Modern
Heliopolis ' onMouseout='HidePop("4230")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Arabic_transliteration">transliterated
Different approaches and methods for the romanization of Arabic exist. They vary in the way that they address the inherent problems of rendering written and spoken Arabic in the Latin alphabet; they also use different symbols for Arabic phonemes that do not exist in English or other European...
:
Maṣr el-Gedīdah – literally "New Egypt", is a district of
CairoCairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab World. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life...
,
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
. The town was established by the Heliopolis Oasis Company, headed by the
BelgianThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
industrialist
Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron EmpainÉdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Empain was a wealthy Belgian engineer, entrepreneur, financier and industrialist, as well as an amateur Egyptologist.-Early life:...
, beginning in 1905. The Baron, a well known amateur Egyptologist and prominent European entrepreneur, arrived in Egypt in January 1904, intending to rescue one of his Belgian company's projects in
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
; the construction of a railway line linking Matariya to
Port SaidPort Said is a northeastern Egyptian city near the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 515,007 ....
. Despite losing the railway contract to the British, Empain stayed on in Egypt; a decision due to his love of the desert and/or relationship with Yvette Boghdadli.
History
In 1905, Empain established the
Cairo Electric Railways and Heliopolis Oases CompanyThe Cairo Electric Railways & Heliopolis Oases Company , is the original name of the Heliopolis Company for Housing and Development , a company formed in Cairo in 1906 in a partnership between a consortium of Belgian developers led by Édouard Empain and Boghos Nubar Pasha, son of the former...
, which bought a large stretch of desert some distance to the northeast of Cairo at a low price from the colonial government. His efforts culminated in 1907 with the building of the new town of Heliopolis, in the desert ten kilometers from the center of
CairoCairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab World. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life...
. It was designed as a "city of luxury and leisure", with broad avenues and equipped with all necessary conveniences and infrastructure; water, drains, electricity, hotel facilities, such as the Palace Hotel and Heliopolis House, and recreational amenities including a golf course, racetrack and park. In addition, there was housing for rent, offered in a range of innovative design types targeting specific social classes with detached and terraced villas, apartment buildings, tenement blocks with balcony access and workers' bungalows.
The new city also represented the first large scale attempt to promote its own style (
Heliopolis styleHeliopolis style is an architectural style specific to an Egyptian district in eastern Cairo. At the beginning of the 20th century, the architects of the Cairo Electric Railways and Heliopolis Oases Company which was the Belgian company responsible for the building of a new suburb “Heliopolis” ;...
). Empain's own residence however, adopted a unique style. Alexander Marcel, a French architect and a member of the prestigious French Institute, was commissioned by Empain to build him a
HinduA Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, a set of religious, philosophical and cultural systems that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The vast body of Hindu scriptures, divided into Śruti and Smriti , lay the foundation of Hindu beliefs which primarily include dhárma, kárma, ahimsa and saṃsāra...
palace. Modelled on
Angkor WatAngkor Wat , is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation—first Hindu,...
in
CambodiaThe Kingdom of Cambodia , formerly known as Kampuchea , is a country in South East Asia with a population of over 14 million people. The kingdom's capital and largest city is Phnom Penh...
and the
HinduA Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, a set of religious, philosophical and cultural systems that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The vast body of Hindu scriptures, divided into Śruti and Smriti , lay the foundation of Hindu beliefs which primarily include dhárma, kárma, ahimsa and saṃsāra...
temples of
OrissaOrissa , is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of ancient republican nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Indian Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC, that led to a turning point in the Emperor's life when deeply saddened by the bloodshed...
, the palace was erected between 1907 and 1910. It still stands today and remains one of the finest examples of early creative use of
concreteConcrete is a construction material composed of cement as well as other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water, and chemical admixtures...
, of which it was entirely built. The chosen neighbourhood boasted some of the wealthiest Egyptian residences; to his left facing Avenue Baron was the Arabesque palace, now military headquarters, but originally the home of Boghos and Marie
Nubar PashaNubar Pasha was an Egyptian politician and the first Prime Minister of Egypt. He served as Prime Minister three times during his career. His first term was between August 1878 and February 23, 1879. His second term was served from January 10, 1884 to June 9, 1888...
. It was the Pasha who assisted Baron Empain in purchasing the 6,000 acres (24 km²) of empty desert at one pound each on which he built Heliopolis. Diagonally opposite stands the former residence of Sultan Hussein Kamel, who reigned over Egypt between 1914 and 1917. Today, that is a presidential guest house.
The Heliopolis War Cemetery is located on Nabil el Wakkad street. This cemetery contains the
Port Tewfik MemorialThe Port Tewfik Memorial was originally situated at Port Tewfik on the Suez Canal. It was unveiled in May 1926 by for the Imperial War Graves Commission and commemorated 4,000 officers and men of the Indian Army killed during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign during the First World War...
, a memorial to over 4000 soldiers of the
British Indian ArmyThe Indian Army , now sometimes called the British Indian Army to distinguish it from the modern army of the Republic of India, was the principal army of the British Raj in India during the last half-century before the partition of India in 1947.The Indian Army served both in India and,...
who fell in the First World War, which was originally situated in Port Taufiq but was relocated to Heliopolis after its destruction in 1967.
The Basilique
CatholicThe word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective , meaning "universal". In the context of Christian ecclesiology, it has a rich history and several usages. For some, the term "Catholic Church" refers to the church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, made up of the Latin Rite and the 22...
church situated on Al-Ahram street is a famous landmark in Heliopolis, and it is the burial place of Baron Empain. The many places of worship in the district, including Saint Maron and Saint-Rita church on Beirut street, a Jewish
synagogueA synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer....
on Al Missalah street, and the mosques all over the neighborhood, demonstrate that the city has been living in religious tolerance since it was established.
Modern Heliopolis was originally filled mostly with foreigners and native aristocratic
EgyptiansEgyptians is the name of the nationality and Mediterranean North African ethnic group native to Egypt....
. After the 1952 revolution led by
NasserGamal Abdel Nasser was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death in 1970. He led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, which removed King Farouk I and heralded a new period of industrialization in Egypt, together with a profound advancement of Arab nationalism, including a short-lived...
, it became home to much of Cairo's educated middle class. As Cairo has expanded, the once large distance between Heliopolis and Cairo has vanished and it is now well inside the city. Because of the large growth in population, the original gardens that filled the city have mostly been built over.
Recreational facilities
Heliopolis suburb is full of recreational places, as it was initially established to offer its residents and visitors rest and relaxation. Heliopolis club is one of the most luxurious sporting clubs in Egypt. It was established along with Heliopolis in 1905. From 1911 until 1915, Heliopolis had Luna Park, Africa's first
amusement parkAmusement park or theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group of people. An amusement park is more elaborate than a simple city park or playground, usually providing attractions meant to cater...
(the grounds were converted into an
AustralianAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
field hospitalA field hospital is a large mobile medical unit that temporarily takes care of casualties on-site before they can be safely transported to more permanent hospital facilities...
just after the onset of
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
).
The Merryland is also a famous recreational park; it contains a lake and was at the height of its elegance in the 1960s and 70s. It now contains a dolphin show, restaurants including TGI Friday's and a small amusement park. Other sporting clubs include El Shams Club (biggest in size and no. of members), Heliolido club, El-Ghaba club, El-Tayaran club and others. Heliopolis is full of modern cafes (Harris, Starbucks, Cilantro, Costa Coffee, Beanos...etc) and restaurants along with some Egyptian traditional ones. Some bars and nightclubs can also be found. Tens of cinemas can be found in Cairo and near Madinet nasr (
Nasr CityNasr City is a district of Cairo, Egypt. It is located to the east of the Cairo Governorate and mostly consists of condominiums. It was established in the 1960s as an extension to neighboring Heliopolis....
) , Normandy Cinema in Al-Ahram street, Cinema Roxy, Cinema Heliopolis along with the new cinemas in Horreya Mall and City Stars Intercontinental Mall.
Political importance
Heliopolis has a special political and military importance. It is the residence of the Egyptian president Mohamed
Hosni MubarakMuhammad Hosni Mubarak, Muhammad Hosni Mubarak, Muhammad Hosni Mubarak, , (born 4 May 1928), is the 4th and current President of the Arab Republic of Egypt. He was appointed Vice President in 1975, and assumed the presidency on...
, the site of the
Egyptian Presidential PalaceThe Heliopolis Presidential Palace, Kasr al-Ittihadiya is one of the various Egyptian presidential palaces and houses the executive office for President Mubarak, the 4th Egyptian president.It is located in the upscale Heliopolis, in Cairo....
and the president's office. Almaza military air base and the Egyptian Air Force H.Q is found there also.
The suburb was hit during Egypt's
warThe Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War , also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to October 26, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of...
with
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
.
The present and the future
In contrast with its initial establishment, Heliopolis now is considered a main part of Cairo not just a quiet suburb. With the numbers of residents doubled several times since 1922. New extensions for the former suburb are found in the northeast, with new cities developed like El-Rehab, El-Shorouq, El-Obour, Badr, and eventually Madinaty.
See also
- Cairo Electric Railways and Heliopolis Oases Company
The Cairo Electric Railways & Heliopolis Oases Company , is the original name of the Heliopolis Company for Housing and Development , a company formed in Cairo in 1906 in a partnership between a consortium of Belgian developers led by Édouard Empain and Boghos Nubar Pasha, son of the former...
- Heliopolis (ancient)
Heliopolis , meaning sun-city, was one of the most ancient cities of Egypt, and capital of the 13th Lower Egyptian nome. Its name also refers to an unrelated modern suburb of Cairo, also known as مصر الجديدة, Masr al-gidedah...
- Heliopolis style
Heliopolis style is an architectural style specific to an Egyptian district in eastern Cairo. At the beginning of the 20th century, the architects of the Cairo Electric Railways and Heliopolis Oases Company which was the Belgian company responsible for the building of a new suburb “Heliopolis” ;...
(The architectural style of Heliopolis)
- Charles Ayrout
Charles Habib Ayrout was an architect practicing in Cairo and is considered as one of the city's Belle Époque architects for his landmark buildings and villas.-Family:...
Further reading