In Egypt, every neighborhood is indeed alive through its residence, architectural heritage and the events that it witnessed. That’s why we, at the National Organization for Urban Harmony safeguarded as much as possible, Cairo Heritage, in our series titled ‘Memory of the City’. And how can a City ever forget those who built, decorated and lived in it? We decided to walk down memory lane and remember the “story of a street”, its name and who “lived here “once. The first heritage walk of NOUH is in Zamalek Island. Zamalek island is one of the most beautiful and historic districts of Cairo. The island first surfaced on the Nile in the Mamluk era, during the reign of Sultan Al Kamel Shaaban Ben Al-Nasser Mohamed Ben Qalawoon. It was known as the “middle Island” because it surfaced between Roda and Boulack Islands. They built Palaces, houses and planted gardens. Since then, Zamalek became one of the most beautiful promenades of Cairo. This district witnessed a lot of historic events. For instance, Khedive Ismail built Saray Al Gezira, which hosted Kings and Royalties during the celebration of the inauguration of the Suez Canal. There are 29 architects, 8 out of which are Italians, who left their mark in Zamalek.

Here lived a lot of creative cultural and art figures that enlightened Egypt and the whole world. History stretches to cover the whole island. For more information you can check our book “Zamalek Island Heritage and Value” This is the first publication of our series “Memory of the City”. We started our heritage walk with 1 2 A few steps away we find the Aisha Fahmy Palace: The building reflects the Neo building where “El-Set” lived before OMOM Renaissance style with a faint touch of Baroque. owning the famous villa that is now KALTHOUMKALTHOUM demolished. “El-Set” is “the star of the orient”. Singer Om Kalthoum, whose voice slips away from local radio every afternoon, even after 45 years of her death. Om Kalthoum is an example of the strong perseverant Egyptian woman. One whose intelligence and art delved deeply within the heart of all Arab people, not only AISHAAISHA Egyptians. And so her voice, FAHMYFAHMY became in itself a “home”. PALACEPALACE

AHMEDAHMED RAMZYRAMZY The word “cinema” means director Youssef 3 4 Chahine. Bab el Hadid (Cairo Station), Awdat Al Ibn Al dal (The return of the prodigal Son), Al-Youm Al Sadis (The sixth Day), Al-Masir On the first right, lived the great (Destiny) and many more films that left a actor Ahmed Ramzy. The cute, mark on Egyptian cinema. Chahine was born funny and bad boy of Egyptian and raised in Alexandria. He studied theatre Cinema. He started acting in in the U.S and directed his first movie Baba Ayamna Al-Helwa (Our Good Days) Amin in 1950. He received many awards from film with Omar Sharif, Faten each of Carthage Film festival for his film Al- Hamama, and Abdel-Halim Hafez, Ekhtiar (The Choice) 1970, From Berlin Film directed by Helmi Halim in 1955. Festival for his film Alexandria Why 1979, Best In an interview with Ahmed cinematography form the Cairo International Ramzy, when he was over 80 Film Festival for his film Alexandria Again and years old, he recited the lines Forever 1989, Despite all the awards, there from his first scene on camera. It was a popular belief that Chahine’s films were was in-front of actress Zeinat “hard to grasp”. However in a television Sedki : “Set Zanouba, would you interview, he wittily commented please fix this button for me?” YOUSSEFYOUSSEF “I target smart audience.” SHAHEENSHAHEEN''SS Zouzou, the beautiful girl who is forever 5 6 young. Here lived Soad Hosny, whose beautiful soul is still lingering over the flowers of her balcony and over the SOADSOAD greenery of the whole street. Her First On the same street, Film was: Hassan and Nai’ma in 1959, HOSNEYHOSNEY Khali balak men Zouzou (Watch-out for some houses would just Zouzou), Amira my love, Saghira AlHob greet you with a hug (Too young for love), almost 91 films were like the Art-Deco our share from her unique talent., She building where we was a multi-talented artist who reflected witnessed the beauty of joy, innocence, sweetness, freshness, the interior design also truth and a sense of humor. Such a of the building. combination made her a beauty icon of all generations. However, the “Cinderella of the Arab screen, stated in a television interview, that she would rather people remember her as being a wise woman. ARTART--DECODECO BUILDINGBUILDING

lived the Dark Nightingale, Abdel- 7 8 Halim Hafez. Sawah (wanderer), Gana Al-Hawa (We fell in love), Touba (Never again) and many songs that remain close to the BAHAABAHAA'' ELEL--DINDIN heart of Egyptian and Arab People. His songs brought us much joy, happiness QARAQOSHQARAQOSH and love. Abdel-Halim was born in Sharqia. He headed the Inshad school troupe, He studied music composing at the Arabic Music Institute. He worked as a music teacher in Tanta. And on the street named And when he came to Cairo, he after Bahaa Al-Din worked as a musician at the Egyptian Qarqoush, who Radio troupe, until famous Radio supervised the building of presenter Hafez Abdel Wahab Saladin’s Citadel, discovered his talent. Soon after that he became the star Abdel-Halim ABDABD ELHALIMELHALIM Hafez. HAFEZHAFEZ 9 ALYALY REDAREDA 10

On the corner of Abdel-Halim’s ELEL--AZIZAZIZ EMADEMAD building, lived director Ali-Reda. And who can forget Luxor ELEL--DINDIN USMANUSMAN Baladna Balad Sowah (Luxor Our Hometown, is the town for Tourists), Halawet Shamsena (The beauty of our Sun), and the On Al-Aziz Othman graceful moves of the Egyptian street, who was the son folk Dance. Such grace was well of Saladin and governor represented by director Ali Reda of Egypt and Jerusalem. who together with his brother Mahmoud founded the Reda troupe for folk dance. In 2019, Reda troupe turned 60.

On the same street lived the music composer 11 Kamal Al Taweel. His unforgettable music and 12 songs were part of many Egyptian films. El Helwa lived the Palestinian thinker Edward (The beautiful ), Balash Etab ( Don’t approach). As Saeed. Edward Saeed lived between for his patriotic songs like BelAhdan (Hugs), and Cairo and Jerusalem and became one Soura ( A photograph). KAMALKAMAL ELEL of the most famous Arab thinkers. He studied literature and graduated TAWEELTAWEEL from Princeton University in 1957. In 1963 he taught English language and comparative literature at Columbia University until he died in 2003. He wrote many books in which he discussed the concept of Arab literature, Orientalism and Palestine. There is no doubt that he enriched the world and continues to inspire us till this day. EDWARDEDWARD SAEEDSAEED 13 MOHAMEDMOHAMED SHAGARSHAGAR 14 ELEL--TABIITABII ELEL--DURRDURR Here lived “the prince of journalism “Mohamed El On the corner we walked Tabii. on the street named after The famous Egyptian Shagar El-Door the sultan journalist whose name of Egypt and Levantine. was affiliated with This brave woman head culture and art criticism. the news of the death of He was the editor in her husband Sultan Najm Chief of Rose Al Youssef Al-Din Ayyub from the Magazine, founded people during the Akher Saa Magazine and crusades and managed to was the C.E.O of Dar lead the country to Akhbar Al-Youm. victory.

ALIALI LABIBLABIB GABRGABR IHSANIHSAN ABDELABDEL 15 16 QUDDOUSQUDDOUS The beauty of building which architect Ali Labib Gabr built Here lived the renowned writer Ihsan and where he also lived, starts Abdel Quddous. He studied law and from the main entrance, became the editor in chief of Rosa Al- which is more of a salon. Ali Youssef Magazine at the age of 26. His Gabr was born in Helmi novels were very popular because they district. He graduated from reflected problems of Egyptian society. It Faculty of engineering in 1920. also had a lot of romance and love plots. He was the first Egyptian to head the architecture department in Cairo University. He is one of the architects who built in Zamalek. 17 “this is one of the most famous monologues of great artist Ismail Yassin. "We all want Happiness, Who can ever forget the YOUR But what is happiness?” artist who brought us joy YOUR and became a symbol of the ADVENTUREADVENTURE great sense of humor? His great duet with screenwriter Abo El-Seoud El Ebiary in cinema is unforgettable. Ismail Yassin founded a theatre troupe. Before acting, he was a singer, and his speciality was the art of monologue. This makes him the perfect ISMAILISMAIL happy end to our walk. YASSINYASSIN The End ##WALKWALK __WITHWITH__USUS #اﺗﻤﺸﻮا_ﻣﻌﺎﻧﺎ

In our Heritage walks at the National Organization for Urban Harmony, #Every_building_has_a_story #Precious_to_the_heart_is_every_step