Author: Hasan Hafez
An investigation into the environmental, social, and political consequences of deforestation across Greater Cairo.
The end of Cairo’s historic burial grounds: Documenting the Loss of Egypt’s sacred heritage
The ongoing demolition of Cairo’s historic cemeteries, known as the “Cities of the Dead,” threatens to erase centuries of history, as bulldozers tear apart a unique urban and historical fabric to make way for traffic axes and tourist developments. The most stark example is the systematic destruction of the 1,200-year-old Al-Sayyeda Nafisa tombs. The northern section of Al-Qarafa Al-Sughra, or the Lesser Cemetery, now faces near-total eradication, with only a handful of landmark domes and mausoleums left standing in isolation amidst the rubble.
The Egyptian government is continuing what it calls the development of Ramses Square, one of the most vibrant squares in Cairo. Under this pretext, the historic Misr Station building and the Egyptian Railway Engineering Administration building, both dating back to 1910, have been demolished. This is part of a government plan to expand the 6th of October Bridge, build a new entrance to the area, and construct a shopping mall and multi-story parking garage. The project reveals the current government’s approach and its departure from the concept of “humanizing the city,” which was present in a global project to develop…
At the end of October, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly appeared before all Egyptians to announce that demolition work in Cairo’s cemeteries would stop and that no further mistakes would be made in this matter. However, on the ground, some 10 months after the prime minister’s statement, it has become clear that Madbouly’s statements have not reached the bulldozers.
The removal of Bab Al-Nasr Cemetery to build a multi-story parking garage is a new crime against the city’s heritage In recent years, the term “development” in Old Cairo has become synonymous with the destruction of parts of the city’s rich cultural heritage. When the bulldozers move in, it’s not just buildings that are lost — it’s fragments of history, traces of lives, and remnants of a thousand-year-old civilization. Today, the government’s development projects are targeting the Bab Al-Nasr Cemetery, one of Cairo’s oldest walled burial grounds, established over 900 years ago. This cemetery, like others before it, faces the threat…
The fire at the Central Ramses building has stirred up a lot of emotions about the history of fires in Cairo. At many moments and turning points in history, fires have been a turning point in the city’s urban history and the beginning of a new phase in the city’s history that goes beyond a mere fire that destroys a building or several buildings. Sometimes the fire is deliberate, and sometimes it is nothing more than negligence, but the result is the same: Cairo has a history of fires that have changed many of its landmarks. ** ** The first…
No human voice dominated, and still dominates Cairo’s spaces, like Om Kalthoum’s voice. It has become a feature known to everyone who frequents the Egyptian capital and a main feature of the place. It was welded into the city’s details becoming an expression of and from it. This is how “Al Set” (The lady) – who passed away fifty years ago- has imposed her rhythm on Cairo. In her moments of glory she drew pathways in the city and with a gesture from her famous handkerchief she imposed silence on a city that thrives on rowdiness. Humans and stone come…