In Pictures: A Tribute to Heliopolis, One of Cairo’s Earliest Suburbs
An old shot of the Baron Empain Palace.
As Cairo’s population grows and movement and traffic continue to increase within the megacity, changes in infrastructure are ensuing. One of the parts of Cairo that is facing drastic changes in its iconic aesthetic is Heliopolis.
To create connections with the New Administrative Capital and to ease congestion on Heliopolis roads, the suburb has been seeing the building of new bridges and the changing of routes, as well as the removal of many of the green areas it was known for.
While some of the suburb’s most recognisable landmarks such as the overground metro have been removed, others — such as the Baron Palace built by the Belgian Baron Empain — have been slightly changed. However, others yet, such as the Catholic Basilica, have been kept as they are as their surroundings change.
This collection of images is here to commemorate the old Heliopolis, one of Cairo’s oldest suburbs, ahead of its functional makeover.
Villa Chamas Bey, where King Farouk proposed to Queen Farida. Captured in 2015 by Andrew Shenouda.
A view of Heliopolis’ Neo-Islamic style. Captured in 1931.
A shot of the iconic Baron Empain Palace. Captured in 2018 by Seif Amro.
The local branch of the Teacher’s Syndicate in Heliopolis. Captured in 2017 by Tarek Ezzat.
A view of Heliopolis’ Neo-Islamic style. Retrieved from Worldacrchitecture.org.
The tracks of the iconic Heliopolis overground metro along with the Catholic Basilica. Captured in 2017 by Tarek Ezzat.
The road leading to the Baron Empain Palace. Captured in 2008 by Ahmed El-Daly.
Historical image of the Basilique church. Retrieved from Twitter account @Effendina.
A panoramic view of Ismail Fikry Street and its greenery. Captured in 2015 by Andrew Shenouda.
Ramadan decorations in El-Korba. Captured in 2015 by Andrew Shenouda.
An aerial view of the Basilique church. Captured in the 1920s. Retrieved from Facebook page Heliopolis Heritage Initiative.
Senior Editor at Egyptian Streets and Adjunct Professor at the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at the American University in Cairo. Holds a master's degree in Global Journalism from the University of Sheffield, where she wrote a dissertation about the effect of disinformation on the profession of journalism. Passionate about music, story-telling, baking, social justice, and taking care of her plants.
"If you smell something, say something." -Jon Stewart, 2015
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