Modern-Cairo-

 

Cairo modern streets

Ramses Street is the longest and most crowded street in Cairo. It is also the main artery connecting many of Cairo districts. Ramses street extends from Tahrir Square to Abbasia Square.

Reasons behind the name

At first, Ramses street was known as Abbas street after Khedive Abbas Helmy, who ruled Egypt in 1892. After Khedive Abbas died, the street’s name was changed to El-Malika Nazli, the wife of King Fouad II. Later, King Farouq shortened the name to El-Maleka Street because of the bad reputation of his mother. Then in1962, after placing the sculpture of Nahdet Masr “Rise of Egypt” by the Egyptian sculptor Mahmoud Mukhtar in Ramses square, the street became known as Nahdet Masr Street. After the 23rd of July revolution in 1955, the sculpture was moved to Cairo University square, and Ramses II statue was placed instead. Since then, the street retained the name of Ramses despite moving Ramses statue to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza in 2006.

Landmarks

Ramses street houses many of Cairo’s significant government institutions such as the Lawyers Syndicate, Egyptian Chemistry Administration, Sadat Academy for Management Sciences (SAMS), Arab Music Institute, Administration Development Bank, and Egypt National Railway.

Ramses Street on Google Maps

Mohammad Mazhar Street

Mohammad Mazhar Street is one of Zamalek area most famous streets. It runs from 26^th July intersection to Geziret El-Zamalek.

Name

Mohammad Mazhar Street was named after the brilliant Egyptian engineer Mohammad Mazhar Pasha. Mohammad Mazhar Pasha was chosen by Mohammad Ali Pasha to be part of the study mission he sent to France in 1826 to study marine engineering. When he returned to Egypt, he was appointed as a headmaster of the artillery school. He also built the Lighthouse of Alexandria upon the request of Mohammed Ali Pasha and participated in establishing El Qanater El Khayreya.

Landmarks

Mohammad Mazhar Street is home to many embassies like Algerian Embassy and Vatican Embassy. There is also the Greater Cairo Library which used to be the palace of Samiha Kamel, daughter of Sultan Hussein Kamel.

Mohammad Mazhar Street on Google Maps

El-Sheikh Rihan Street

El-Sheikh Rihan Street is another notable street in Cairo and is the flowing artery from the heart of European Cairo. The Street extends from Simón Bolivar Square to Port Said Street.

Name

El-Sheikh Rihan Street was named after El-Sheikh Rihan, whose shrine lies at a corner in the middle of the Street. Historians argued whether it took its name from Abu Rihanna, one of Prophet Mohammad’s companions or Rihan ibn Yousef, a descendant of Imam Hussein ibn Ali. In 1917, The Street was called El-Sultan Hussein Kamel, the Sultan of Egypt and Sudan who ascended the throne in 1917. After the 23^rd of July revolution, the Street restored its old name El-Sheikh Rihan.

El-Sheikh Rihan Street on Google Maps

Sabri Abu Alm Street

Sabri Abu Alm Street runs from Talaat Harb Square to Mohammad Farid Square. In the past, it was called Gerks street after the Gerks mosque which was built by the Mamluk Prince Gerks. Then in 1947, the Street’s name was changed to Sabri Abu Alm Street after Mohammad Sabri Abu Alm Pasha, one of the Egyptian leaders who played a vital role in the political life in Egypt. Mohammad Sabry graduated from Law School in 1971, and he was appointed Minister of Justice in 1942. He also participated in the committee that prepared the two draft laws of abolishing capitulations and the independence of the judiciary in Egypt. Moreover, he was Secretary-General of Al-Wafd Party and the owner of “Sout Al-Umma” newspaper.

Sabri Abu Alm Street on Google Maps

Salah Salem Street

Salah Salem Street in Cairo is Egypt’s most famous streets ever.  The Street is known far and wide because it is connecting many of Cairo’s areas that lead to the main bridges of the city.

Location

Salah Salem Street runs from Cairo airport to El-Malek El-Saleh tunnel. The Street is one of Cairo’s longest streets passing through three areas which are Madinet Nasr, Masr El-Gadidah, and El-Abbasia. Salah Salem is a two-way street, and it was built by Abdel El-Latif Al-Baghdadi on instruction from the Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Naser in the 1950s. It was called then El-Tariq El-Harbi Street, and most of its lands were cemeteries. It was like a traffic circle whose middle phase lies on the outskirts of Cairo.  

Name

Salah Salem street was named after one of the Egyptian free officers as the day in which Abdel El-Latif Al-Baghdadi finished the construction of Salah Salem road marked the anniversary of the officer’s death. Salah Salem was of Sudanese origin, and he lived in Cairo since childhood. He graduated from Military School in 1940. After the 23^rd of July revolution, he commanded the Egyptian army forces in Sudan. Salah Salem was also a politician and played an important role in signing the agreement of 12^th of February with Britain on Sudan. After he quit politics, he worked in journalism.

Landmarks

Salah Salem Street houses Oruba Palace, Baron Palace, and other significant places like the Cairo Stadium, the Egyptian Military Academy, Ministry of Defense, and the Cairo Airport.

Salah Salem Street on Google Maps

Qasr El-Nil Street

Qasr El-Nil Street is one of the main arteries in the heart of Cairo. It is where the Egyptian army built their barracks and the hangout of Egyptian elites.  The street was also the cradle of political conflict in Egypt.

Location

Qasr El-Nil Street extends from Tahrir Square, passing by Talaat Harb Square and Mustafa Kamel Square and ends on Oprah Square.   

Name
Qasr El-Nil is the only street that retained its first name which is associated with the palace built by Mohammed Ali Pasha for his Daughter “Nazly Hanem”, on the Nile. Then Said Pasha built army barracks in the area. In 1950, the barracks were demolished and replaced by Arab League headquarters and Nile- Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Landmarks

In its early days, Qasr El-Nil Street was the headquarters of the Egyptian army because it was close to Qasr El-Ainy Street, home to palaces of royalty and dignitaries at this time. Being an important military and political site made it an aspiration for the British occupation. So, when the British forces arrived in Egypt, they occupied the Egyptian army barracks on Qasr El-Nil street, and after the evacuation of the British troops, King Farouq raised the flag of Egypt on Qasr El-Nil’s army barracks.

Later, the street developed to be one of Cairo’s iconic streets housing several stores like Chalons, Sidnawy, Benzoin; companies such as Almasnoat Almasryia Company; banks like Bank Misr, and National Bank of Egypt.  It also houses two of Cairo’s historic El-Imobilia building and Wahba building as well as Mamar Behlar “Behar passageway” which is the most famous in Cairo. It was named after a Swiss businessman Charles Behlar, the founder and owner of several real estates and hotels in Cairo. The passageway was modelled after the French shopping streets.

Significance

The construction of this area is attributed to Ibrahim Pasha, son of Mohammad Ali Pasha, who ordered the pavement of the land extending from Abu El-Ela Bridge in the north to Qasr El-Nil Bridge in the south. Then in 1882, Khedive Ismail assigned genius Egyptian architect Ali Mubarak to design Qasr El-Nil Street. The street has distinctive architectural style and artistic decorations that imitate the European one that emerged in Europe during the second half of the 19^th century.

Qasr El-Nil Street on Google Maps

Last Update: 2024