CAIRO: Walking down the streets of Downtown Cairo in the early 20th century was similar to taking a stroll along the streets of 19th century Europe. The unique architecture combined European styles, when antique buildings were designed by French and Italian architects.
Take a walk around the streets of Downtown Cairo nowadays, and your eyes will fall upon dilapidated buildings or newly constructed ones that are out of proportion and break the harmony of the once called “Khedive Cairo.
In a bid to save Cairo’s endangered architectural heritage, parliament is currently looking into passing a law that restores as well as unifies construction of buildings in Downtown Cairo, similar to those built during the 19th century.
“The law will map out specific districts that are of unique architectural heritage such as Downtown Cairo and Garden City and only allow for the construction of equally unique buildings, said Soheir Hawas, head of architecture unit at the National Heritage Conservation Authority.
When passed, the law will allow for construction of new buildings that maintain the same architectural heritage as those of the 19th century, as well as allowing for restoration of old buildings without changing their original architectural façade.
“Basically, what the law aims for is to preserve architectural beauty of 19th century buildings. Officials focus on protection of archeological sites only and overlook architectural artifacts, which will also play a role in boosting tourism, she said.
Most of these endangered artifacts stretch along Cairo’s Downtown strip, particularly in El-Tahrir Square, Talaat Harb Street, Bab El Louk, and Garden City.
In the late 20th century, several historic buildings were demolished and replaced by modern architecture that spoil classic and archetypal design patterns which characterized “Cairo’s Beautiful Era.
“The law will ban demolition of the [remaining] historic buildings and will look into means of compensating their owners, Hawas pointed out.
In a step that would put the proposed law into actual practice, the European Union has started to compile a database of Cairo’s historic buildings which includes photographs of each building in both its current and original conditions. This will provide architectural designs and guidelines for restoration of some of these buildings.
The European Union has earmarked 40,000 euros to fund this project, named “Cairo’s Belle Époque. By the end of this year, the database will include all of Cairo’s historic buildings, which are estimated to number 5,000.
“When we speak of Cairo, this [architectural heritage] is not the first thing that comes to mind. That’s why it’s a good reason for us to fund this project to spread the historic value of this era throughout the world, said Karin Johansson, head of the social sector at the European Commission in Egypt.
