El- Suhaymi House
Bayt al-Suhaymi is
one of the most beautiful houses in Cairo. It was established during the
Ottoman Period, by Sheikh Abdul Wahhab al-Tablawi in 1058 AH/1648 AD. It is
located in al-Gammalia district, on al-Darb al-Asfar Alley, just off of al-Mo’ez
Street.
After the house was
first founded, Bayt al-Suhaymi’s second section was built by Haj Ismail Shalaby
in 1211 AH/1796 AD, after which it was purchased by Sheikh Shehab al-Din Ahmed
al-Suhaymi in 1228 AH/1813 AD. This man, after whose name the house is still
known, was one of the leading scholars of al-Azhar.
The house consists
of several buildings with wonderful mashrabiyas overlooking a magnificent
garden in a large courtyard. The mashrabiya is a projecting ornate wooden
latticework window that gave the residents of a building privacy, by allowing
them to look out, while shielding them from prying eyes.
Bayt al-Suhaymi also
has a reception hall in which the owner of the house sat on a large chair, or
maq'ad (loggia), surrounded by his guests. The maq’ad, guests’ benches, and
their beautiful wooden latticework are very well preserved.
Some of the most
significant features of the house are its hammam, or bathing area, its many
wells that provided water for the house, and a cattle-powered grain mill. Many
other interesting objects can be seen here, including a birth chair and a water
wheel, which was used to irrigate the garden, which also still has its wooden
gearbox.
Source: Ministry of Antiquities
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