SELECTED READINGS FROM 3 ICCROM-ATHAR Approaches to the conservation of Islamic cities: The case of Cairo SELECTED READINGS FROM ICCROM-ATHAR 3 Approaches to the conservation of Islamic cities: The case of Cairo Hossam Mahdy Published in 2017 by ICCROM-ATHAR Regional Conservation Centre in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. All rights reserved © ICCROM-ATHAR, 2017 ISBN 978-92-9077-266-8 (print) ISBN 978-92-9077-267-5 (PDF) The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of ICCROM and the ICCROM-ATHAR Regional Conservation Centre concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not necessarily those of ICCROM and the ICCROM-ATHAR Regional Conservation Centre and do not commit the Organization. Author: Hossam Mahdy Supervision: Zaki Aslan ICCROM Via di San Michele 13 I-00153 Rome Italy Tel: +39 06 585-531 Fax: +39 06 585-53349 E-mail: [email protected] www.iccrom.org ICCROM-ATHAR Regional Conservation Centre in Sharjah P.O. BOX 48777, Sharjah United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 (0)6 555 2250 Fax: +971 (0)6 555 2213 E-mail: [email protected] www.athar-centre.org www.iccrom.org/athar Graphic design: Maxreative, UAE Contents Illustrations 1 Foreword 5 Preface 7 Acknowledgements 11 Notes on translations and transliterations 12 Glossary 13 Acronyms and abbreviations 17 Introduction 18 1. The impact of Islam on pre-modern Egypt, 641 to 1798 25 1.1 Rationale 25 1.2 Political and socio-cultural context 27 1.3 Islamic viewpoints on conservation-related concepts 29 1.3.1 History 29 1.3.2 Tangible heritage and cultural tourism 30 1.3.3 Natural and cultural diversity 31 1.3.4 Art 32 1.3.5 Architecture and the built environment 32 1.3.6 Sustainable development and the waqf system 34 1.4 A comparative study of the state of conservation of four mosques in Cairo 35 1.4.1 ‘Amr Mosque 35 1.4.2 Ibn Tulun Mosque 37 1.4.3 al-Azhar Mosque 39 1.4.4 al-Hakim Mosque 41 2. Colonialism and modernization, 1798 to 1952 45 2.1 Political and socio-cultural context 45 2.1.1 Colonization and deception 45 2.1.2 Modernization according to the European model 46 2.1.3 Questions of identity, culture and style 49 2.1.4 A note on Orientalism 51 2.1.5 A two-tier society and the rise of political Islam 53 2.2 Attitudes towards the conservation of the built heritage in Cairo 54 2.2.1 Urban destruction under French occupation 54 2.2.2 Centralized management of the built environment 55 2.2.3 European pressure and the formation of the Comité 56 2.2.4 Attitudes of the Comité towards conservation 59 2.2.5 Traditional approaches towards the built heritage 63 3. Independence and dictatorship, 1952 to 2011 65 3.1 Political and socio-cultural context 65 3.1.1 From coup d’état to revolution 65 3.1.2 Imposing secular modernization 66 3.1.3 Globalization and privatization 66 3.2 Attitudes towards the conservation of the built heritage in Cairo 67 3.2.1 Different names, similar attitudes 67 3.2.2 Continuous neglect and accelerated deterioration 68 3.2.3 Interest in heritage but not people 69 3.2.4 Urban revitalization for tourism 71 3.2.5 Natural and man-made disasters 72 3.2.6 Massive interventions 74 3.2.7 Cairo’s inhabitants 76 4. Understanding current approaches in context 79 4.1 Contextualizing current approaches 79 4.1.1 Conflicting values and attitudes 79 4.1.2 Formal-informal duality 81 4.2 A catalogue of observed approaches to conservation of the built heritage 88 4.2.1 Conservation as anti-restoration 90 4.2.2 Conservation as an old-fashioned archaeological exercise 91 4.2.3 Conservation on wheels 92 4.2.4 Eclectic restoration or reconstruction 93 4.2.5 Restoration 94 4.2.6 Conservation of the building’s function 96 4.2.7 Rehabilitation for adaptive reuse 97 4.2.8 Conservation according to the ‘living nature’ of the heritage 98 4.2.9 Refusal of conservation 99 4.2.10 Revival of traditional crafts 100 4.2.11 Refusal of new architectural vocabulary 102 4.2.12 Revival of historic styles 103 4.2.13 Revival of historic concepts and principles 105 4.2.14 New architectural vocabulary in contrast with the old 106 4.2.15 Neutral new architectural vocabulary to emphasize the old 108 4.2.16 Conservation zone 108 4.2.17 Conservation for tourism 110 4.2.18 Ignoring or ignorance of conservation 112 5. Conclusion 113 References 115 Recommended reading 119 1 Illustrations Approaches to the conservation of Islamic cities 2 Illustrations Figure 1.1 Location of the four mosques Figure 1.2 The wooden lattice work of a window in the house of ‘Ali Katkhuda Figure 1.3 ‘Amr Mosque Figure 1.4 Ibn Tulun Mosque Figure 1.5 Minarets of al-Azhar Mosque in the foreground Figure 1.6 The minarets of al-Hakim Mosque Figure 2.1 Muhammad ‘Ali Mosque Figure 2.2 European architectural styles in downtown Cairo Figure 2.3 Statue of Tal’at Harb, one of the pioneers of the Egyptian national movement, wearing the European suit and the fez Figure 2.4 Beit al-Umma (House of the Nation), the European-style house of Sa’ad Zaghlul, the leader of the Egyptian national movement Figure 2.5 A Neo-Islamic residential building with a minaret-like structure in Heliopolis Figure 2.6 The entrance of a residential building with a door of hybrid European and Islamic style decorations Figure 2.7 The Pharaonic revival-style mausoleum of Sa’ad Zaghlul Figures 2.8 The dome of the Mausoleum of Imam al-Shafi’i before restoration (Comité, Procès-verbaux, 1961) Figures 2.9 The dome of the Mausoleum of Imam al-Shafi’i after restoration (Comité, Procès-verbaux, 1961) Figure 2.10 Wakala al-Ghuri before restoration (Comité, Procès-verbaux, 1961) Figure 2.11 Wakala al-Ghuri after restoration (Comité, Procès-verbaux, 1961) Figure 2.12 Sabil Umm Husayn before its transfer (Comité, Procès-verbaux, 1961) Figure 2.13 Sabil Umm Husayn after its transfer (Comité, Procès-verbaux, 1961) Figure 2.14 The minaret of Tamim al-Rasafi Mosque before restoration (Comité, Procès- verbaux, 1961) Figure 2.15 The minaret of Tamim al-Rasafi Mosque after restoration (Comité, Procès- verbaux, 1961) Figure 2.16 The ceiling decorations of the al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque at the citadel before restoration (Comité, Procès-verbaux, 1961) Figure 2.17 The ceiling decorations of the al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque at the citadel after restoration (Comité, Procès-verbaux, 1961) Figure 4.1 Theoretical representation of value systems in Cairo Figure 4.2 The four major cultural trends in relation to main value systems Figure 4.3 Hierarchy of needs (based on Abraham Maslow) 3 Figure 4.4 The building/settlement graph (BSG) Figure 4.5 The place of minarets (a), street shadings (b) and sabils (c) on the building/settlement graph (BSG) Figure 4.6 Formally restored permanent shading structure of al-Ghuri Figure 4.7 The formally restored sabil Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda Figure 4.8 The formally restored minaret of al-Ashraf Barsbay madrasa. The loudspeakers were not included in the restoration project but were installed informally by the local community Figure 4.9 The place of minarets (a), street shadings (b) and sabils (c) on the building/settlement graph (BSG) after formal conservation Figure 4.10 Informal street shading Figure 4.11 An informal sabil Figure 4.12 An informal sabil Figure 4.13 Neon lamps installed informally on the Ottoman minaret of the al- Fakahani Mosque Figure 4.14 The place of minarets (a), street shadings (b) and sabils (c) on the building/settlement graph (BSG) after informal conservation Figure 4.15 Bab Zuwayla in 2008 Figure 4.16 The state of Bab Zuwayla according to the conservation scenario Figure 4.17 Conservation as anti-restoration Figure 4.18 The mosque and khanqah of Nizam al-Din in al-Hattaba Figure 4.19 Conservation as an old-fashioned archaeological exercise Figure 4.20 Qubbat Yunis al-Dawadar in al-Hattaba Figure 4.21 Conservation on wheels Figure 4.22 Zawiya of Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda in al-Mu’izz Street Figure 4.23 Eclectic restoration Figure 4.24 Al-Sayyeda ‘A’isha Mosque Figure 4.25 Restoration Figure 4.26 The restored riwaqs of al-Mu’ayyad Mosque Figure 4.27 Conservation of the building’s function Figure 4.28 An informal sabil and drinking pot for street cats and dogs. This preserves the Cairene tradition of providing water for both humans and animals Figure 4.29 Rehabilitation for adaptive reuse Figure 4.30 The rehabilitation of the sabil-kuttab Qaytbay in al-Saliba Street as a specialized library and a cinema club Figure 4.31 The rehabilitation of wakala al-Ghuri as a cultural centre for the performing arts, mainly for foreign tourists Figure 4.32 Conservation according to the ‘living nature’ of the heritage Approaches to the conservation of Islamic cities 4 Illustrations Figure 4.33 Illegal alterations to shops under al-Fakihani Mosque Figure 4.34 Complete refusal of conservation Figure 4.35 Social housing buildings constructed in the 1960s in the vicinity of Sultan Hassan Mosque and madrasa in al-Khalifa area.