Egypt has massive plans to make use of historic presidential palaces to draw and revitalize tourism — primarily Qubba Palace, one of many oldest presidential palaces in Egypt.
The Egyptian presidency posted on social media Nov. 6 a video taken in Qubba Palace after it was revamped. The palace now showcases antiques and historic photos and statues. It additionally homes the Qubba Palace Autos Museum, which features a uncommon assortment of vehicles that had been utilized in completely different eras of Egyptian rulers from the royal period till now, along with historic images and statues of all Egyptian presidents and kings.
The revamping additionally included the inside gardens, dwelling to a number of uncommon vegetation such because the over-100-year-old sycamore tree discovered within the palace backyard.
The restoration additionally included the event of the inside historic fountain space, the institution of theaters and a restaurant for guests, the development of sports activities fields, the event of the royal greenhouses and rose backyard, and the institution of a backyard complicated that features a backyard for every kind of fruit.
After reconstruction, the Qubba Palace Museum, which showcases artifacts, instruments, items of furnishings, and rooms of rulers and presidents all through the ages because the institution of the historic palace, was additionally established.
On Sept. 27, 2018, Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Khaled Al-Anani determined to register the palace and its annexes in Al-Qubba Gardens neighborhood within the Cairo governorate as Islamic and Coptic antiquities.
Qubba as a presidential palace dates back to the period of the Muhammad Ali Pasha household. It was constructed through the reign of Khedive Ismail. Development started in 1867 and led to late 1872.
The palace formally opened in January 1873 when a royal marriage ceremony was held for Crown Prince Ismail, then-ruler of Egypt. The palace was then related to legendary weddings and weddings of the royal household.
Qubba Palace covers 190 acres, making it one of many largest presidential palaces in Egypt. After the autumn of the monarchy and the declaration of the republic within the wake of the revolution of July 23, 1952, it was was one of many presidential palaces. It turned the reception and residence of presidents who visited Egypt. It was in actual fact the residence of the Shah of Iran Muhammad Reza Pahlavi throughout his political asylum in Egypt after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
In 2009, Qubba Palace hosted US President Barack Obama throughout his go to to Egypt.
In 2014, the inauguration ceremony of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was held there. Former guests to the palace embrace, for instance, former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Xi Jinping of China.
The state invested within the historic worth of Qubba Palace and turned it into an archaeological shrine. In April 2021, the palace was opened experimentally to the general public after it was ready to obtain vacationers. Lebanese singer Magida El Roumi carried out the primary live performance there within the presence of a number of public figures, officers, artists, media retailers and members of most of the people.
In July 2021, Qubba Palace hosted the Nationwide Actual Property Exhibition, with the participation of many actual property builders and actual property growth corporations, along with a live performance within the presence of residents.
In October 2021, Egypt’s Awards for Authorities Excellence was held in Qubba Palace within the presence of Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly.
Muhammad Al-Kahlawi, professor of Islamic archaeology at Cairo College and head of the Normal Union of Arab Archaeologists, careworn that “the state’s method to exploiting the historic worth of the presidential palaces is a vital step to stimulate tourism.”
In unique statements to Al-Monitor, Kahlawi mentioned, “Qubba Palace is a historic monument that witnessed necessary phases in Egypt’s trendy historical past and the royal and republican period as effectively.”
He identified that “Egypt additionally exploited different presidential palaces to draw tourism. The challenge to develop the Muhammad Ali Palace was one among these tasks, because the palace was uncared for through the previous durations. However the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities determined to develop it to open its doorways to guests.”
In September 2021, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities introduced the completion of the restoration and growth of the over-200-year-old royal Muhammad Ali Palace within the Shubra al-Khaimah space and opened it to guests.
Kahlawi identified that “the presidential and royal palaces are registered as Islamic monuments as a result of they’re distinguished by an architectural fashion and show collectibles recalling Islamic structure. Due to this fact, these palaces appeal to Arab tourism and revive inside tourism.”
He defined that “international tourism in Egypt will not be inclined to such Islamic antiquities however fairly to Pharaonic antiquities. This doesn’t diminish the significance of these presidential palaces in stimulating tourism.”
“Egyptians, normally, are all the time curious concerning the contents of presidential palaces, particularly since these palaces are all the time surrounded by heavy safety and are exhausting to entry. Due to this fact, when the state permits residents to enter the presidential Qubba Palace, which was solely not too long ago restricted to visiting presidents, this can actually stimulate inside tourism, which was hit exhausting by the coronavirus pandemic,” Kahlawi added.
