Photography by Fatima Badar
The fourth edition of the El-Azbakeya Wall Book Fair has witnessed a great turnout since its opening on 20 August. With the participation of many second-hand bookshops, the Fair will continue through 10 September.
The El-Azbakeya Gardens district was established in early 19th Century. In the 1850s, the area was renovated during the rule of Isma’il Pasha in his plan to build a modern Cairo. Currently, the well-known Soor El-Azbakeya (meaning the Wall of El-Azbakeya) is a used books market that originated by a gathering of used books traders by the fence of the El-Azbakeya garden.
The El-Azbakeya Wall is famous for selling rare books at affordable prices.
The ongoing edition of the Fair comes as a satisfaction of the El-Azbakeya Wall booksellers who could not participate in the last two editions of the Cairo International Book Fair due to the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Book prices in the Fair mostly range between EGP 5 and EGP 30.
