Cairo-Famous-Squares-details

 

El-Korba Square with its distinctive architectural style is the precious jewel of Misr El-Gadidah area in Cairo. The square has the shape of a triangle with huge buildings on each side uniquely designed by the Belgian industrialist baron Edwar Empain, and it was the inception of the famous Misr El-Gadidah with its historical arcades in El-Korba Square.

Location:

The triangle-shaped square extends from Al-Ahram Street starting from Heliopolis Hotel (now Presidency palace) to Nazeeh Khalifa Street (previously Baron Street) which intersects with El-Thawra Street to Baron Empain Palace.

The square was named La Courbet because of the unique rotating design of its street unlike other streets at that time as La Courbet means in Italian "the bow". In the past days, the tramway used to take this round road on its route starting from Fouad Street and during the journey, the Belgian tram conductor used to announce the arrival calling the street el-Korb, hence it became its common name.

El-Korba Square, historic arcades and architectural masterpieces

El-Korba square is the home to some of Cairo's historic landmarks like the Baron Empain Palace and Boghos Nubar Pasha Palace.  It also houses the Basilica Church, the Korba Church and Heliopolis Hotel (now presidency palace), the jewel of Korba Square.  The hotel was built in 1906 and inaugurated in 1910, and it was the first building in El-Korba. The hotel was externally designed by the Belgian architect Ernest Jasper and internally designed by the French architect Alexander Marcel. The hotel consisted of 400 rooms and reception halls decorated luxuriously.

Basilica Church, a miniature model of Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul    

Housing more than one architectural masterpiece, you can't miss the Basilica Church in El-Korba Square which was built by the French architect Alexander Marcel in 1910 at the request of the Belgian businessman Baron Empain. The church's architecture is a unique blend of Egyptian and byzantine styles. The Baron was buried in the church on November 13^th 1930, and his family donated the church to the Catholic Church in Egypt.