HISTORY “MY COUNTRY IS NO LONGER IN AFRICA; WE ARE NOW PART OF EUROPE.” KHEDIVE ISMAIL PASHA, 1879 Agricultural land, significantly developed in the days of Khedive Ismail New districts blossomed: Ismailia al-Dubara and Kasr al-Ismailia. ENDORSER OF (which the Khedive was not too shy Meanwhile, a daughter-in-law AGRICULTURE AND to name after himself), Tawfikia, lived in Kasr al-Walda Pasha. Many INDUSTRY Abdeen, Midan al Opera, Gezirah others include Bulaq Palace in Apart from his extravagant need and Giza. Giza; Mena House overlooking for palaces, Ismail also diverted The Khedive furthered the the Pyramids; the former royal state funds to developing Egypt’s development of Gezirah by residence of Abdeen Palace agriculture and industry. He commissioning a bridge, today and Helwan Palace. He also created three or four government known as Kasr-el-Nil to cross the commissioned Zaafarana Palace, manufacturing facilities for Nile. Between 1869 and 1871 French now in the grounds of Ain Shams railway workshops, a paper engineers strung a narrow iron University; Al Quba presidential factory in Bulaq employing 220 causeway across the river from just palace, Ras El-Tin (‘Cape Fig’) people, two weaving mills and 17 south of Princess Nazli’s Palace to Palace in Alexandria and the Amir sugar factories. Brick production the uninhabited island then known Khan Palace in Istanbul. was made more effective by as Boulac, much to the annoyance of ferry and felucca owners! A PASSION FOR PALACES Like the Pharaohs who lived thousands of years before him, the Khedive was fond of palaces. The most famous today, of course, is the Gezirah Palace, centerpiece of the Cairo Marriott Hotel and built for the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. He built palaces for his wives and concubines, Kasr al-Nil, Kasr Egyptian Railways, first established by Khedive Ismail 6.