complex system of writing called hieroglyphics, and they were skilled in mathematics, engineering, and astronomy. They also had a complex religion, with many gods and goddesses, and they believed in the afterlife and the importance of preserving the body through mummification.


Ancient Egypt has left a lasting legacy. Its art and architecture were widely copied, and its antiquities were carried off to far corners of the world. Its monumental ruins have inspired the imaginations of travelers and writers for millennia. A newfound respect for antiquities and excavations in the early modern period by Europeans and Egyptians has led to the scientific investigation of Egyptian civilization and a greater appreciation of its cultural legacy.

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Here are some of the most important things to know about ancient Egypt:

• The ancient Egyptians were one of the most advanced civilizations in the world. They had a sophisticated understanding of mathematics, engineering, and astronomy.
• They built some of the most impressive structures in the world, including the pyramids, temples, and tombs.
• They developed a complex system of hieroglyphic writing, which is still not fully understood.
• They had a rich and diverse culture, which is reflected in their art, literature, and religion.
• They were a powerful and influential civilization, which had a significant impact on the development of other cultures in the region.

Ancient Egypt is a fascinating and complex civilization, and there is still much that we do not know about it. However, the knowledge that we do have is truly amazing, and it gives us a glimpse into a world that is long gone but still very much worth exploring.

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Here are some additional facts about ancient Egypt:

• The ancient Egyptians believed in a complex pantheon of gods and goddesses.
• They mummified their dead and built elaborate tombs for them.
  
• They used a solar calendar, which was based on the cycles of the sun.
• They invented the first paper, which was made from papyrus.
• They were skilled metalworkers and jewelers.
• They developed a system of irrigation that allowed them to farm the fertile Nile Valley.
  
• They were a major trading power, and their goods were traded throughout the Mediterranean region.

Ancient Egypt is a fascinating and complex civilization, and there is still much that we do not know about it. However, the knowledge that we do have is truly amazing, and it gives us a glimpse into a world that is long gone but still very much worth exploring.


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بحيرة عين الحياة .. عين الصيرة سابقا

 هي عين جوفية طبيعية تقع جنوب القاهرة جنوب الفسطاط بمنطقة الإمام الليثي

هى بحيرة كبريتية اشتهرت القرن الماضي بقدراتها فى المساعدة على العلاج من الأمراض الجلدية

تم تطويرها فى عهد السيد الرئيس عبد الفتاح السيسى بعدما اصبحت مياه راكده و ملوثه بفعل اهالى المنطقه

بحيرة عين الحياة (عين الصيرة سابقا)

لكم الشكر

منال رأفت

Valley of the Queens, West Thebes.

A detail of a wall painting in the tomb of Queen Nefertari (QV66). 

Valley of the Queens, West Thebes. 

New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty, ca. 1255 BC. #Luxor, #Egypt. 

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King Tutankhamun mirror case in the shape of the Ankh sign!

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Have you ever been there?
Have you ever visited Aswan?

Also named Temple of Mandulis

Discover Kalabsha Temple, an Ancient Egyptian temple dedicated to the god Mandoulis and remodelled during the Greco Roman period.

It was originally located at Bab al-Kalabsha (Gate of Kalabsha), approximately 50 km south of Aswan.

Kalabsha Temple

The temple was situated on the west bank of the Nile River, in Nubia, and was originally built around 30 BC during the early Roman era. While the temple was constructed in Augustus's reign, it was never finished.

The temple was a tribute to Mandulis (Merul), a Lower Nubian sun god (Nubian form of Horus).

An image of Mandulis from the Temple of Kalabsha in Nubia

It was constructed over an earlier sanctuary of Amenhotep II. 

The temple is 76 m long and 22 m wide in dimension.

While the structure dates to the Roman period, it features many fine reliefs such as "a fine carving of Horus emerging from reeds on the inner curtain wall" of the temple.

aA fine carving of Horus emerging from reeds on the inner curtain wall

From Kalabsha's "sanctuary chambers, a staircase leads up to the roof of the temple" where one can see a splendid view of the temple itself and the sacred lake.

With help from Germany, the temple of Kalabsha was relocated after the Aswan High Dam was built, to protect it from rising waters on Lake Nasser. The temple was moved to a site, located just south of the Aswan High Dam. 

The process of moving the temple took more than two years.

The temple of Kalabsha was the largest free-standing temple of Egyptian Nubia (after Abu Simbel) to be moved and erected at a new site.

Although the building was never completed, it "is regarded as one of the best examples of Egyptian architecture in Nubia.

Nice to be together

 جميل أن نبقى سويا


Thank you
Manal Raafat

Princess Ankhnesneferibre

Ankhnesneferibre was the daughter of Psamtik II, a pharaoh of the 26th dynasty (6th century BC), which was based in the Delta town of Saite. 

(Saites: name of the 26th dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs, who opened up their country to foreign traders, mercenaries, and settlers.).

Ankhnesneferibre was sent to Thebes to hold the office of ‘God’s Wife of Amun’, which was the highest office in the priesthood of the temple of Amun in Karnak.

She is wearing a so called Nubian wig, a headdress that is built up of layers of tightly curled plaits and which is thought to imitate the thick hairstyles of the Nubian people. 

Princess with Nubian wig

This statue can be seen in the Nubian Museum in Aswan.

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Manal Raafat

Princess Ankhnesneferibre - الأميرة أنخنسنفيريبر

كانت الأميرة أنخنسنفيريبر إبنة الفرعون بسامتيك الثاني، فرعون من الاسرة 26th التى حكمت فى القرن السادس قبل الميلاد، والذي كان مقره في مدينة دلتا سايتس (Saites).

("Saites" سايتس: اسم الأسرة السادسة والعشرين من الفراعنة المصريين، الذين فتحوا بلادهم للتجار الأجانب والمرتزقة والمستوطنين).

أُرْسِلَتْ أنخنسنفيريبر إلى طيبة لتحكم مكتب "زوجة الله آمون"، الذي كان أعلى منصب في الكهنوت من معبد آمون في الكرنك.

فى الصورة ترتدي ما يسمى الشعر النوبى المستعار، وهو غطاء للرأس على هيئة عدة طبقات من الضفائر المضفرة  بإحكام, والتي يعتقد أنها تقليد لتسريحات الشعر للنوبين. 

الأميرة مع الشعر النوبي المستعار 

يمكن مشاهدة هذا التمثال في المتحف النوبي بأسوان.

شكرا لكم 

منال رأفت

Tomb KV2, the tomb of Ramses IV

Tomb KV2, found in the Valley of the Kings, is the tomb of Ramses IV, and is located low down in the main valley, between KV7 and KV1. It has been open since antiquity and contains a large amount of graffiti.

There are two known plans of the tomb's layout contemporary to its construction. One on papyrus (now located at the Egyptian Museum in Turin) provides a detailed depiction of the tomb at 1:28 scale. All of the passages and chambers are present, with measurements written in hieratic script. The papyrus plan also depicts the pharaoh's sarcophagus surrounded by four concentric sets of shrines, the same layout of shrines that were found intact within Tutankhamen's tomb. The other plan of the tomb was found inscribed on a slab of limestone not far from the tomb's entrance, and is a rough layout of the tomb depicting the location of its doors. The latter plan may have just been a "workman's doodle" but the papyrus plan almost certainly had a deeper ritual meaning, and may have been used to consecrate the tomb after it was built.

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Manal Raafat

New statue of Amenhotep III uncovered (discovered)

A close-up of the newly discovered double statue of Amenhotep III and Re-Horakhty. 

The statue was found during SCA excavations at the site of Amenhotep III's mortuary temple on the west bank of Luxor. 

The statue was beautifully carved out of Aswan red granite, but interestingly it has inclusions of a darker solid stone that can be seen in the faces of the two figures.

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Manal Raafat

Tour Egypt video

A short tour in Egypt

Despite the lack of time in the video and the lack of images, but you will enjoy.

The picture is a good witness to the beauty of the place.

Watch with us

جولة قصيرة فى مصر 

بالرغم من ضيق الوقت فى الفيديو و قلة الصور إلا أنك سوف تستمتع 

الصورة خير شاهد على جمال المكان 

شاهد معنا

 Nice to be together

جميل أن نبقى سويا


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Manal Raafat

Learn more about the history of egypt

 A small painted core glass unguent container in the form of a tilapia fish which was a symbol of rebirth, Blue glass was modelled around the central core of probably mainly organic materials and the garland decoration was created by applying softened rods of white and yellow glass. Egypt. Ancient Egyptian. 18th dynasty c 1352 1336 BC. Tell el Amarna.

core glass unguent container

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 Chalice shaped lamp from the tomb of Tutankhamun, The cup is in the shape of an open lotus flower flanked by two carvings of the god Heh kneeling on papyrus plants. The cup was intented to be filled with oil and when the whick was lit then the scene of Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun was visible. Back view. Egypt. Ancient Egyptian. New Kingdom, 18th dynasty, 1333 1323 BC. Material/ Size:Calcite, H=51.4 cm. Thebes, Valley of the Kings, Tomb TV62.

Chalice shaped lamp from the tomb of Tutankhamun

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 Relief from the White Chapel of Sesostris I, The chapel was built to celebrate the sed festival, the festival connected with the royal jubilee during which rituals of renewal and regeneration took place. The Kings head. Egypt. Ancient Egyptian. Middle Kingdom 12th Dynasty

Relief from the White Chapel of Sesostris I

copied from 

Egypt Cradle of civilization - مصر مهد الحضارة

Thank you
Manal Raafat

A visit to Aswan Egypt ❤

Have you ever been in Aswan before?

Aswan is a city in the south of Egypt.
Aswan is a busy market and tourist center located just north of the Aswan Dams on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract. The modern city has expanded and includes the formerly separate community on the island of Elephantine.

Here are some pictures from some places you can visit in Aswan.

Archangel Michael's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Aswan (Egypt), consecrated in 2006

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Nefertari's Temple at Abu Simbel,Aswan Egypt 

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Hot air balloon #Luxor #Egypt 

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El-Tabia-Mosque in Assuan

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Ramsis II Temple, Abu Simbel, Aswan 

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Aswan Spices Market 

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Great view of the Blue Nile in the city of Aswan in Egypt 

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THANKS

MR

Manal Raafat

The roof of the Hathor Temple at Dendera

Located on the roof of the Hathor Temple at Dendera this kiosk was used during the celebration of the New Year's Festival. 

On the eve of New Year a golden statue of the soul (ba) of Hathor was brought up here from a crypt below the southern wall in a solemn procession. 

The statue, together with images of other gods, was placed below a cloth which was suspended over the Hathor headed columns of the kiosk. 

During the first day of the New Year the cloth was removed at some time so that the rays of the sun could touch the statue, thus rejuvenating its vital energy.

Images of guardian deities decorating the exterior walls of the kiosk protected Hathor's soul statute from the bad spirits of the year's last day.

This part of the Dendera Temple was built during the later Ptolemaic period (first century BC).

Photo by Mick Palarczyk.

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Manal Raafat

معالم الصحراء الغربيه المصريه ... واحة سيوة ... الجزء الثانى

فى الجزء الأول استعرضنا الموقع .. اللغة و السكان .. أبرز المعالم .. وأخيرا شهرة الواحة. يمكنك متابعة قراءة الجزء الأول من هنا

نستعرض هنا باقى خصائص واحة سيوة

لسيوة خصائص غير موجودة فى أى مكان اخر, مثل:

** نوعين من البرمائيات, 28 نوع من الثدييات (بتضم الغزلان و التعالب ), 32 نوع من الزواحف, 52 نوع من الحشرات, 164 نوع من الطيور.

** اكتر من 230 عين مياه طبيعية مثل حمام كليوباترا و الذي ذكره هيرودوت فى كتابه التاريخ وأيضا عين ابو شروف التي بها عيون مياه سخنة.

** تشتهر سيوة ايضا بالتكوينات الصخرية الجميلة حيث أنها بها حفريات لكائنات بحرية عمرها يرجع لـ 30 او 40 مليون سنة

بحيرات المياه المالحة اللى تترسب على شواطئها طبقات من الملح الابيض الذي يشبه الثلج و خصوصا فى فصل الخريف. اكبر البحيرات المالحة هى بحيرة الزيتون و التي يصل طولها لـ 25 كم.

** بالإضافى إلى معبد امون الذى تحدثنا عنه سابقا, وجبل الموتى الذي فيه مومياوات ومقابر من الاسرة السادسة و العشرين وأخرى من عصور الرومان و مدينة سيوة القديمة(شالى غالي) و مقبرة يقال ان الاسكندر الاكبر مدفون بها.

المرأة السيوية

المجتمع السيوي مجتمع محافظ و يفصل تماما بين النساء و الرجال, الشوارع تخلو من الفتيات والنساء، فهم يقضون أغلب أوقاتهم فى البيوت.

تاريخ الواحة

معبد امون بواحة سيوة

الإسم المصري القديم لسيوة هو Zaiwa يعني بالامازيغية القصعة (انية كبيرة يؤكل فيها وكذلك لعجن الخبز)وهي مصنوعة من الفخار.

و يمكن تسمية الواحة ب-"الزيوا"و بما أن سيوة عبارة واحة وبنيانها من طين (معجون) فينطبق عليها معنى ZIWA الامازيغي.

يشهد التاريخ على مصريه واحة سيوة فهذه المعابد الفرعونية المبنية هناك والمقابر من تشعد على ذلك و هى خير دليل عليه .

منذ اول الاسرة الستة و عشرين وإلى العصر الروماني كانت مقصد الحجاج من كل مكان لزيارة معبد امون, كما زارها الاسكندر الاكبر سنة 331 (ق.ع.ح) و استشار كهنة المعبد قبل أن يكمل فتوحاته العسكرية فى قارة اسيا. و بعد ذلك و لمدة الفين سنة نُسِيَتْ سيوة ووقعت من الذاكرة وتعرضت لهجمات قبائل البدو الطامعون فى محاصيلها.

ضمت سيوة لحكم والى ليبيا فى عهد الخلافة العثمانية . محمد على هو اللى بعت جيش مصري فى بداية سنة 1820 لضم سيوة لملكه.

فى سنة 1985 اتفتح اول طريق متسفلت بينها و بين مرسى مطروح و اللى قضى على عزلة الواحة عن .

قصر شالى العتيق 

تقلته لكم 

منال رأفت

Sharm el-Sheikh - Egypt .. The Peace and Dream

Have you ever been in Sharm el-Sheikh?
I will give you a small tour in one of its resorts.

Have you ever been in na'ama Bay?

Sharm el-Sheikh ( شرم الشيخ) is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in South Sinai Governorate, Egypt, on the coastal strip along the Red Sea.

Sharm el-Sheikh is the administrative hub of Egypt's South Sinai Governorate, which includes the smaller coastal towns of Dahab and Nuweiba as well as the mountainous interior, Saint Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai. It is now a holiday resort and significant center for tourism in Egypt.

 

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Manal Raafat

ديستريكت شوبينج مول مصر

ديستريكت مول مصر

District Shopping Mall

هل قمت بزيارة هذا المول المفتوح فى مصر الجميلة؟؟؟

مكان رائع فى منطقة الشيراتون بالقاهرة 

تجول تنزه و تناول طعامك و قهوتك و مشروباتك 

إسهر فى رمضان و غير رمضان 

صور من داخل ديستريكت

تجول و تنزة و تناول طعامك فى الهواء الطلق

مول فى الهواء الطلق .. صباحاً  ومساءً ... صور من داخل المول. 

منال رأفت

Bent Pyramid in Dahshur

Did you visit the Bent Pyramid in Dahshure before?
Dahshur is a small town near Cairo - Egypt. 40 Km  from Cairo.

Built by Pharaoh Sneferu in Dahshur .
That pyramid is unique amongst the approximately ninety pyramids to be found in Egypt .
The Bent Pyramid is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located at the royal necropolis of Dahshur, approximately 40 kilometres south of Cairo, built under the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Sneferu (c. 2600 BC). A unique example of early pyramid development in Egypt, this was the second pyramid built by Sneferu.
The lower part of the pyramid rises from the desert at a 55-degree inclination, but the top section is built at the shallower angle of 43 degrees, lending the pyramid its very obvious "bent" appearance.
Archaeologists now believe that the Bent Pyramid represents a transitional form between step-sided and smooth-sided pyramids.

Bent Pyramid in Dahshur

The Bent Pyramid was probably the first planned from the outset to be a true pyramid, with smooth sides.
The Bent Pyramid has a small satellite pyramid which was the final resting place of Sneferu's queen; interestingly there is a connecting tunnel which runs twenty-five metres between the two pyramids, which was built so that Sneferu could visit his queen in the after life.

Interior passages
The Bent Pyramid has two entrances,one fairly low down on the north side. The second entrance is high on the west face of the pyramid. Each entrance leads to a chamber with a high, corbelled roof; the northern entrance leads to a chamber that is below ground level, the western to a chamber built in the body of the pyramid itself.

The entrance of the Bent Pyramid  .

Thank you 

Manal Raafat

The House of Suhaymi: Bayt el Suhaymi

Have you visited Khan el Khalili, Cairo, before? 

The Khan el Khalili market is one of the largest and most historic bazaars in Egypt, as well as Africa and the Middle East. Have you visited the other Islamic monuments in the Fatimid area next to Khan el Khalili?

In That area, there are a lot of interesting places. One of these is Bayt el Suhaymi. Bayt means "house" in Arabic, so this is a historic, restored house. 

The Suhaymi House is located on Mu'iz Le Din Allah Street in Fatimid, Cairo (a section of Old Islamic Cairo). This street is only a small narrow lane near the Khan el Khalili Market.

The oldest section was built by Abdel Wahab el Tablawy in 1648 A.D. The house was purchased in 1796 by Sheikh Ahmed as-Suhaymi, who extended it by integrating several of the adjacent houses. Nowadays Bayt el Suhaymi, especially after its restoration process, is the best example of a rich private house dating to seventeenth century Egypt. The house also demonstrates a lot about the art of the period and how people used to live in the Ottoman period.

Bayt el Suhaymi is the first building on the left hand side of Darb El Asafar, a narrow corridor in Fatimid, Cairo. From the outside, the building seems to be in a very good state. This is because it was restored in 1997 under the auspices of the Arab Fund for Economic Development as part of the Bayt El Suhaymi Area Documentation and Restoration. Many mashrabeya windows, can be seen from outside the house.

Mashrabeya windows, can be seen from outside the house

Inside 

Once you enter the house, you are inside the sahn of the house. The sahn is an interior open space in the middle of the house, a courtyard. It is usually a rectangular or square shape. It is used to gain fresh air in the house, and in the morning some simple activities once took place in the sahn. In the middle of this open hall, there is a small and very healthy garden full of small trees and palms. The house was built around this area and many brown mashrabeya windows can be seen all around it on the upper floors. At the end of this hall, there is a place for sitting beside some windows where residents of the house would relax in the summer.

 The sahn of the house

Immediately after entering the doorway, I found many small rooms with huge wooden doors. They were used for servants to stay in and cook or do anything needed in the house. One of the rooms to the left had a fascinating mashrabeya screen with small windows in it to enable the people inside the room to view the sahn.

Salamlek

   At the end of this corridor full of small rooms, there is the first guest room or salamlek. It was used by El Suhaymi to welcome his male guests. It is a small hall that has brown wooden cupboards all around the left part with an alabaster table in the middle and many beautifully decorated carpets on the floor. To the right, there is a sitting area with a small Mashrabeya screen. This hall is a good example of the salamlek, or public place, as opposed to the haremlek, the depressing. The ceilings in the past were works of art. Most of the Salamlek area is on the ground floor, while the haremlek is on the upper floor. This was because in the Islamic culture, house were "Sakan" a word deprived from "Sekoon" which means quietness and privacy. This notion was well respected during the archaic Islamic period.

Note
Salamlek : It was used by El Suhaymi to welcome his male guests.

Haremlek :  It was used by the females to welcome their female guests.

The next hall is the summer salamlek guest room. It was built at the end of the corridor and overlooks the street in order to benefit from the cool air during the summer. Most of the spaces within the house are not designed around functionality, as houses are today, but around climatic considerations. This hall has one of the most remarkable mashrabeya screens in the house, overlooking the street.It is a very big screen with three different decorative shapes and stained glass at the very top of the screen. People would sit on the pillows on the floor and chat in the summer. There are also the wooden brown cupboards all around just like the first guest room.

Balcony 

The second floor:

There are balconies which was also used on hot days. During the heat of the day, shaded courtyards, balconies and roofs became the living areas, while in the cool of the night, the family would move indoors. Many people even today continue to live like this, particularly in more rural areas. This balcony overlooks the sahn and the whole house around it.The seating was on pillows on the floor as well. One significant aspect of this balcony is the Islamic decorations on the walls. There are many Qur'an verses around the balcony written in a gold color with a brown background. The balcony is also a wonderful place to view the mashrabeya windows of the house from outside, and view the open air hall.

The maq'ad of the house

Next, I entered is the maq'ad of the house, which is a rectangular or square room where the owner of the house would sit with his family, sons and daughters, and very close friends. This more private space, a part of the haremlek, is like any other section of the house, full of brown cupboards and another amazing mashrabeya screen, with tables in the middle and sofas all around. The Suhaymi House is famous for it's many halls, especially the haremlek.

The ceiling 

The interesting thing in this hall is it's high and very pretty decorated ceiling which allowed the warmer air to rise and then to be swept away by the north facing maq'ad (wind scoops) in the upper walls, which caught the prevailing breezes and circulated the cool air throughout the house. There is also the charming wooden carved dome of the hall. The ceilings of these houses are usually very interesting. It makes the ceilings we live in these days seem boring and depressing. The ceilings in the past were works of art.


Afterwards, there is another hall of the haremlek area with more unique mashrabeya screens. The pieces of wood in these screens are designed to be very close to each other, making it impossible for anyone from outside to see through it while enabling the women of the house to look at the street and the sahn. This room was used for women to welcome their guests and friends. Most of the room is decorated with brown and dark red colors, which seemed very feminine and suited the women's section. This area is restricted to women and young children. When a male child got older, it was preferred that he would not enter the room. This hall contained some objects that the women used, such as alabaster dishes and plates. There are two high, stained glass windows that are very attractive.

The next room I entered is another haremlek section where the women would rest. It is a smaller hall with less light. The whole atmosphere in this room is relaxing. The room has many pillows on the floor for women to rest on and many cupboards to hold their necessities.

This room, in particular, was strictly for women. No men, other than sons and the father, were allowed inside.

The bathroom section: is the most interesting place in the house. It is divided into three sections. 

*The first section is the cold water section. It is a very small room with a wooden cupboard inside where they used to keep the cold water in a huge container. This room has no ceiling so that the gold wind could come and cool down the water in the cupboard.

*The second section of the bathroom is the massage section. It is also a very small room with only a big wooden bed to the right. It has the most amazing ceiling , with small, star shaped openings in it which are covered with blue, orange, and white glass. When the sun light enters the room through these openings, it is like looking at the stars in the sky on a very clear night. I have seen massage halls in five stars hotels and in health clubs all over Egypt, but nothing like this room. Having a massage in this room while looking at the sky would be like gazing into heaven.

The hot water section

*The third section of the bathroom is the hot water section. It has the same amazing ceiling as the massage room. In the middle, there is a water tap, and to the right there is a big container that was used for keeping hot water. There is also a cupboard behind the tap that was used to keep the bathing items.This room was used as a sauna. They used to let the hot water fall on the floor, where three small openings in the wall enabled the water flow out of the room. There is also a toilet section, which is like most of the "Balady" toilets we still have in some places in Egypt. It is just a small hall in the ground that takes the waste into pipes and out of the house.

The blue hall

The last section is the main rest and sleeping room of Al Suhaymi and his wife. Some people call this room the blue hall because of its many blue decorations. On the right hand side, there is a sitting area with pillows beside the many mashrabeya screens spread around the room. The room is ornamented with the most elegant blue tiles on the walls. This room is really suited to a king, with all its the marvelous decorations. Even the mashrabeya screens in.

In the middle, there is a table which was used for drinking coffee, and the coffee jar and mugs are still there. There are also a lot of blue, decorated plates in the room. They are atop the many brown wooden cupboards that once again fill this room. There are also some plates that were actually used for food, and not just decoration. 

The ceiling is designed in a Persian style, which makes it look as though there are steps above one's head. It is similar to the sleeping room in the Gayer Anderson house. There are many old lanterns in the room, hanging from the high ceiling. One of them is very unique, looking like a tower of lights.

The small room 

There is also a small room that one may enter from the main bedroom of the house. This room only contains two very strange objects. I'm not sure if they are made of wood or alabaster. There is an interesting myth that if a woman wants to become pregnant, she would circle these two objects seven times, and then God will send her a baby. It is a very strange concept, but Egypt in the 17th century had a lot of strange myths and legends.


The third floor is in ill repair and nobody is allowed there. It is empty and doesn't have any decorations or furniture. 

Now it was time to visit the garden of the house, which is next to the sahn.

The garden is big and full of very beautiful greenery. It is being watered daily and it is well maintained. The house was in bad shape, but due to the efforts the Egyptian government, it is now very elegant and as it was in the past.

The rooms around the garden were mainly used by servants for sleeping and for cooking meals for the family. In the garden, there is a very attractive summer dome that was used for shade. It has the same ceiling I fell in love with in the bathrooms. There is also the old waterwheel of the house known as a "Sakia". A donkey would have been tied to this waterwheel to enable the circulation of the water. Beside it, there is the place where they once milled crops to make food, known as a "Mathana". This mathana looked usable and the guide informed me that indeed it is.


There are very old trees spread all around the garden. Some of these trees are as old as the house itself. They give the garden a unique appearance. 

Copied and prepared for you, by
Manal Raafat