Tucked away in the old El-Daher neighbourhood in the heart of Cairo lies one of the gems of the city: Sakakini Pacha Palace, whose silhouette towers over the square named after the palace’s first owner. This boldly decorated, multi-domed, architectural masterpiece is set to open to the public again this year, but what is the story behind this 123-year-old gem? El Sakakini Palace was built in 1897 by the head of the Syrian Sakakini family, Gabriel Habib Sakakini Pacha, who lived from 1841 to 1923. He first arrived in Egypt to work with the Suez Canal company in Port Said but later moved to Cairo, where he built this beauteous edifice we enjoy until today. Constructed in the lavish French Rococo style of the 18th century, the palace is decked with elaborate sculptures of young women and children, and its ceilings are painted with scenes typical of the style to which it belongs. The inside of the palace is home to the marble bust bust of the late Sakakini Pacha, as well as unique relics such as the famous Dorrat Al-Tag (Crown Jewel) sculpture of a young girl, and the…
