Download - Newsletter of Egypt Tourism May 2012
May . 2012 1
Egyptian Tourism Promotion AuthorityEGYPT THIS MONTH
Issue 35May 2012 www.egypt.travel
Liv
e C
olo
rs E
gy
pt
MEDIEVAL CAIROGet to know some of Islamic Cairo’s most
enchanting masterpieces
2 May . 2012 May . 2012 3
Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority News letter Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority News letter L
ive
Co
lors
Eg
yp
t
Liv
e C
olo
rs E
gy
pt
Tucked away behind the capital’s majestic the Citadel lies a treasure trove of medieval gems from the Islamic era. The enigmatic Islamic Cairo is home to an abundant number of historical sites, monuments and mosques. Many historians and a recent United Nations study have crowned Islamic Cairo’s El Moez Le Din Illah Street as the place with the greatest concentration of medieval Islamic riches.
In 1997, this one-kilometer street started undergoing a massive renovation process, and in 2008, the legendary street metamorphosed into an open-air museum.
This historical area also features an ancient lavish house that dates back to the 17th Century and has undergone a transformational makeover.
Beit El Suheimy
Built on an area of 2100m2, the house is comprised of several
halls, rooms, corridors and courts. The house is divided into two parts: A public area and a
private one. The public area, also known as the Salamlik includes a takhtabush. This is a large benched area which opens onto the courtyard like a hall, in which business transactions were carried out. The women of the house were not permitted in this part of the house.
On the second floor is the maq’ad and the formal reception (qa’a) hall. The private or the Haramlik area includes a (qa’a) as well as private apartments and a bath.
The very high ceilings of the house allow 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 breeze. This architectural feature really helped in making life easier in Cairo’s dry and hot weather at a time when air conditioners weren’t available.
Since its restoration, Beit El Suheimy has become one of the most popular places for hosting cultural concerts and festivals in the capital.
Behind Al Azhar Mosque are two prominent and popular houses; Beit Zeinab Khatoun and Beit El Sit Wassila that are worth visiting.
Cairo Mediterranean Literary
FestivaL17-21 May
Various locations
Now in its third edition, the Cairo Mediterranean Literary Festival explores the long-standing relation-ship between “literature and the body.”
The event will include a theatrical reading form and several conferences, face-to-face or virtual encounters between authors, visual support in the form of two major exhibitions dedicated to the body and films and documentaries, as well as interactive seminars and book presentations.
This event will be running in different locations in Cairo from May 17 to May 21. For more information go to: http://www.cairomedliteraryfestival.org
Lazytown Live! – the Pirate adventure16 -19 May 2012
FroM 9:30aM until 8:30pM
Must opera House
LazyTown is a children’s television program that was produced in Iceland with a cast and crew from Iceland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
LazyTown Live! - The Pirate Adventure is a touring stage production of the TV show and will sail into Cairo this month, filled with star-jumps, power-moves, laugh out-loud fun, sing-along songs and dancing in the aisles.
Favorite LazyTown friends are included in the show, such as Stephanie and Sportacus and Robbie Rotten.
The show has been highly successful, airing in over 100 countries in more than a dozen languages.
Misr University of Science and Technology Opera House6th of October CityTel: 01094444273/5
4 May . 2012 May . 2012 5
Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority News letter Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority News letter L
ive
Co
lors
Eg
yp
t
Liv
e C
olo
rs E
gy
pt
A walking distance from the house is Khatoun Gallery. An old dye house that has been transformed by four local artists into a shop that sells unique oriental crafts.
Beit El Sit Wassila
In the heart of Al Azhar area stands a most memorable house, Beit El Sit Wassila, one of the country’s historical residences. It is located next to Beit El Harawy and behind Al Azhar Mosque. Dating back to the 17th century, this house was built by Sheikh Abdel Haq and his brother Loutfi Al Kenawi. Its name, Beit El Sit Wassila, has been derived from the name of its last owner Wassila Khatoun bent Abdallah El Beida Maatouqa.
Access to the building is gained through a few underground stairs, that lead to the ground level. The entrance to the house is designed in a way that enables the house’s residents to easily view their visitors without being seen.
The ground level consists of an open court, in the middle of which is a large rectangular hall with limestone floors, especially designed for the man of the house to entertain his guests. The first floor is the women of the house and their female visitors’ very own private space. Most of the rooms are decorated with a variety of floral and geometrical wall paintings, inscriptions and mashrabeyas, all supported by a polychrome ceiling.
The house’s rare and unique frecos can be found in the house’s summer reception hall, on the first floor, highlighting the
entrance to a forified city. Around twenty more frescos and murals were discovered, representing flower vases, residencies in Madina El Menawara, in additon to an impressive scene depicting pilgrimage in Mecca.
Beit El Harrawi
While it’s a historic building, Beyt El Harrawi is also all about music. So much so that it also goes by the moniker Beyt Al-Oud (house of the lute). In fact, the director of the house is one of the Arab world’s foremost Oud players, Naseer Shamma, known for his innovations when it comes to the instrument. The space has been dedicated to music and visitors can enjoy concerts in its open-air courtyard.
Sitting in the courtyard, you will also be able to admire the hand-carved mashrabiya windows, which are designed for privacy, especially of the women of the house. Coming off the courtyard is the lavish mandarah, or sitting room, with its carved wooden ceilings and a mosaic inlaid octagonal fountain. The middle section of the mandarah is slightly raised allowing the master of the house to sit in an elevated position of honor above his guests.
Like Beyt Zeinab El Khatoun, Beit El Harrawi is located just south of El Azhar Mosque. It was built in 1731 and occupied until 1920. During the 90’s the house was renovated through joint French-Egyptian efforts.
Amir Taz Palace
The Amir Taz Palace was built in 1352 under the reign of the Mamluks. Taz Al Nasiri built this extravagant palace to celebrate his marriage to Sultan An Nasir Mohamed’s daughter Khwand Zahra. Despite the palace’s splendor, Al Nasiri never really got a chance to reside in it. The original house owner fell victim to a series of accusations and conspiracies and even faced imprisonment, so he ended having to flee the country, leaving his beautiful house behind.
Beit Zeinab Khatoun
Hidden in one of the nooks of Islamic Cairo’s alleys is Beit Zeinab Khatoun; one of the most remarkable houses that has managed to survive through the test of time. The house was named after its last owner, as was the custom for Islamic houses in those days, and is strategically situated at the back of the famous Al Azhar Mosque.
Dating backing to the early 15th century, Beit Zeinab Khatoun is a state of the art Ottoman-era house. It is not as grand as most of the houses built during that era, and is comprised of a simple stone façade with small windows that lack the luxurious wooden mashrabeya windows, except for one single mashrabeya window above the entrance that seems to have been added at a later date.
To the right of the entrance is a small room called maguaz, which is found in most of the houses built at that time. It is mainly constructed to keep the privacy of the household intact from the curious eyes of passers-by. It was probably used to attend to business affairs away from the hustle and bustle of the house’s activities.
The ground floor is laid with clean-cut stones while the upper floors and later additions are made from brick. The maq’ad (an open loggia) is reached through a few steps in the courtyard. At the back of the maq’ad is a smaller space, a
private chamber of the household’s master, with a side access to the harem (women) quarters.
The most impressive hall in the house is the main Harem Qa’a on the first floor, an enchanting hall with exquisite decorations. It is composed of the customary three sections: Durqa’a (central section) with two unequal iwans (sitting area) from each side at a higher level. In the middle of the marble tiled flooring of the durqa’a is a state-of-the-art mosaic inlaid octagonal fountain.
The house’s spacious courtyard, also shared by its neighboring Beit El Harrawi, is now a bustling traditional ahwa (coffee shop), favored by locals and foreigners alike.
Beit Zeinab Khatoun is also famous for staging numerous cultural concerts and events by both prominent and up and coming Egyptian talents.
new terMinaL 2 to oPen Mid 2013
As part of the ambitious plan to upgrade Egypt’s civil aviation facilities, which began in 2002, Terminal 2 will be closed until 2013 for complete renovation. The facility will open next year to host 8.5 million interna-tional passengers per year.
Other current projects in the works include the new Seasonal Terminal for 3.5 million Passengers/year, a multi-story car park with capacity of 3,000 cars and the Automated People Mover for moving 2,000 pas-sengers/hour within 10 minutes from T1 to T3. Further ongoing developments include a 5-star Hotel and an Extended Metro Line linking Cairo Airport with Giza.
6 May . 2012 May . 2012 7
Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority News letter Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority News letter L
ive
Co
lors
Eg
yp
t
Liv
e C
olo
rs E
gy
pt
The palace, along with its significant complex of buildings, annexes and gardens, was built on a huge rectangular plot and lies near al-Salibba street and around the corner from Sabil Umm Abbas behind the Citadel.
During the conservation project, an unexpected discovery of the water supply system was made. The system includes a water wheel, aqueducts and cisterns, showing how the water distribution system was at the time.
One of the original ceilings remaining in the palace is that of the north-west iwan in the main qa’a; the paintings and decorative elements show Bahri-Mamluk characteristics while the opposite iwan seems to date back to the 15th century as it is in relatively better condition.
Nowadays, the palace is a thriving cultural spot that holds regular concerts and cultural festivals.
Beshtak Palace
An architectural wonder of the 14th century, Beshtak Palace was built in the Mamluk era and is one of the remaining domestic residences from the period. The palace, located on Al Mu’izz li-Din Allah Street, was built by Prince (Amir) Beshtak Al-Nasiri between 1334 and 1339, where the Eastern Fatimid palace used to stand.
You will find two stories of this palace down a small alleyway and through an arch in old Islamic Cairo. It is a popular site to visit due to its small yet interesting museum, showcasing the history of Cairo. Make sure to spend some time in the stunning hall of the palace. The courtyard and the stables are also attractive but the really impressive elements to note are the mashrabiya screens on the many windows to what was once one of Cairo’s busiest streets and the stained glass windows of the pointed arches on the second floor, with their gilded and painted wooden paneling.
Gayer Anderson Museum
The Gayer Anderson museum is adjacent to the Ahmed Ibn Tulun Mosque in the heart of the Sayeda Zeinab neighborhood. Named after its last resident Major R.G. Gayer Anderson Pasha, this architectural gem is home to a vast collection of Anderson’s furniture, carpets and curios.
Anderson lived in the house from 1935 to 1942, and was a British officer in the Egyptian army, with a deep love and passion for Egypt, its people and its culture.
As a result of the house’s cultural and historical significance, the house was renovated and transferred into one of Old Cairo’s most visited museums.
The museum consists of two houses built next to one another, using the outer wall of its neighboring mosque as support.
The house on the eastern side, the larger of the two, was built in 1632 by Mohamed Ibn Al Hajj Salem ibn Galman Al Gazzar. Shortly after, its doors welcomed a new owner; a wealthy woman from Crete, which garnered the house the name Beit Al Kritliya or the House of the Cretan Woman. The house on the western side, known as Beit Amna bint Salem, was built in 1540 by Abdel Qader Al Haddad.
The two houses are joined by a little bridge on the third floor and are collectively known as Beit Al Kritliya.
Each room is characterized by a different Islamic style of furniture. For example; a traditional Arabian reception, a Turkish dining room, Syrian bedrooms, medieval kitchen and a typical home library.
A big fountain centers the courtyard. The summer living room is found on the first floor and is made up of two joint bridges supported by a column. The summer living room leads up to the Salamlik area, which consists of two above ground level arcades, which make up the durqa’a. Each arcade is provided with a mashrabeya window that is intricately designed against a silk cushion clad bench. The walls are decorated with antique swords and classical guns.
There is a corridor that joins the Salamlik leads to the Haramlik. The Haramlik is set apart by scores of mashrabeya windows that enable the women to seewhat is happening in and out of the house, without being seen. The Haramlik also has its own private summer living room.
A few steps from the roof lies Anderson’s Persian room. It consists of a wooden bed with columns inlaid with ivory and pearl.
Parts of the James Bond film “The spy who loved me” was shot in the house’s reception hall and on its rooftop terrace.
8 May . 2012 May . 2012 9
around the world in French, English and Spanish.
El Geneina Theater, Azhar Park, Salah Salem Rd.
Tel: (02) 2362 5057
Time: 8 pm
5th
Zapp 4 (Netherlands)
Zapp 4 is a band with the line-up of a string
quartet. It combines groove, improvization, and
fantasy with passionate solos. On stage, they
interact with high speed and have a huge musi-
cal spectrum. Another striking item about the
quartet is that all four members compose for the
band.
The uniqueness of the group and its repertoire
makes Zapp 4 very acceptable for a large audi-
ence including all sorts of music lovers.
Prince Taz Palace, 27 Seyoufeya St., off Saleeba St.
Khalifa.
Tel: (02) 2514 2581
Time: 8 pm
Classic Music
Cairo Symphony Orchestra presents Rossi-
ni’s “Overture to La scala di seta,” Schumann’s
“Concerto for Piano and Orchestra” and Men-
delssohn’s “Symphony No. 3” in A minor. Soloist:
Magda Emara (piano).
Conductor: Andreas Spoerri
Main Hall, Cairo Opera House
Tel: (02) 2739 0132
Time: 8 pm
6th
Modern Vocal Jazz
Adam Miller Group
Cairo Jazz Club, 197, 26th July St. Agouza
Tel: (02) 3346 1071
Time:10 pm
11th
Ajam - Iran/UK
Ajam is a London-based band that was formed
formally in early 2010 as an off-shoot project
from the ‘Simorgh’ group. In addition to the raw
energy of tribal and ritual music that inspires
their sound, elements of the dance and move-
ment is incorporated into live shows. Ajam try to
bring the epic, energetic, and often aggressive
spirit of the regional music of Iran to this gener-
ation.
Jesuits Cultural Center, Alexandria
298 Port Said St. Alexandria
Tel: (03) 542 3553
Time: 9.30 pm
9th & 20th
Ensemble Linea
Founded by pianist and conductor Jean-Philippe
Wurtz in Strasbourg in 1998. The artistic projects
of Linea cover quite diverse aesthetic perspec-
tives – from musical theatre to electronic music,
from Western music to the rich Asian reper-
toires. Playful, theatrical, specialized and explo-
sive, they have always assured the Ensemble a
solid reputation for dynamic staging. Conductor:
Guillaume Bourgogne
Small Hall, Cairo Opera House and Alexandria Opera
House respectively
Time: 8 pm
20th
Piano Recital - Francesco Tristano
A personality so atypical of a pianist, an auda-
cious virtuoso with an incomparable technique,
Tristano has established himself as one of the
greatest talents of the young generation. In recit-
als, he mixes styles and genres, plays his own
compositions or re-invents those of others.
Prince Taz Palace, 27 Seyoufeya St., off Saleeba St.
Khalifa.
Tel: (02) 2514 2581
Time: 8 pm
21st
Improvisation – Frances-Marie Uitti (Violoncello),
Ayman Fanous (Guitar, Bouzouki)
The composer and performer Uitti pioneered a
revolutionary dimension to the cello by trans-
forming it for the first time into a polyphonic
instrument capable of sustained chordal and
intricate multi-voiced writing. Fanous is the
only guitarist to bring both classical and fla-
menco guitar technique into contemporary free
improvization.
El Sawy Cultural Wheel, end 26 July St. Zamalek
Time: 8 pm
Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority News letter Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority News letter L
ive
Co
lors
Eg
yp
t
Liv
e C
olo
rs E
gy
pt
Art
1st - 24th
Drawings by Salah El Mur & Soad Abdel Rasoul
A co-production of more than 100 small-sized
works on display of the Sudanese artist El Mur
and Egyptian Abdel Rasoul. The exhibition ques-
tions the relationship between the physical
nature of human beings and their psychological
and metaphysical state of being in connection
with a certain body or shape.
Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art,
8 Champollion St. Downtown.
Tel: (02) 2578 4494
Opening Times: Daily except Friday, 11 am to 8 pm
1st - 31st
Photographic Exhibition -
Nubia Before the Flood
The black and white photographs in this exhibit
were taken in the early 60s by Abdel Fattah Eid
as part of a project to document Nubian cul-
ture before the valley was submerged by Lake
Nasser. These photographs feature the liveli-
hood, customs and other aspects of the cul-
ture of Nubian villages prior to their move to a
new location after the construction of the Aswan
High Dam.
The Photographic Gallery, AUC, New Cairo
Tel: (02) 2615 3318
Opening Times: Sunday - Thursday 10 am to 5 pm
14th - 27th
New Works & Reworks
Roland Prime and Lucy Westwood. Prime says
that Cairo and its massiveness has dominated
her way of thinking over the last year. Her work
is a response to this and features many works
that try to capture the essence of Cairo. West-
wood’s recent prints capture life on Cairo’s
streets from colorful balconies to food stalls,
mulids and cats.
World of Art Gallery, 6, Road 77c, Golf Area, Maadi.
Tel: (02) 2359 4362
Open daily 10 am to 8 pm, except Fridays
24th - 21st June
The Missing Pieces by Karim Bakry
The months following January 25th have pro-
duced waves of different emotions, but the
undercurrent of disillusionment has been the
most prevalent. “The Missing Pieces,” is employ-
ing shipping boxes and crates to transport a
valuable good: an idea. In these boxes is the sol-
idarity, the will to change, a prospect to fulfill,
waiting to be unpacked.
The exhibition will include two sections: an
installation and a display of photographs
Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art,
8 Champollion St. Downtown.
Tel: (02) 2578 4494
Daily 11 am to 8 pm, except Fridays
Opera
3rd- 4th & 6th - 9th
Rigoletto by Verdi
One of Verdi’s operatic masterpieces in three
acts to a libretto by Francesco Piave. Cairo
Opera Company
Main Hall, Cairo Opera House
Tel: (02) 2739 0132
Time: 8 pm
22nd- 23rd
The Telephone by Menotti
A comic opera with Cairo Opera Company
Main Hall, Cairo Opera House
Tel: (02) 2739 0132
Time: 8 pm
Modern Dance
11th
Cavewomen: The Next Incarnation by Dance Bri-
gade (USA)
A primal feast of movement, theater, martial arts,
and taiko drumming, delivered with passion and
biting intellectual wit. The Cave Women series is
Dance Brigade’s antidote to war and the present
state of affairs in the world - a stunning evocation
of female power, a good dose of humor, black
leather and gutsy social commentary.
Since 1975, Artistic Director Krissy Keefer has
refined a form of political dance theater. Keefer’s
signature style combines bold political content,
cutting-edge movement and stunning theater.
Falaki Theatre, 24 El Falaki St. Bab El Louk
Tel: (02) 2797 6373
Time: 8 pm
17th& 18th & 20th - 23rd
Reve Tango
Ballet Tango Reve was first presented by the
Cairo Ballet Company with choreography of
Joseph Russillo in 2007, where he blended clas-
sical dances, modern, jazz and many other forms
with Tango
Main Hall, Cairo Opera House
Tel: (02) 2739 0132
Time: 8 pm
Music
4th
Music and Singing by Dima Dima (Tunisia)
Dima Dima is an alternative World Music band
formed in 2004. It presents an eclectic mix of
various musical genres from around the globe,
combining occidental rhythms with oriental and
local melodies.
The band produced 12 original tracks in Arabic
and in Tunisian dialect and covers songs from
CALENDARMay 2012
10 May . 2012
Cairo Choral Society
Cairo Choral Society will perform music of
Mozart, Haydn and Rameau
The German Protestant Church, Al-Galaa Street and
26 July Street next to the Al-Ahram Building
Tel: Department of the Arts on ext. 1221
Time: 8 pm
21st & 23rd
On 25 - Egyptian Contemporary Music Ensemble
The concert series “ON 25” was instigated to be
a platform for Egyptian and Arabic musical pro-
ductions, and commissioned works that have
been created after the beginnings of the Egyp-
tian revolution on the 25th January 2011. These
works cast a critical eye on Egypt’s history with
its various cultural influences, and they draw
connections to the current developments
Malak Gabr Theatre, AUC New Cairo
Tel: the Department of the Arts on ext. 1221
Time: 8 pm
Ethnic
2nd, 16th, 30th
Mazaher - Famous custodians of the leg-
acy of musical tradition, such as Zar perform-
ers Om Sameh and Om Hassan join Sudanese
Singer Asia, singer Sayed Imam and Sayed Rek-
abi together with many unique instrumentalists.
Gypsy Music from the Delta joins hands with Zar
songs.
Makan, 1 Saad Zaghloul St. El Dawaween.
Tel: (02) 2792 0878
Time: 9 pm
15th
Arab Tribes from Aswan - Jaafara music and
songs with singer Sayed Rekabi
Makan, 1 Saad Zaghloul St. El Dawaween.
Tel: (02) 2792 0878
Time: 9 pm
29th
Mawwal and Baladi Songs - Gypsy traditions of
the Delta (Mawawil)
Makan, 1 Saad Zaghloul St. El Dawaween.
Tel: (02) 2792 0878
Time: 9 pm
Lecture
7th
The Terminology of Egyptian Colors in Context
and Theory by David Warburton Simpson, Pro-
fessor of Egyptology, Department of SAPE
602 Hill House Hall, AUC Tahrir Square.
Tel: (02 2615 1837
Time: 6:30- 8pm
Special Events
8th
Storytelling - Samar with the Revolution
Arwa Othman (Yemen) A story teller and a
researcher in folklore.
Nabil Tammam (Bahrein) Surgeon and Lecturer
at the Arabian Gulf University
Nader El Sayed (Egypt) Famous Egyptian retired
Goalkeeper. He was one of the leading protest-
ers in Tahrir Square, Moustafa Mahmoud St. on
February 3rd 2012.
Ibrahim Alaguri (Libya) A freelance photographer.
Ragab Makry(Tunisia) Theatre performer and a
graduate from the Higher Institute for Drama
Yara Nosseir - Syria. Young cultural activist,
working as project Manager at Abwab for Arts
and Culture Association.
Guevara Nemr (Syria) Worked as a professional
photographer at the Opera House in Damascus.
She joined PROACTION production house as a
producer.
Khaled Abdel Hamid (Egypt) Socialist activist, a
member of the socialist alliance and member of
the executive office of the revolution youth coali-
tion
Yousra Ennouri (Tunisia) An actress and gradu-
ate of the Higher Institute of Dramatic and mem-
ber of L’Atelier D.
Makan, 1 Saad Zaghloul St. El Dawaween,
Downtown
Tel: (02) 2792 0878
Time: 9 pm
Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority News letter L
ive
Co
lors
Eg
yp
t