The land of Egypt is blessed with an abundance of royal museums and palaces, one of which is the renowned Abdeen Palace. Abdeen Palace, one of the remarkable royal palaces in Cairo, Egypt used to be the seat of government between 1874 and the emergence of the 1952 revolution—often referred to as the 23rd revolution. For the very first time, the ruler of Egypt leaves the fortress and moves to the heart of Cairo; a decision made during the Ayyubid era. This decision allows the king to live among his people. After this decision, the palaces soon became one of the presidential palaces following the Revolutionary Command Council.
Abdeen Palace Architecture
It has been said that this palace’ construction was engineered by the ambitious plan of Khedive Ismail, who sought the emergence of a modern Cairo, which is parallel to modern cities in Europe. Immediately after his ascension to the throne in 1863, the order for the construction of the palace was made. The name, “Abdeen Palace” was coined after Abdeen Bey, one of Mohammad Ali Pasha’s military commanders.
Following the death of Abdeen Bey, Khedive Ismail bought the palace from his widow. The old palace structure was put down, and the area was expanded to 24 acres. Hence, the current Abdeen Palace was built—a palace construction that took 10 years to finish—which became, and is still one of Cairo’s architectural masterpieces.
Most people believe this palace mirrors the palace architectural designs in Europe, at that time, considering the fact that the palace was designed by the French architect Rousseau. Subsequently, the brain behind the palace construction (Khedive Ismail) hired several other architects from across the globe who came to texture the construction of the palace. In 1874, the palace construction was completed, along with all necessary features, with an incredible summation of 500 rooms.
As earlier seen, this incredible architectural edifice is a wonder to both the world then and the world now. To the world then, it was one of its kind, and to the world now, it is an amazing tourist attraction to behold. The palace is made up of two floors. On the first floor, there is a haramlik and a salamlik. Meanwhile, the down floor has other incredible features including a pharmacy where rare medicines are sold, and a former royal printing house right opposite the pharmacy. You’ll also find the palace garden, and King Farouq’s office, all on the second floor.
Also, you’ll find a lot of halls that serve as halls for receiving official delegations whenever they visit Egypt. These halls are painted in red, white, and green. Among the halls, the one dedicated to Mohammad Ali (aka Mohammad Ali Hall) is the largest and most sophisticated in the Abdeen Palace. The hall was constructed in the style of Arabic Islam with some unique precise inscriptions decorated with granite, marble, and amber.
While there are many incredible features to note, it is worth pointing out that the palace has some attractive designs and decorations that are Italian, Turkish, and French-oriented. You’ll also find a collection of unusual paintings and pieces of furniture adorned with gold.
Another remarkable feature of the palace to note is the Belgium suite. It is so magnificent and the beautification has its own exclusive style. The name “Belgium Suite” came about due to the fact that the then-king of Belgium was the first person to live in the suite. So the name was given to it.
Abdeen Palace, A Home to Five Exquisite Museums
The palace is well-known for its incredibly eye-catching architectural masterpiece, but beyond that is the fact that it houses five attractive museums of all time.
This museum displays a number of presidential gifts and some of the properties belonging to the family of Mubarak. You’ll also find in the museum a range of royal honoree awards. Not to forget, the museum was built in 2005 by President Mubarak.
The museum showcases a large number of properties belonging to the royal family. These properties include plates and eating utensils (made from gold, silver, and colored glass), and numerous random objects. There’s also a throng of royal honoree medals.
Also, known as the Arms Museum is a magnificent edifice constructed by the renowned King Farouk. Just like the name suggests, you’ll find a collection of several kinds of weaponry. These weapons include a number of light weapons, and a number of Egyptian guns believed to have been used by King Farouk himself.
This is the very museum where several collections of silverware antiques that belonged to the family of Mohammed Ali are kept. You’ll find all kinds of silver jewelry that are an attraction to visitors and tourists. The museum was included in the Abdeen Museums in the year 1998.
Just like the name suggests, here, you’ll find all kinds of historical documents from the diverse eras in the history of Egypt. They include secret letters, treaties, and all kinds of high-value, confidential documents that were used in the past.
Common Activities To Do When Visiting Abdeen Palace
Visiting the Abdeen Palace is a great opportunity to have a peep into the history of Egypt. It has quite a number of activities you can do to make the most of your visit to Cairo.
In this collection, you’ll find a wide range of exquisite Islamic art from all over Egypt. You’ll find amazing artworks such as sculptures, paintings, and a lot more.
Finding time to ravish the beauty and glamour that that palace has to offer is something you should not miss out on. Being that the palace is located right in the heart of Cairo is something worth exploring. You can find a tour guide who will lead you through all the way to get the most from your tour.
While in the Abdeen Palace, you’ll find a place known as the Treasure Room. This is where you’ll find an extensive collection of objects from Egypt’s history as far back as the Old Kingdom. If learning about the culture and history of Egypt is something that intrigues you, then you should explore this Treasure Room.
The palace operates daily, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, excluding Fridays. Access to the museum by visitors extends until 2:30 PM where they get to explore different aspects of the museum and learn the history of ancient Egypt.
The entrance fee may not be static due to inflation. However, you’ll pay anywhere around 100EGP (Egyptian Pounds). You’ll also pay 25EGP to give you access to your camera or mobile phone.
Abdeen Palace is an incredible historical site to visit where you get to explore some of Egypt’s most exclusive relics and artifacts. You’ll ravish the architectural wonder this palace comes with while exploring the five amazing museums home to this magnificent palace.
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