Hulwan
Encyclopedia
Helwan also spelled Hilwan or Hulwan or Holwan, is a city in Egypt
on the bank of the Nile
river, opposite the ruins of Memphis
. Originally a southern suburb of Cairo
, it served as the capital of the now defunct Helwan Governorate
from April 2008 to April 2011, after which it was re-incorporated into the Cairo Governorate. The kism of Helwan had a population of 643,327 at the 2006 population census
.
During the early part of the 20th century, the city was the site of RAF Helwan, a major British
airbase, which was later used by the Egyptian Air Force
.
In April 2008, the Helwan Governorate
was split from the Cairo Governorate. It encompassed most of the suburbs, new compounds and villages located in the southern part of Cairo. The city of Helwan became the capital of the new governorate. Following the dissolution of the Helwan Governorate in April 2011, the city of Helwan was reincorporated into the Cairo Governorate.
, steel
, textiles and cement
. The area has hot sulphur springs, an astronomical observatory, the Helwan University
and a burial chamber (discovered in 1946). It is the terminus of Cairo's light rail Metro Line 1.
districts such as Madinaty, El-Rehab city, the Fifth compound district (El-Tagammu' El-Khames).
The city of Helwan itself includes districts such as Wadi Hof, Hadayek Helwan, and Maasara.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
on the bank of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
river, opposite the ruins of Memphis
Memphis, Egypt
Memphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo.According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an...
. Originally a southern suburb of Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, it served as the capital of the now defunct Helwan Governorate
Helwan Governorate
Helwan Governorate was one of the governorates of Egypt. It was located in Lower Egypt.-History:The Helwan Governorate was split from the Cairo Governorate in April 2008. It was created through a presidential decree in order to ease the burden placed on Cairo, one of Egypt's most densely populated...
from April 2008 to April 2011, after which it was re-incorporated into the Cairo Governorate. The kism of Helwan had a population of 643,327 at the 2006 population census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
.
History
The Khedivial Astronomical Observatory was built here 1903-1904, and was used to observe Halley's comet. Egypt's oldest and largest private psychiatric clinic, the Behman Hospital, was also constructed here in 1939.During the early part of the 20th century, the city was the site of RAF Helwan, a major British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
airbase, which was later used by the Egyptian Air Force
Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed...
.
In April 2008, the Helwan Governorate
Helwan Governorate
Helwan Governorate was one of the governorates of Egypt. It was located in Lower Egypt.-History:The Helwan Governorate was split from the Cairo Governorate in April 2008. It was created through a presidential decree in order to ease the burden placed on Cairo, one of Egypt's most densely populated...
was split from the Cairo Governorate. It encompassed most of the suburbs, new compounds and villages located in the southern part of Cairo. The city of Helwan became the capital of the new governorate. Following the dissolution of the Helwan Governorate in April 2011, the city of Helwan was reincorporated into the Cairo Governorate.
Economy
Local industry includes ironIron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
, textiles and cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
. The area has hot sulphur springs, an astronomical observatory, the Helwan University
Helwan University
Helwan University is a public university based in Helwan in Egypt. It comprises 18 faculties as well as 50 research centers.Generally, it is known for engineering and business studies...
and a burial chamber (discovered in 1946). It is the terminus of Cairo's light rail Metro Line 1.
Districts
The now defunct Helwan Governorate encompassed the following districts: Maadi, Helwan, 15th of May, EL-Sherouk city, El-Obour city, Badr city, New CairoNew Cairo
New Cairo is a new satellite city of Cairo. Located in what was formerly desert, the master plan was created in 2001 by a Boston firm. It is the home of the new campus of the American University in Cairo, as well as the German University in Cairo, the Future University in Egypt and the Canadian...
districts such as Madinaty, El-Rehab city, the Fifth compound district (El-Tagammu' El-Khames).
The city of Helwan itself includes districts such as Wadi Hof, Hadayek Helwan, and Maasara.