Derestricted Technical Report

RP/PP/l979-1980/4/7.6/05

ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT

Programme o participation in f the activities o Member States f f r the preservation and o presentation o the cultural f and natural heritage

The Conservation o the old Ct f iy o Cairo f

Jim Antoniou Stephano Bianca S e i El-Hakim hrf Ronald Lewcock Michael Welbank
by

S r a No. FMR/CC/CH/80/182 eil

Ullt SCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Paris, 1985

ARAB REPUBUC

aF EGYPT

THE CONSERVATION OF THE OLD

CITY OF CAIRO

by Jim Antonioti Stephano Bianca Sherif El-Hakim Ronald Lewcock Michael Welbank

Report prepared for the Governatnt of The Arab Republic of Egypt by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco)

U N E S C O

Technical Report o/ 4/7 6/os FMR/CC/CH/80/18 2 (Antonioa etc. ) First printed in London on 5 November 1980 Reprinted 15 November 1985 0Unesco 1980 Printed in France
Rp/w/m9-a

&e designations employed.and the presentation of the material in this document do not impiy the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delirattation of frontiers.

CONTENTS
1.

PAGE -

INTRODUCTION

2.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

2.1

11

The Present Situation Approach to the Problems Priorities for Action

2.2 2.3

3.

THE STUDY AREA 3.1

3.2

21

Choice of Study Area The Study Area Components Environmental Setting of the Study Area

3.3

4.

REVIEW OF STUDY AREA

4.1

31

Social Economic Issues Administrat ion Infrastructure

4.2
4.3

5.

CONSERVATION STRATEGY
5.1

57

Present State of Buildings Building Conservation Priority Zones

5.2 5.3

6.

IMPLEMENTATION 6.1 Aims and Techniques of Conservation 6,2 Operational System 6.3 Other Action. APPENDICES
..

91

-. .

105

FIGURES

NUMBER
Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig.
1

TITLE Historic Cairo Study Area Environmental Setting Pattern of Population Loss Migration within Gamaliya Study Area Population Commuting Location of Activities Before and After Example Before and After Example Examples of Neglect Ground Water Foundat ions
Roofs

PAGE
I _

22 25 26
35

2
3

36
36

7
8
9

38
40

48
49

Fig. 10 Fig. 11 Fig. 12 Fig. 13 Fig. 14

P g . 15 i.

50-51

55
61

63

Walls Building Decay Monuments of the Study Area Monument Selection Structure of Zones Zone 1 and 2 zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Zone 6

63
64
69

Fig. 16 Fig. 17 Fig. 18 Fig. 19 Fig. 20 Fig. 21 Fig. 22 Fig. 23 Fig. 24 Fig. 25

71

79
81

82
84

as
86
97

. .
Possible Technique of Wall Protection.

1.1 1.1.1

The Mission In response to a request from the Egyptian Government, UNESCO undertook in February 1980 to provide a mission to prepare a report on a conservation strategy for the old city . of Cairo. The members of this mission made a number of visits of varying lengths of time ofer the period February to August 1980. In this study the mission was assisted by many members of the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation, and in particular Dr. Shehata Adam has given the greatest help. The work of the study has gained enormously from his personal interest, support and advice. It is not the purpose of this report to provide detailed planning proposals for all listed monuments in all the historic areas of Cairo, but rather to formulate a practical conservation strategy for specific areas as part of an emergency action over a period of five years. The Team The study team was assisted by the following key field staff:-

1.1.2

1.1.3

1.1.4

Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr. Mr.

Husain El Din Ismael Sarneh Mohamed Fathy Fahmy Abdel Alirn Ahmed Adel Al Sayed Osama Sayed Hafiz

1.1.5

Acknowledgments During the course of the mission, the study team was assisted by many people and the following were particularly generous in giving of their time . and knowledge : The Dr. Mr. Mr. Egyptian Antiquities Organisation Shehata Adam Suliman Ahmed Suliman Mahmoud Hadidi

The Governate of Cairo Mr. El Ghoury General Organisation for Physical Planning (GOPP) Mr. Michel Fouad Society for the Protection of Architectural Resources of Egypt (SPARE) Dr. J. Rodenbeck The Egyptian Association of Lovers of Antiquities Ms. Laila Ali Ibrahim Dr. Mirrit Butros Ghali UNESCO Mr. Said Zulficar.

1.2 1.2.1

Cultural Significance of Historic Cairo The cultural significance of historic Cairo has been accepted internationally. The old city was included in the world Heritage List by the World Heritage Convention in 1979. Consequently, historic Cairo ranks with the main Pharaonic monuments of Egypt and others of international significance in the world.

1.2.2

Although traditionally strong emphasis has been given in Egypt to the wealth of Pharaonic heritage there is now a growing interest by many individuals and organisations.in the Islamic heritage. Such organisations include: The Egyptian Association of Lovers of Antiquities The Society for the Protection of Architectural Resources of Egypt The Centre for Egyptian Civilisation Studies The World of Islam Trust The Aga Khan Foundation Etc , etc.

1.2.3

However the attitudes of the local people, who live and work in the old city, towards the heritage around them is a more difficult and complex matter to To some it is an outdated urban fabric, assess. but to others it is a precious and significant heritage. In any study of the old city it is important to realize that there are differing attitudes to the question of conservation of this heritage.

!
c

Ubre

s u m m r q y arm conclusons
11

12

2.1
2.1.1

The Present Situation The study area, with an overall population of some 320,000 (1976) consists of an area approximately 3.7 sq.km. and is bounded by Bab al Futuh and Bab al Nasr to the north, the Ibn Tulun Mosque to the south, the Port Said Road to the west and the Salah Salem road to the east. Over the period 1966-1976, the residential population of the study area has declined by some 8.6% Cor some 30,000 people) in a period when Cairo as a whole expanded by some 3.5% per year. There are indications that the rate of loss may be accelerating. This loss of residential population can be directly related to the loss of dwellings in the area. This is due to a number of factors including the impact of rent control leading to lack of maintenance and eventual destruction of dwellings; the pressures from commercial interests seeking expansion space: voluntary building demolition by occupants to gain rights to the new accommodation elsewhere; the deterioration of the building fabric ariskng from general decay and rising ground water leading to building collapse; inadequate maintenance and the use of inappropriate building technology. Commercial interests are flourishing, expanding and becoming the dominant force in the old city, and this commercial' activity is changing in character. The traditional pattern of craftsmen and small workshops is changing over to small manufacturing industries, leading to an increase in the employment of unskilled workers at the expense of craftsmen and skilled workers. A steadily increasing bulk of materials and goods flows through the study area, while some 94,000 workers travel daily in and out from outlying residential areas. The traditional pattern whereby craftsmen, merchants and workers lived and worked in integrated communities is being rapidly replaced by a new pattern of larger manufacturing establishments which does not fit well into the old urban fabric. If this new pattern is not checked it will result in these newer commercial interests dominating all aspects of the life in the old city over the next decade.

2.1.2

2.1.3

2.1.4

13

2.1.5

Within the study area, there are 450 listed buildings out of a total of 620 for the whole of Cairo. The resources available for the conservation of the heritage of these historic monuments are totally inadequate to the magnitude of the problem. Historic monuments were well maintained until about thirty years ago, but the rising water table combined with the serious lack of maintenance, particularly of the roofs, has led to rapid deterioration of the masonry and wooden ceilings leading in some cases to the total collapse of buildings. The built fabric currently divides into those constructions which are more than thirty years old, in various stages of deterioration, with the vast majority surviving only at single storey height, and those newly built in the last thirty years which are of relatively low quality of construction and design, also like the former, deteriorating rapidly as a result of basic lack of appropriate maintenance. The type of new construction now being built is usually alien to the traditional urban form of the old city; is insensitive to the conditions of the old city and interferes with the finely balanced pattern of the traditional urban development. If the general pattern of the new development continues, then the traditional urban fabric will also rapidly disappear. The cobbled streets are not receiving adequate maintenance and have become uneven so that the local inhabitants add layers of clay and rubbish to smooth them out, resulting in concentrations of mud in times of rain and heavy dust during the dry season. The dense development of the study area, with narrow congested streets, does not allow adequate access and parking to the level demanded by the activities now flourishing in the study area. Routes with fast traffic, including motor bicycles, small noisy vehicles and heavy pedestrian flows create danger and inconvenience to the people who use them. Large noisy buses use narrow streets adding further to congestion and environmental degradation.

2.1.6

2.1.7

2.1.8

2.1.9

14

2.1.10

The scale of commercial activity encourages large vehicles for delivery purposes within the study area and has a detrimental effect on the structure of the monuments. The main traffic route, Sharia El Azhar, and to a lesser extent Sharia El Qal'a, physically divide the study area and interfere with the flow of movement of people through the area. Midan Al Husayni is heavily congested with parked and moving vehic1es;further limiting the access of people on foot. Although the area has an extensive network of services covering water supply, electricity and drainage to nearly all premises, these networks are overloaded and in need of maintenance. In particular the trunk sewer along the Sharia Port Said, acting as the principal collector for the area, is critically overloaded, creating a back flow which affects at least half the study area. It is unlikely that this problem will be alleviated within seven to ten years. The limited infrastructure facilities in the cemeteries to the east of the old city, where large numbers of people now live, results in seepage into the study area created by the natural falls of the ground. The leakage from the sewer and water distribution spstem add to the saturated condition of the top layer of soil and aggravate the acute problems of the high water table. In many parts of the city the water table has already reached ground level. Seepage can be seen freely on the streets and on the ground floor of buildings. This is one of the most important contributing factors to the rapid deterioration of the monuments and of all buildings in the study area and indeed affects the whole of Cairo. There is considerable confusion and overlapping responsibilities between the various authorities with roles in the study area related both to the historical monuments and to the general administration of the old city. There is currently no coherent overall policy or plan for the guidance of the future development of the old city. In this situation the de facto control of the area lies in the hands of the dominant and most active interests in the area namely the commercial interests.

2.1.11

2.1.12

2.1.13

15

2.1.14

The public authorities are in a weak position to maintain adequate control over the area. Some thirty per cent of new construction in the area takes place without valid permissions. Indexed historical monuments continue to be destroyed at a steady rate. Examples of neglect and decay abound.

2.2
2.2.1

Approach to the Problems Attempts must be made to reverse the flight of the residential population, to improve the housing conditions of the residents and to limit the expansion of commercial and industrial activity. The continuance of a thriving and contented residential community is a proper objective in itself but it will in addition act as a brake on the expansion of the commercial interests and create a more balanced community in the area. It will also reduce the growth of traffic, the journey to work of employees and the general demands on the infrastructure of the area. The existing housing stock should be improved and new housing must be developed to meet the needs of the residents. Further there should be programmes developed to encourage the continuance of small scale crafts and trading compatible with the character of the old city, to bring in appropriate new useS.and to exploit the tourism potential. What is required is not simply another master plan but immediate action proposals. The situation in relation to the historic monuments has now reached a serious position. An emergency programme of action for the next five years shoul be launched, concentrated on specific areas. This can maximise the use of limited resources available, stimulate interest and encourage the inflow of further funds. Immediate action will ensure that a critical corpus of monuments is saved. The existing list of monuments should be reexamined and all maps and indexes should be brought up to date. The protection accorded to all indexed monuments in the area should be strengthened.

2.2.2

2.2.3

16

2.2.4

The programmes for the progressive improvement of the water, electricity, drainage and sewerage networks, as proposed by the organisations responsible for these services,should be continued at the fastest possible speed. Research and study of the ground water position in the Nile Valley around Cairo is vital and the current programmes on this subject should be strengthened and accelerated. The road system of the old city must for the foreseeable future be accepted as it stands and all improvements in accessibility and movement must come from traffic management. The old city should not have to bear the traffic whose origin or destination is outside the area. Concentrated control and development in clearly defined areas must be undertaken by a powerful authority. Emergency procedures to achieve the reversal of the rapid deterioration of monuments should be introduced within these defined areas.

2.2.5

2.2.6

2.2.7

2.3

Priorities for Action firstly at the level of the study area as a whole and secondly with specific clusters of monuments within the study area chosen for an immediate programme. Within the study area a programme of housing upgrading and improvement must be initiated. This must be integrated with the conservation policies of the study area.

2.3.1

Two levels of action are proposed:

2.3.2

17

2.3.3

Traffic management measures should be instituted to achieve a limitation of vehicles not exceeding 1 ton axle weight and 4.5m in length and to restrict speed of vehicles. A limitation should also be imposed on the construction of new roads. Particular emphasis must be given to safeguarding the traditional thoroughfares in the study area: Sharia Mu'izz li-Din Allah, Sharia al-Gamaliya, and Sharia Darb el Ahmar. The programes currently established to repair and improve the distribution networks of water supply, electricity, drainage and sewerage should be accelerated, together with the improvement of road maintenance, street cleaning and rubbish collection. Information and education programmes should be established to enlarge awareness of the situation in the study area. This report defines six priority zones containing clusters of monuments for an initial five year emergency programme. Within each zone action is required to deal with restoration of monuments, to control the design and construction of new buildings, to rehabilitate and improve existing sites and buildings, to introduce new compatible functions for monuments, and to improve and contribute to the social facilities of the neighbourhood. A Cairo Conservation Agency (CCA) should be established without delay by Presidential decree to act in the six zones. The CCA should be a co-ordinating and implementing technical authority, for which it is highly desirable to seek international support and involvement. The CCA should also consider the expansion of the zones, as well as the establishment of new ones, after the first five year plan is complete.

2.3.4

2.3.5

2.3.6

2.3.7

18

2.3.8

All land owned by the Waqf, (other than mosques in use), within the six zones should be "exchanged" with other lands outside the historic area at appropriate market prices by the public authorities. This can lead to a unification of land ownership in these zones and can thus ensure appropriate and compatible development within the six zones.

2.3.9

Further studies should be launched as soon as possible to include: i) a comprehensive review of the index of listed monuments with a view to adding a number of monuments of worth not now included in it. planning and conservation proposals for the following areas:a) b) C) d) e) iii) iv) the Northern Cemetery the Southern Cemetery the Fustat Zone the Coptic area of Old Cairo Bulaq.

ii 1

detail design studies of specific areas in and around the study area. research studies to establish the precise impact of manufacturing industry in the study area and to determine policies to allow its continued development without damage to the historic heritage by relocation, by regulation and by the provision of incentives. a range of economic, commercial trading initiatives to benefit the residential population without damaging the historic heritage, including the tourism potential of the old city. through the Cairo Conservation Agency, the development of effective and acceptable local techniques for overcoming the ground water problem around monuments and buildings in the old city.

V)

vi)

19

vii)
'

social studies to gain a full understanding of the position, problems and aspirations of the existing residential population.

vii'i) programmes to improve the housing conditions of the residential population in the area.

20

21

250
500

750

1000 metres.

Fig. 1

HISTORIC CAIRO

22

3.1

Choice of Study Area The various components of this unique historic city which still survive today are grouped as follows (see Fig. i): i) ii) iii) iv) the area loosely defined as the Fatimid City. the mainly uninhabited areas of Fustat, in the extreme south. the area known as Old Cairo to the south, with its many Coptic monuments. the northern and eastern cemetexies.

3.1.1

3.1.2

It was not possible to make proposals for all these districts and the team therefore concentrated its efforts in this first pilot study o n examining the situation of the Fatimid City where the greatest concentration of historic buildings exists. However, it must be stressed that similar studies are urgently required in all the districts mentioned, and it is strongly recommended that such studies should be initiated as soon as possible . Moreover, it should be noted that each of the abovementioned districts has its own distinctive characteristics, requiring a different approach to dealing with its particular problems. For example Fustat is primarily an uninhabited area and an archaeological site: Old Cairo contains mainly Coptic monuments, and the cemeteries contain many fine mausoleums with their distinctive domes. Bulaq has been absorbed into the fabric of modern Cairo and is lacking in the characteristics of a homogeneous historic community, but monuments survive there as individual -entities.

23

' -

3.2

The Study Area Components The study area, with an overall estimated population of some 320,000 (1976) consists of an area approximately 3.7 sq.km. and is bounded by Bab al-Futh and Bab al-Nasr to the north of the I h Tln Mosque to the south, the Sharia Port Said to the west and the Salh Salem Road to the east (see Fig. 2). The table below gives the areas of a number of wellknown districts and large spaces in different parts of the world as a means of comparison of scale: Comparison of Sizes District Montmartre, Paris, France Greenwich Village, NY, USA Historic Aleppo, Syria The City of London, UK Medina, Tunis, Tunisia The Study Area, Cairo, Egypt Historic Venice, Italy Approx. Area (sq.km.1 1.2 1.75 2.0 2.5 2.7 3.7 4.5

3.2.1

3.2.2

Within the context of the study area, three levels of analysis have been considered: the extent of the study area as defined above and its setting in Cairo. Relevant information on this area has been gathered mainly from other studies and census material. The limitations on resources did not allow the team to undertake detail studies of the whole area, although the environmental setting was examined. ii) a strip approximately 50Om wide along the main spine of the study area was examined to assess the age and conditions of historic buildings (both listed and unlisted) to determine which of these were worthy of conservation. A short study was also undertaken to record the comercial activities along the spine itself which acts as the main shopping thoroughfare. A broad analysis was also made relating to the spine in terms of urban design concepts.

24

MAIN SPINE STRIP GROUPS OF

B U 1 LD IN GS

Fig. 2

STUDY A R E A

25

'

Fig. 3

E N V I R O N M E N T A L SETTING
26

iii)

Within this 50m strip, 'clusters' or groups of buildings for conservation were identified in some detail; further studies were undertaken to extend the 'clusters' into coherent zones which include buildings other than those worthy of conservation in themselves. Some indication is also provided as to how these zones might be expanded or how new ones might be identified in the future. Within three of the zones, short pilot studies were undertaken to provide criteria relating to social indicators to guide rehabilitation proposals.

3.3
3.3.1

Environmental Setting of the Study Area The key features of the environmental setting of the study area are as follows and are shown on Fig.3. i) the land form is distinguished by the hills to the east, the cemeteries to the northeast and south and modern Cairo to the west with its high rise buildings. It is important to retain this clear distinction between the unique historic part and the new scale to development emerging in modern Cairo. the extent of the study area is strongly defined on three sides: to the north by the gates and walls, to the east by the line of Salh Salem Road and to the west by Sharia Port Said. In contrast, to the south, the boundary of the study area is not clearly defined until the open area of Fustat is reached. For the purposes of this study an east/west boundary line running just to the south of the Ibn Tln Mosque has been chosen for convenience at a point where the fabric of the old city changes.

ii)

27

iii)

the urban texture of the study area is a homogeneous one, characterised by tight busy streets with continuous development, mostly of even height. Over these bustling streets hover the much largerscale buildings of mosques with their towers and minarets. Certain buildings and spaces are so massive that they stand out as separate entities from the general texture of the study area. These include: a) the al Hakim Mosque and the open area used for the garlic market inside the Bab al Futuh, the al Azhar Mosque and its large open square, Bab Zuweila, the Mosque of Sultan Hasan, the massive Citadel, the Mosque of Ibn Tulun.

b)
C)

d) e) f)

This fine balance of homogeneous texture and isolated large buildings should be retained and further new buildings should respect this relationship. iv 1 strong routes within this tight, 'urban grain make connecting links through the area and are intensively used, thus providing a clear differentiation from the mass of local streets. The most dominant route for pedestrians is the north/south spine running through the study area, from Bab al Futuh to the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, reflecting its historic development. There is a temporary brake in the continuity of the route as a result of the Sharia alAzhar and the subsequent footbridge provided to separate vehicular traffic for pedestrians. This route has the greater concentration of activities from the Street of the Tent Makers to the Bab al Futuh. There are also two sub-routes which in addition to vehicular traffic carry large numbers of pedestrians: one runs parallel to the main north/south spine from Bab al Nasr along the Sharia al Gamaliya and the other leads from Bab al Zuweila to the vicinity of the Citadel.

28

There is also the swathe through the city created by the Sharia al-Azhar, a relatively modern street of greater dimensions than the other streets, busy with traffic and commercial activity. For much of its length, it has the Sharia Muski.running roughly parallel to it on an east/west axis. In addition the Sharia El-Qal'a runs diagonally, cutting through the study area from the Sharia Port Said to the Sultan Hasam Mosque.

29

31

32

4.1
4.1.1

Socio-Economic Issues
A socio-economic study was undertaken and there is close interaction between this part of the study and others more specifically related to the conservation of buildings.

The study undertook an examination of the socioeconomic scene at a number of levels simultaneously, namely:

i) ii)

central Cairo the old city

indicating the context of

the study area providing a brief picture of the position within the study area as a whole

iii) three specific zones giving a more detailed understanding of the local situation iv) commercial interests and activities within the study area were also examined.

4.1.2

The basic data for the first two of these levels of the study was obtained by the utilisation of existing data sources and previous studies in the area. The data for third and fourth levels of study was derived from field studies. In addition there was archive research and meetings held with interested qroups involved in the area of the old c t : iy Although this study does not lay any claim to be a Comprehensive socio-economic study of the area, it does attempt, within the resources available, to identify the key issues, to provide relevant data: to draw.preliminary conclusions; and to indicate the direction and scope of further necessary studies.

4.1.3

Central Cairo In the past two decades Cairo's population has been expanding at an average rate of 3.5% per year. The overall expansion of Cairo is taking place as a result of two different factors; firstly migrants from the rural areas and other towns in Egypt who come to Cairo; and secondly the natural increase of the population of Cairo. In physical terms this population is being absorbed by the peripheral expansion. In contrast, Cairo is losing population in its centre.

33

4.1.4

Analysis of available census data shows a strong outward movement of population from the central part of Cairo encompassing the old city. Fig.4 shows the central districts that have been losing population since 1960. This is partly a result of the transformation.of the central city's upper-income residential districts to commercial areas and partly by the flight by low-income groups from old, badly maintained crowded housing to the more comfortable and less dense quarters provided at the periphery. This general pattern of migration can also be detected within those Kisms which spread from the centre to the periphery. For instance, the population of Gamaliya increased by 10.6% over the last ten years. However, on closer inspection at'shiekha level, it is clear that the central Shiekhas of Gamaliya have suffered a net average loss of 2.8% over the same period. Gamaliya in total registered an increase due to the very large increase obtaining in the shiekhas at the periphery (see Figure 5). Internal migration is thus occurring within Cairo as a whole as well as within the old city.

4.1.5

The Study Area Population data for the study area were derived from the census data as officially published by the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS). Historical data for the study area are not readily available because of the changes that have been made to shiekha boundaries over the years and the creation of new shiekhas. But the data available are adequate to indicate the trend in this area which follows the same pattern as that for central Cairo. Because the socio-economic forces responsible for much of this change have probably gained greater momentum since the 1976 census, it is almost certain that the rate of exchange has already increased.

4.1.6

The total population of the shiekhas of the study area according to the 1976 census was 320,426 (162,679 males and 157,474 females) which is an 8.6% loss on the 1966 figures when the population was reported to be 350,717. The area therefore lost roughly 30,291 people during this period. If the natural increase of the area population is taken into account (say at 2.38% annually)

34

Shubra

Ei Kheima

Misr E Kadima l

Cairo Onert

Kisms that have l s ot population between 66 76 Kisms that have l s ot

Fig. 4

PATTERN OF POPULATION LOSS

35

Comparison of growth rates of Gamaliya as a whole and of the Shiekhas within the study area 1966 1966 Gama 1iy a Total Shiekhas of Gamaliya in Study Area
% of Total

1976:
% of Total % Change

1976

130873

(100%)

167000

(100%)

10.6%

93781

( 70%)

91123

( 54%)

2.8%
~~

Source: Capmas

Fig. 5

MIGRATION WITHIN G A M A L I Y A

4oO.ooo

3oo.ooo

200.0w

1 00.ooo

O.
lm 1976 1980
'

2000

Fig. 6

S T U D Y A R E A POPULATION

POPULATION DECREASE I STUDY AREA N

~~~~~ ~

Shiekha

Population
1976

Average annuel %
decrease since 1966

Trend continued
1980

2Ooo

Population
79.430 129,776 10,473 90,103 309,402

Population
51,730 111,831 8,193 85,001 254,282

Khdita

84.970 133,404

-1.63

-0.68
-1 .o4

Shareva arnaliva Total

10.929 91,123 320.426

-0.28

4.1.6

Cont'd the implications are that some 37,258 people have effectively left the area during that ten year period leaving behind them at a minimum some 6,600* dwelling units assuming an average household size of 5. A crude projection of this trend to present an indication of its implications is given in Fig. 6.

4.1.7

Three Specific Zones A programme of field work was undertaken in three specific "zones" related to conservation concepts described later in this report. The fieldwork was by means of interviews with residents within the three selected Nos. 2, 4 and 6 covering different parts of the study area. The aim was to provide a detailed picture of the people who lived there and their conditions in order to establish how their needs inter-related with the requirements of conservation in the zone.

4.1.8

Within the zones the general picture that emerged is that about one half of the families were living in conditions of severe overcrowding. Between one quarter and one third of the dwelling units had neither water supply nor toilets. The highest rentals and poorest facilities arose in the 'private rented' sector. Occupations of the residents were very varied but about one quarter of the households had incomes of less than 250 LE per annum. Housing conditions were worst in zones 2 and 4,which have a major commercial and manufacturing component. Commercial Interests and Activities The study area itself contains the greatest density of commercial and small-scale manufacturing enterprises in all Cairo. It has roughly 200 more shops per resident than the average for the city (one shop for every 23.9 residents as complared to 34.7 for Cairo as a whole).

4.1.9

4.1.10

Some 30% of the resident population is active in the labour force, constituting some 96,734 workers (83,567 males and only 13,167 females). Of these resident members of the labour force, roughly 53% (51,269) work within the area itself while 47%

*This figure is derived by assuming that the average family size of the population of 30,000 who left the area was 5. 37

Fig. 7

COMMUTING
38

4.1.10

Cont'd (45,465) have jobs outside the area. At the same time some 48,463 workers (49% of all workers employed in the area) come in to the area to work from places outside. These figures indicate that there are roughly 100,528 jobs in the area derived from the Kism level rates. The majority of the workers (41%) who live in the area hold jobs in small-scale manufacturing industries while 14.9% are engaged in sales and related activities. This breakdown does not necessarily characterise the types of jobs available since many residents work outside and many workers commute into the area.

4.1.11

There is extensive commuting and about 94,723 workers move in and out of the area twice a day. Much of this commuting is a direct result of the centre to periphery migration (See Fig. 7). Most of the outward migration to work is to the areas containing manufacturing and industrial estates, while most of the inward migration to work comes fr'om thg new peripheral residential development districts. An establishment survey was carried out along the main spine of the study area during April 1980 which shows the importance of this commercial/manufacturing activity taking place in the area. Because the survey was carried out only along the main spine it tends to over-represent the extent of the retail trade in the area. From this field survey, in conjunction with examination of previous generalised land use surveys of the area,it is possible to present a broad distribution of the activities in the area (see Fig. 8). There is a concentration in the established pattern of retail trades along the spine of the study area. New premises and the extension of associated manufacturing and warehousing uses expand behind the spine within the boundary of the study area.

4.1.12

4.1.13

The distribution of activities creates considerable traffic movement. The number of vehicles,coupled with heavy pedestrian movement,produces acute congestion at a number of points in the study area. There is, in addition,the commercial vehicular traffic in and out of the .study area each day connecting it with Alexandria, 57% of the traffic, and Ismalia and the Suez Canal, 27% of the traffic. No data was available regarding the commodities transported by

39

Fig. 8

LOCATION OF ACTIVITIES
40

4.1.13

Cont'd by this means but from observation it is clear that much of this is the movement of outward-bound finished products to markets and inward-bound raw materials.

4.1.14

The comercial and manufacturing activities in the area are for the most part highly interdependent and are not "foot-loose" activities. Commodities are produced here by workshops, located near to each other, that treat the same item in the process of production. Leather, for example, is tanned, dyed, embossed and printed by separate workshops before it is sold wholesale in the form of leather goods. It is the retailer who commissions the separate specialised workshops. Such complex interdependency is true for many items including silver work, brass, copper and woodwork. The process of production therefore depends on multiple activities carried out by interdependent workshops in the same area. The main markets for the items produced are within the area and also within Cairo as a whole. For this reason it is almost impossible for expansion to take place in any of the activities outside the area. New workshops can only be successful if set up in the area with access to supporting workshops and clients. The pressures for such expansion are now great and will continue to be so in the future. The space for such expansion is limited resulting in high increases in land prices and acccarnnodation for such activities. Although much machine-aided production has been introduced during the past decade, the same interdependent manufacturing structure has persisted. This is because workshops have not expanded horizontally to diversify the nature of their essential capabilities. The replacement of skilled craftwork by machineaided volume production, involving less specialised workers, is to a great extent a result of the massive expansion of the tourism industry. In 1968, the total number of foreign visitors to Egypt was 318,000, increasing to 1,052,000 by 1978 (an average rate of increase of 12.7% a year). For the year 1978, 46% (146,280) of the visitors came from Europe and America. This proportion has increased as the number of Arab visitors declined since 1975. The majority visit the old city, especially the Khan alKhallll' area for shopping and sightseeing. The commodities bought by the visitors, whether purchased

4.1.15

4.1.16

41

4.1.16

Cont'd in the Khnal- Khalili area or in other parts of Cairo or even Egypt, are items usually manufactured in the study area (i.e. copper, glass and leather goods). For this reason there has been a large increase in demand for the commodities produced in the area resulting in strong pressures towards mechanisation.

4.1.17

Another type of social s b u c t u r e connected with comercial activities is the productive co-operatives and associations formed by owners of workshops working with particular raw materials. These associations serve to protect the interests of their members' respective business by co-operation with Handicrafts Industries Productive Co-operative Organisation (HIPCO). A partial list of owners' association illustrating the range of such organisations has been assembled. The study area is also rich in organisations of various types ranging from charities to migrant associations. There are also many productive co-operatives formed specifically to facilitate business transactions and provide access to cheap raw materials. The heads of these have a tendency to be the wealthiest of the owners of workshops or retail business in their respective fields and have considerable influence among the members. Further more, there is a great deal of solidarity between the leaders of the different associations and these conditions, coupled with their monopoly of the cash flow of the area, make it possible for these groups to have political power locally. The picture that emerges is that there are major changes occurring in the study area.. Field survey work indicates that the outward-flow of residents is even greater than recorded statistics, since there has also been an influx of new migrants to the area. These immigrants, replacing some of the older residents, occupy the marginal niches of the local economy and tend not to re-occupy the vacated houses. They live in temporary shack-like structures on lands not disputed by commercial interests. Indeed,in some instances,these people are actually brought in by merchants as a source of cheap labour. This influx can be as high as 25% of the total population for some of the zones surveyed within the study area.

4.1.18

4.1.19

4.1.20

The established resident population is pressured to leave by the commercial interests of the area which can thus expand their commercial property holding and can acquire cheaper new immigrant labour if required. The comercial interests of the drea appear to take positive action to qet residents to move out if it suits their interests, and details of a number of examples have been assembled. This pressure is exerted by commercial interests either as landowner, or building owner or someone interested in using or acquiring the residential property for commercial usage. This is a significant and powerful factor in coming to any understanding 'of the depopulation of the area. A further factor is that as a result of this process many residents try to leave voluntarily before the pressures actually impinge on them directly. This usually takes the form of making themselves homeless by some means or other and seeking the help of the public authorities in rehousing.

4.1.21

4.1.22

It is possible, however, to classify a variety of methods by which the comercial interests encroach on the territory and the structures of the area, from the field survey data. In most cases the process involves the harassment of the residents and/or a deliberate effort to destroy part of the structures concerned. In almost all cases, once complete control is obtained the buildings are demolished or modified to suit the intended purpose. If new structures replace the old, many will be illegal structures, since only about 60 out of every 250 new structures every year are legal; they are invariably designed primarily as workshop/comercial premises rather than residential buildings.

4.1.23

During 1977-79 this process of expulsion of residents and/or loss of dwellings reached almost crisis proportions, when many residents lost their homes and were forced to squat in the mosques of the area. Details have been assembled of the occupational backgrounds of those residents who lived in the mosques of the area, as a result of being made homeless through the process described. The majority of these people came from the lower-income groups and do not represent any of the most active commercial interests of the

43

4.1.23

Cont ' d area. A total of 755 heads of households was registered during the census of the mosques concerned. Assuming a family size of 5 persons this figure represents about 3,775 people who for various reasons had lost their homes.

4.1.24

Due to the pressure for expansion from commercial interests and the interdependent character of commercial activity, there is little willingness on the part of commerce to move out. This is despite the difficulties of access and constraints on ;edevelopment of property. Thus organised commercial interests dominate the study area and and many of the existing residents are forced to leave.

44

4.2 4.2.1

Administration The main authorities acting in the study area are as follows:i) The Egyptian Antiquities Organisation is responsible for giving permission for any alterations and additions to all "indexed" buildings in whosoever ownership they may be. The procedure is through the referral of such items to the Antiquities Organisation by the Governorate which accepts the Antiquities Organisation s views in issuing a decision. Ownership of such buildings will be mainly in the hands of the Waqf authbrities but some will be owned by private owners and some by the Antiquities Organisation themselves. The Organisation is also responsible for undertaking restoration works on such buildings and for licensing and monitoring restoration works on "indexed" buildings undertaken by others.

ii) Waqf Authorities (Ministry of Endowments) owns large numbers of Islamic monuments of significance in the old city which may or may not be "indexed". For those monuments not listed, the Waqf authorities can act without reference to the Antiquities Organisation. The Governor of Cairo has the responsibility for U) giving permission for new buildings and licences for alterations to existing buildings and demolitions. The Governorate is also the public authority responsible for the provision of public sector housing and social services in the area. 4.2.2 This system of interlocking authorities could well work but alas does not, The reasons for such failure can be said to arise firstly from a critical lack of technical, administrative and managerial resources, and finance: secondly,from a basic lack of co-operation between various authorities: and thirdly,from flagrant flouting of regulations by individual building owners, absence of strong local community feelings on the issues, remoteness of the authorities involved, general apathy and, not least, the pressures of commercial expansion. The position, however, has not always been like this over the last hundred years or so. In 1860 the responsibility for surveying, indexing and conserving Islamic monuments was entrusted to the Comite de la Conservation des Monuments de l'Art Arabe. This

4.2.3

45

4.2.3

Cont'd was an effective,vigorous and serious professional body, enjoying a high reputation for the conservation of Islamic art and architecture. It controlled all indexed monuments in the area and had a strong influence in decisions affecting the setting of the monuments.

4.2.4

All indexed buildings were finally put under the ownership of this Committee but unfortunately this separated the buildings from the endowments intended to provide their financial support the former being in the hands of th? Committee and the latter in the hands of Waqf authorities. The system operated well enough as long as the Committee received adequate funds from central government. Later the responsibilities for the indexed monuments themselves were handed on to the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation but since the 195O's, inadequate funds for the task of conservation have been available from government.

4.2.5

Moreover, the Antiquities Organisation is concerned only with the "indexed" monuments themselves. There are two resultant problems. First, many important and interesting buildings which did not have a place in its original index are being demolished, changed and vandalised by their owners without reference to any one. This is of particular significance for the residential buildings of the area because the Committee in its original listing neglected residential buildings generally. There is a strong case for a review of the index after a hunred years in use. Secondly, the control of the general development in the area came under the control of other bodies. To establish any plan or planning approvals for a medieval city is a daunting task in any event and in Cairo there had been a serious lack of resources to take any action. In the late 1960's the problem was studied by the Greater Cairo Planning Commission but no significant policies emerged. More recently in the 1970's,following the adoption by the Gcvernorate of an overall plan for the area prepared by the General Organisation for Physical Planning (GOPP), a special committee of members from all the key bodies involved, was established for dealing with al1 applications for construction in the old city. This committee received applications for development from the Governorate for examination. If necessary the Committee had the power to refer applications to experts for modification and revision and to pay the fees for the professional work so incurred. When finally approved by the Committee it was returned to the

4.2.6

46

4.2.6

Cont'd Governorate to issue the decision. This system ceased to operate sometime in 1979 due to lack of funds . Thus,although there is need for a high level of co-ordination and for specialist expertise in considering all proposals for building in this special area, it does not exist,although the staff of the Governorate and the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation continue to attempt to cope with this difficult and overwhelming workload.

4.2.7

Examples of the damage and destruction which was inflicted on listed monuments are shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Examples of neglect and inadequate maintenance are shown in Fig. 11.

47

BAB ZUWAI LA LATE 1940s

BAB ZUWAI LA OCT 1980

Fig. 9

B E F O R E A N D AFTER EXAMPLES
48

QUBBAT QURQUMAZ JULY 1980

QUBBAT QURQUMAZ OCT 1980

Fig. 1 0
49

B E F O R E A N D AFTER EXAMPLES

Madrasa of Gaml a l - D h Yusuf al-Ustdr (1408/&11) The entrance, showing advanced state of decay due to corrosion by the salts in rising ground water.

Madrasa of Gama1 al-Din ysuf al U s tdr (1408/811) Interior of the entrance, showing the gaping crack in the threshold, indicative of the movement caused in the foundations by rising ground water.

Fig. 1 1

EXAMPLES OF NEGLECT
50

Mosque of Aqsunqur (1669/1080) Showing the degree of disintegration of the paving in the prayer hall and the courtyard, and the distortion of the superstructure, both results of the high water table.

Mosque of Aqsunqur

(1669/1080) The mimbar with the top 3f the mihrab behind. Note the damage caused by corrosion and the poor techniques used in repairing it,which themselves will result in further corrosion.

51

4.3 4.3.1

Infrastructure Water There is a General Organisation responsible for the provision of potable water in the city. In general terms, the water distribution network reaches all buildings. In many buildings one tap serves a whole building and in others there is an extensive internal distribution system providing outlets to all individual dwellings. Accurate information on the extent of the network in the old city is hard to find and indeed may not exist. However the condition of this distribution network is poor, much of it requiring renewal and giving rise to very high losses in distribution.

4.3.2

Sewerage There is a General Organistion responsible for sewerage systems in the old city which consists of drains and collecting sewers, connected to the Cairo main sewerage an6 waste water system. There are problems arising from the condition and capacity of this system which result in back-flowing sewage being a recurring feature of many parts of Old Cairo. This is offensive to the senses, a danger to health and a factor in the deterioration of buildings.

4.3.3

The General Organisation has launched a major scheme for the rehabilitation, improvement and development of the waste water system of Greater Cairo. This will provide, on completion, a modern system for all parts of Cairo which will cater for the total requirements of the city but this is a long term programme. The sewerage back-flow problems in the old city are associated with the lower part of the town that is on the west side adjacent to Sharia Port Said and extending inwards for about half of the width of the study area. The problem arises from the capacity limits of the collecting drain in the Sharia Port Said and the capacity of the trunk sewers from thereon. Thus a high priority task is the improvenient of the Sharia Port Said collector. This would allow the discharge from the old city to be taken off effectively. This work is expected to be completed by 1990 and little improvement in the situation will occur before that date.

4.3.4

The network of drains and connections in the Ga&liya area also will be improved by a series of minor works and improvements over the next five years. Thus improvements are under way.

52

4.3.5

Solid Waste Disposal in the old city is undertaken by individual operations collecting rubbish from premises for a charge and gaining further remuneration from the disposal af reuseable material for which there is a market. Its effectiveness in the old city is diminishing for the following reasons:i) the amount of rubbish is increasing and its potential value is declining. ii) congestion in the streets is making the task difficult. iii) there is confusion of responsibility in that the municipality collects the rubbish f r a the market areas and open spaces but not from buildings.

4.3.6

The result is that there is an accumulation of rubbish through the old city. There are large rubbish d u m p s on any unused areas of land,sometimes around the mosques, and throughout the area there exist small rubbish tips and compressed rubbish forms a top surface to all roads. Roads Traffic is concentrated on a small number of streets. The density picture based on observations and not on surveys indicates that peak traffic density occurs at the following locations:-

4.3.7

i) Sharia Al-Azhar.
ii) the market areas. iii) the main commercial streets of Sharia XUiZZ li-Din Allah and Sharia Bab Al-Nasr.. 4.3.8 From this superficial analysis it is contended that:i) the Sharia Al-Azhar route must be accepted and its disruption to the users of the area minimised. The capacity of this route must not be increased through the intrcduction of any high level road.

53

4.3.8

Cont'd ii) congestion in the market and commercial streets may have to be accepted as a self regulating system. iii) no programme of new road construction within the area generally chou12 be envisaged. iv) traffic management schemes should be encouraged to achieve the best results from the existing network and the speed and size of vehicles traversing the area should be limited.

v) no further cross routes should strike

through the area nor any increased capacity encouraged on the existing cross routes.
R.3.9

The surfaces between buildings fall into the following categories:i) Numerous Internal Courts within building groups are extensive and' varied. Their condition relates entirely to that of the buildings around them. Such courts must be viewed as an integral part of the building and treated as such. Streets and Paths are important as the main areas of public activity. Although originally in the main built as stone paved roads which they still are underneath the layer of rubbish they are neglected. Until civic pride and the demand of the local population require it then they will remain in this state. Their improvement will only come with the general improvement of the area.

ii)

4.3.1 O

. Sub-Surf ace C O . ~ - in the valley at Cairo consist J ~ of clay surface layer lm 4m thick over sands of up to 100m depth. Each has its own water table and each behaves independently,affected by different factors (see Fig.12). The clay layer gains water from rain, leaking water mains, sewerage and drainage pipes and also surface water. When the top layer is saturated any further, water remains on the surface. The natural drainage is impeded by the dense development in the area. Furthermore, higher land to the east

54

Tay
Clay 1 4m

Sat Urat ed

4 b

Pressure
I

Sands up to 100m.

4 -

Ground Water Source : Nile feeding into ground

Long terin investigation

of pattern of behaviour
of water in this strata underway

Pressure

i '

This level rising and in many places 'X' is less than lm

Fig. 12

G R O U N D WATER
55

4.3.10

Cont'd drains into the old city, with increasing population creating more water. The sand strata gains its water from the Nile river and ground water sources. This ground water level has risen over the years and its level is complicated to determine because of pressure zones within the strata. A programme of longterm research on the behaviour of water in this strata is under way by the Ministry of Irrigation and the Academy of Scientific Research. in places the water table in the sands comes close to the underside of the clay layer. Due to pressure, if the clay layer is pierced, water sometimes rises into (and perhaps even above) the clay layer, thus contributing further to this saturation.(See Fig.12).

4.3.11

Repair works to piped services will only affect the saturation of the surface clay layer zone. The water table of the sand strata will remain.

56

57

58

5.1
5.1.1

Present State of Buildings Two factors may be adduced to have contributed as much as any to the present dilapidated state of buildings in the old city: i) The decline in the practice of the traditional buildinq technology within the area. Builders and their clients alike were aware that the building methods were such as to necessitate constant vigilance and repair. The substitution of imported technologies led to two deleterious results: a) the new materials were used over the top of, or as substitutes for the old materials, e.g. the use of cement plaster to patch lime or gypsum plasters. Whereas the older materials had a great capacity to absorb the effects . of diurnal or seasonal expansions or contractions, cement a much harder, does not more brittle material possess these qualities. Thus either it cracked away from the other materials or a plethora of cracking took place within the area of cement plaster. In either case the protective purpose of the layer of plaster was destroyed.

--

b)

the imported technological innovations were not conceived in terms of continuous vigilance and repair but were supposed The habit of to last for many years. annual inspection and repair was gradually lost and the accepted traditional method of continuous maintenance as a fundamental aspect of the ownership of any building was forgotten.

59

The presence of deleterious forces did not exist more than thirty years ago. The most serious of these is the high water table. It used to be accepted that the buildings in the Middle East were dry at ground level an2 often dry even in sirdabs or basement rooms. But with the migration of large numbers of people into the urban centres and the introduction of piped water supplies and waterborne sewerage, this situation changed drastically. This lavish use of water, which was often imperfectly drained, meant that water be5an to accumulate in the ground within the urban areas.
5.1.2

Before 1950 the water table was over one and a half metres below ground level in the old city. Capillary attraction rarely drew the dampness up to the height of the foundation walls to above ground level, Since the dampness in the wall did not come within reach of the oxygen i l the atxcsphezc, trny acids it might have conr tained had little chance to form salts which, because of their expanding volume, could break up the materials of the wall. However with the water table now almost at ground level, the capillary attraction up into the hitherto dry porous materials of the masonry aboye ground is considerable, reaching on many occasions heights of 4 or 5 metres and in extreme cases heights of up to 10 metres above ground (see Fig. 13). The acids in the ground water, more concentrated now because of sewerage leakage, interact with chemicals in the masonry and with the oxygen in the air at the wall face. This interaction forms salts which reduce the strength of the material and continuously spa11 off the surface, until the whole of the fabric is destroyed to the height which the ground water can reach.

5.1.3

60

Capillary attraction
1 -

I f metres

HATER TRBLE

A)

Situation before c:1965 in old city capillary attraction seldom led water to above ground level where interaction of acids in water with oxygen in air could produce salts which would destroy masonry.

(Cplay -ailr

of watar. attraction

---

- - - Y

2p cm

BI

Situation c:1975 1980 in old city high water table means increasing height of capillary attraction from i f metres upwards above ground level. Resulting salts are destroying masonry, mortar and plaster.

Fig. 13

FOUNDATIONS

61

5.1.4

It is ironic that in such a relatively dry climate as that of Cairo, it is water which does so much damage. In fact the dryness accelerates the problem, draining any water that is within the building to the outer surface together with the salts which it contains. Water enters the fabric in two ways: rainwater from above through the inadequately maintained roofs, and water rising from the ground below. Although the rain falls during only a short period of the year, its effects are magnified in Cairo by the following factors: i) Accumulation of dust on surfaces: this dust has its own chemical reaction with oxygen going on without the presence of water and is often highly acid. Once rain has dissolved these acids damage to surfaces beneath can be considerable in a short time. Lack of maintenance of the roofs leaves an expose8 layer of clay, the latter being part of the traditional construction technique until recent times (see Fig. 14). With rain this becomes saturated and remains damp in its lower layers long after the rains have ceased and the upper layers have dried out. The lower layers in turn are in contact with the wooden beam and plank construction of the ceiling which supports the roof. These wooden members then become damp and rot is produced in the upper, hidden surfaces of the wood. Often the first that inhabitants of the building know of the rottenness of the roof structure is when it collapses. Damage to irreplaceable decorations of historic monuments through the same causes is widespread.

ii)

62

Traditional hard waterproof compacted plaster annually checked for crackinq and maintained.

RAIN

Patches of damage or eroded plaster (due to lack of maintenance).

Exposed clay layer weathering rapidly.

DETERIORATION STAGES FROM LEFT TO RIGRT

Fig. 1 4

ROOFS

Rain penetrating through cracks and joints in top stones.

,Decaying

and cracked plaster.

b--,II
&ar -t We

py;;
., ..
<_

logged stones disintegrating :hrough acid action in dampness formtng salt at surface at contact with air.

Clay core of wall dissolving in water and washing down leading to cracking and eventual collapse.

Fig. 15

WALLS

63

-. .

.: a

e -Ar ,

NOTES Original roof of plaster over a clay layer was repaired every year before'the rainy season. Lack of maintenance allowed clay layer to become waterlogged and dissolve, leading to decay of wooden beams and eventual collapse. Once water penetrated onto internal floor decay and disintegration is accelerated, owing to lack of any provision for waterproofing.. Building becomes uninhabitable, as upper floors collapse filling lower levels with debris and dust. Low price fixed rents discourage owners from making any repairs. Finally building is temporarily waterproofed at first floor lev21 to safeguard high rents from ground floor shops.

Fig. 1 6

BUILDING DECAY
64

iii)

Lack of maintenance of parapets crowning the walls leads to the introduction of water into the clay core which is part of the traditional technique of construction in old Cairo ( see Fig. 15). The clay is dissolved and flows down within the wall, leaving a void which can result in cracking and eventually in collapse. At the same time the dampness induced in the upper walls brings salts due to the presence of acids in the rain and the dust: these can disfigure the wall and induce corrosion of the masonry or plaster surfaces. It should be pointed out that gypsum and lime plasters and mortars, the traditional building materials, are particularly susceptible to corrosion by the acids contained in both rainwater and rising damp. The strength of the plasters and mortars is reduced almost to nothing, and the materials become powdery. Hence the marble revetments of so many Cairo mosques and fine Mameluke and Ottoman houses have come loose from the walls and fallen to the ground. And there are countless other effects of this lessening of the binding strength of the building materials. The use of cement to repair such damage only makes matters worse. The alkali in cement prodices much worse chemical reactions with the acidic ground water or rainwater if they can reach it, e.g. if there is dampness behind or below the cement. Low alkali cement is available but it is rarely used by builders as it has to be specially obtained and is more expensive.

65

iv)

The collapse of the upper storeys of the houses: lack of maintenance of the roofs leads to the collapse of the roof beams as already explained. Should the inhabitants of a dwelling then abandon the topmost floor but continue to live in the floors below they lose their ceilings even more quickly because the floor surfaces above were not meant to be weather resistant. Very soon other storeys collapse until the ground floor ceiling is reached. At this point the progressive decay has often been stopped because there are lucrative shops or workshops at ground level, and rather than lose these premises and the resultant rents, the owners have usually been prepared to go to considerable lengths to provide waterproof protection of the ground floor. In this way more than half the old buildings in Cairo now survive only up to the first storey floor level (see Fig. 16).

VI

5.2

Building Conservation Faced with the problem of some 450 indexed monuments of cultural and historic significance within the study area, it became necessary to establish some form of priority or grading system in order to allow the scale of the problem to be reduced to manageable proportions. The dangers of establishing any priority system at all are that it can be inferred that monuments low on the list are condemned to lack of attention, rapid deterioration and even destruction. This is not the intention even though, regrettably, in some instances this may well be the result. The need for a system of priorities springs from seeking to gain the maximum benefit from the resources available.

5.2.1

66

5.2.2

Assuming for the moment that all 4 5 0 monuments were of the same size and condition and that on average each required the expenditure of LE 1M to effect its basic restoration, a total of some LE 450 million would be required. This gives some measure of the scale of the problem on extremely crude assumptions. It would be very simple to deploy an argument that the total should be very much higher. From published government budget figures, the total budget of the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation for 1979 was LE 3.5M to cover all running costs and all capital expenditure on all the monuments in Egypt (Pharaonic, Islamic, Coptic and Graeco-Roman). No more than a quarter of this sum would be directed to Islamic monuments, say LE lM, although in addition there are sums being expended on Islamic mcnuments by the Waqf authorities and various national institutes involved in restoration programmes. Assuming that this amounts to a further LE 1M,the total figure expended on the restoration of Islamic monuments in the old city is LE 2M. This contains a large margin of error, but even if the total were understated by 100% the gap between this figure and the initial estimate of the minimum required is enormous. Thus if the available resources were spread amongst all the monuments the impact on any single one would be infinitesimal. The argument therefore is to concentrate resources to achieve something worthwhile on fewer monuments. Successful restoration is also the means of increasing the total resources. If conservation of any monuments is successfully undertaken it stimulates attention, establishes confidence in further conservation work and hopefully stimulates the inflow of financial aid. Thus the need to establish a priority system is inescapable.

5.2.3

5.2.4

67

5.2.5

The monuments listed in the Index contain a number of wellknown buildings in current use which are in no immediate danger of disappearing and which would be regarded by everyone as major monuments of Cairo. They are sprinkled throughout the city forming its landmarks. For the moment they are not "at risk". The total of such buildings may well be only some 2% or 3% of the total number, say 10 20 buildings. This leaves some 420 other indexed buildings in the area.

Five groups of monuments were selected for placing in this catego.ry. These were:
1. 2. 3. 4.

5.

The northern gates and al-Hkim Mosque, Al-Azhar Mosque and its appendage buildings, The Citadel, Sultan Hasan Mosque, and the other monuments around the Maydn al-Qal'a, Ibn Tln Mosque and the buildings Unmediately relating to it.

It must be emphasized that all the monuments should receive the full protection accorded to "indexed" buildings. But in terms of receiving positive attention there must be some priority system to direct effort and resources in a first phase of an emergency conservation drive and when this is successful to move on to a second phase.
5.2.6

Because of the uniform distribution of the monuments throughout much of the fabric of the old city, as shown in Fig. 17, it was determined that some strategy should be adopted to help in deciding which buildings most merited immediate action for conservation. Unless there is careful selection of the monuments into which immediate action and funds are directed, their value to the community, and to future programmes of conservation will be dissipated, and ultimately may prove ineffective.

Fig, 17

MONUMENTS OF THE STUDY AREA

69

o
I

250
I

500

710
I

1000 metres I

5.2.7

It was also felt to be extremely important that this choice should be related to the vulnerability of the urban context in which the buildings were situated. Major monuments in close proximity to each other were in addition felt to be mutually enhancing. These and a wide range of other criteria were used in the selection process. The most important of these criteria may be summarised as follows: i) the degree to which the building is a significant monument in architectural or cultural history; the quality of its original design; the aesthetic quality of its.visual appearance and character today, particularly in-terms of its authentic mellowness and the patina of aging; the completeness of the surviving building in comparison with the scope and nature of its original design; the extent to which the mediaeval setting and context survives; the vulnerability of the monument or its context to irreversible change in the near future; the degree to which it clusters with other monuments worthy of a relatively high priority for conservation;

ii) iii)

iv)

V)

vi)

vii)

viii) the seriousness of the condition of its fabric and decoration relative to its importance ; ix) the cost of bringing the building back to a reasonable state of repair and visual appearance.

5.2.8

Using these criteria, a map was prepared of the central strip of the mediaeval city indicating those buildings which had achieved the highest rating (Fig. 18). Although a widespread scattering of monuments still remained, it became apparent that certain of the high-priority monuments formed natural groups or clusters which could be taken as the basis for further studies.

Fig. 18

M O N U M E N T SELECTION

71

Fig. 18A. MONUMENT SELECTION

72

Fig. 1 B 8

M O N U M E N T SELECTION

73

Fig. 18 C

MONUMENT SELECTtON
74

Fig. 180

MONUMENT SELECTION

75

5.2.9

As the accuracy of the assessment of these criteria in relation to each building was fundamental to the subsequent decisions in .this study, the judgments involved were not left solely to the members of the mission who prepared the report, but also involved consultation with a number of distinguished architectural historians, architects and other experts, both Egyptian and foreign. Six clusters of monuments have been selected to form a first phase of an emergency programme. These are considered to form potential conservation and rehabilitation zones and are spaced out at almost equal distances between the northern gates and Ibn Tln Mosque, each focussing on a single street about 250 metres long. Each group is thus tightly integrated, yet they are so spaced apart that their upgrading may have the maximum impact on the whole of the central area of the old city. The numbers of indexed monuments in the clusters is as follows: Cluster 1 2 3 4 5 6 No. of Indexed Monuments 13 14 9 13 16 12

5.2.10

5.2.11

76

5.2.12

One or more of the following considerations led the team to adopt this decision in each case: i) ii) the need to focus action on those areas thought to be most vulnerable: the desire to limit the scope of the special action recommended over the next five years to reasonable and manageable proport ions ; the extent to which the group was independent of the living fabric of the old city: the degree to which the group was already so well maintained, protected or otherwise less liable to be seriously threatened by decay during the next five years.

iii) iv)

5.2.13

It is important to stress the urgency with which action in these six clusters should begin without further delay if the built fabric is to be saved. It is recommended that it is within these areas that all available resources and effort should be concentrated. In the case of a disaster befalling the rest of the old city, it should be possible within these zones to perceive the image of mediaeval Cairo and to experience its atmosphere.

5.2.14

The great majority of the remaining classified monuments warrant ufgent conservation no less than the monuments within the clusters. The Antiquities organisation'.^ powers should be consolidated and strengthenedto deal with the rest of the monuments in the study area. This is necessary both financially and in relationship to other departments. In summary the conservation strategy for important buildings and their setting can be stated as follows:i) ii) iii) the index must be reviewed and revised: the existing procedures for indexed buildings must be strengthened: key monuments, buildings and landmarks throughout the old city must be retained, restored and enhanced through the normal procedures;

5.2.15

77

iv)

redevelopment of sites up to existing plot-boundaries and up to existing heights to be permitted; six clusters of important buildings are to receive priority treatment over an emergency period of five years.

VI

5.3 5.3.1

Priority Zones The policy of conservation cannot be isolated from the acceptance of change. The continuity of the traditional way of life in the study area must be taken into account as far as possible. All conservation and rehabilitation schemes, as well as the inclusion of new buildings, will take this factor into consideration. Of prime importance is the preservation of the physical context, as well as the selected monuments. Each cluster of monuments therefore provides a focus for defining pri0rit.y zones which inckude rehabilitation, upgrading as well as conservation. Once the six clusters of monuments were identified as part of the conservation strategy, all buildings in the vicinity were examined in order to define the potential extent of each zone. An environmental assessment of each zone was carried out, analysing the existing character by means of diagrams and sketches (as illustrated throughout this report). From this and other relevant factors, the extent of the six zones was defined (see Fig. 19). The Six Zones The six priority zones are defined as follows, together with their general character:

5.3.2

5.3.3

78

Foot
Bridge

Foot Bridge

7 :

:Al

Azhar

rl

al
N

B. ZONE THREE

a l
4 IJ]

C O
C

1
A. ZONES ONE AND TWO

c
Fish 'Harket

!
C. ZONE FOUR

Views

Open Space

of the Citadel.

6
Fig. 1 9

E. ZONE SIX E. ZONE SIX

STRUCTURE OF ZONES

79

5.3*4

Zones One and Two (see Fig. 20) are interlinked by narrow streets as well as a number of individual and small groups-of historic buildings worthy of conservation. Of particular significance is the Midan Bayt Al-QCr which acts as a strong link between the two zones. Zone One centered on Sharia al -Mukzz 1 i- Din Allah covers the heart of Fatimid Cairo and is the site of the former Fatimid palaces, which were replaced by other major buildings during the Aybid and Mameluk periods. Historically the zone demonstrates the development of the typical Cairene madrasa-mosque with attached mausoleum of the founder. Major public buildings and commercial structures prevail, with shopfronts often obstructing the view of important monuments. Due to the vicinity of Khan alKhalilF and the Sharia al-Azhar, this zone is the most frequented tourist area and, with its unique architectural heritage, represents a "showcase" of Islamic Cairo. Zone Two centered on Sharia al-Gamliya represents one of the finest and most homogeneous street scenes of the old city. It includes fine wakallas and sabil-kuttabs on the north-south spine of Fsimid Cairo, leading from Bab al-Nagr to the shrine of Hussein. The street is also a subcentre for the adjacent housing districts which are accessible through the many lanes branching off from the spine. Zone Three (see Fig. 21) centered around the Ghouriya contains the buildings of the Mameluk Sultan alGhoury and a series of traditional suqs. These originally extended from the Sharia Muski southwards until the Mu'ayyad-complex (Zone 4) and were cut by the Sharia al-Azhar. To the east close to the Sharia H m ' amm al-Ma@aja is a vegetable market which acts as a local focus for the surrounding area. Further east,the-Al-Azhar mosque is adjacent to this zone, both a major tourist attraction and an important religious centre.

5.3.5

5.3.6

5.3*7

80

Historic buildings to be restored (bothlisted and unlisted)

Sas and buildings adiacent to monuments, requiring control over methods

of abutrnena and c o n m u d o n .
New buildings on vacant or dilapidated sites requiring the ma control of tl design.
Substantial building which are likely t remain forrome time. In need of o surface treatment control eg. colour, texiure, etc) with eventual design control when retuilding takes place. '
'

Buildings i need o height control i n f n the vicinity of the zones (eg. i order n t safeguard impottant views). o Exrent of pavedarea.

N.B. Scales to figurar vary.

Fig. 20

ZONE 1 A N D 2

81

m
U
Fig. 21

Historic buildings to be restod (both listed and unlisted)

cites and buildings adjacent to monuments, requiring control over methods of abutments and cornmiction.
Buildings i need o height control i n f n the vicinity o the zonas (eg.i order f n to safeguard imporunt vim). Extent o paved ama. f

New aiildings on vacant or dilapidated d m requiring the total control o f

. *
Substantial buildings which are likely to remain for some time. In need of surface treatment control leg. colour. texaire,etc) with wentual design control when rebuilding takes placa.

N.B. Scales to f w vary. im

ZONE 3
82

5.3.8

Zone Four (see Fig. 22) is centered round Bab Zuweila, the southern gate of the Fsimid city, linking the old walled city with its southern extensions. immediately south of the gate, the spine features a unique sequence in the old city, from the small open space outside the gate to the covered street of the Tent Makers, Due to industrial activities nearby this zone suffers from the impact of heavy vehicular traffic. and contains many dilapidated and abandoned plc -s. Zone Five (see F g. 23) stretches along the Sharia Bab al-Wazrr, a section of the street running from Bab Zuweila to the Citadel, which is itself a ramification of the main north-south spine of Islamic Cairo. This street has kept much more of its traditional character than the main spine south of Bab Zuweila. With several Mameluk mosques and mausoleums projecting diagonally into the street space and with some fine specimens of traditional housing structures survivingthe area offers an important potential for rehabilitation. This zone includes a number of modern housing blocks and a large irregular open space behind the Blue Mosque which is used as a youth centre. Vehicular traffic is less of a problem than in the other zones, although large buses operating. on this spine often cause congestion. Zone Six (see Fig. 24) contains a fine sequknce of Mameluk and Ottoman monuments on the road leading from Ibn ? l k Mosque to the Citadel. The zone is crossed by the main north-south spine leading from Bab Zuweila to the cemetery of Saida N a f h a , and offers therefore possibilities of future extension. More than any other zone it has suffered from the impact of change and redevelopment, due to the fact that Sali'ba Road is today a major traffic artery. To the northeast there are fine views of tlie C'itadel.

5.3.9

5.3,lQ

a3

i
I

7,
7
O
cy

ul

/
I

Historic buildings to be restored (both lt and unlisted) ia sd N e w buildings on vacant o dilapidated r rites requiring the total comrol o f design.

Sites and buildings adjacent to monumens. requiring control over methods oi skiunenna and construction.

uildlngs i need ofheight Comrol i n n the vicinity o the zonas (eg.i order f n to safeguard important W w . et Extent of paved area.

U
Fig. 22

Sustantial kiildings which are likely to remain for some time. In need of surface treatment control (eg.colour, texture,etc) with eventual design control when rebuilding taka place. '

N.E. :ae to figuresvary. ;ls

ZONE 4
84

Historic buildings to be restored (bothlisted and unlisted)

Sites and buildings adjacent t monuo ments. requiring control over methods of a h m e n t o and construction..

New buildings on vacant or dilapidated sites requiring the total control o f design.

Buildings in need o height control in f the vicinity of the zones (ag. in ordsr. to safeguard important views). Extent o paved area. f

Substantial buildings which are likely to remain for some time. in need o f surface treatment control eg. colour, texmre,etc) with eventual design c o m o l when rebuilding takes place. '

N.E. Scales to figures vary.

Fig. 23

ZONE 5

85

m.
design.

Historic buildings to be restored (both lined and u n l M l

Sa and buildings adjacent to rnonuts r e e requiring control over methods nn, o a b u m and construction. f

New buildings o n v m t o dilrpidatad r sites requiring the tom1 control of

Substantial buildings which are likely to remain for some time. In need of a i r f a treatment control leg. colour. texmre,etc)wt eventual design ih comrol when ?bildins takes p l m .

Buildings i nead of height control i n n the vicinity of the zones (eg.i order n to safeguard i p r a t viewrl. morn Extent of paved area.

N.B. Scales to figJres very.

Fig. 24

ZONE 6
86

5.3.11

General Categories of Treatment Five categories of treatment were identified within.the zones : i) ii) historic buildings to be restoEed (both listed and unlisted); new buildings on vacant or dilapidated sites requiring the total control of design; substantial buildings which are likely to remain for some time, in need of external surface treatment, internal upgrading and provision of new services; sites and buildings adjacent to monuments, requiring control over methods of abutment and construction; buildings in need of height control in the vicinity of the zones.

iii)

iV)

V)

5.3.12

It is important that during the five-year emergency period these zones are kept compact, with clearly-defined boundaries. This approach has the following advantages: i) ii the meagre resources available are concentrated in specific locations; the administrative procedures are simplified to maximise effective control over each zone: the initial concentration of restoration and rehabilitation activities into relatively small zones will create the minimum resistance from the study arealas strong and influential commercial interests, and will provide an opportunity to establish these principles for future expansion; other interested agencies who have already expressed an interest in parts of the study area can participate in housing, upgrading and rehabilitation projects to complement the conservation strategy proposed in this report. Thus the appropriate organisations in the Egyptian Government, together with the international agencies, can formulate briefs which take

iii)

iv)

a7

iv)

an active part in the future improvement of conditions in the study area as a whole, without being restsicted to a rigid overall traditional plan; .immediate action within specific zones is a much more practical approach to the problem in the study area, rather than the preparation of traditional master plans. Such plans have been prepared for the study area in the recent past, but without success of implementation.

VI

5.3.13

Urban Deciqn Policy The detail proposals for the restoration of individual historic buildings within each defined zone must remain the responsibility of the conservation agency proposed for the control of the zones. The same applies to individual uses of all buildings, as well as the future expansion of the six zones, and the establishment of new ones for which preliminary proposals are made. In formulating policies recommendations are made here relating to an urban design policy for the fiveyear emergency period.

5.3.14

To formulate a rational policy for "managing" the inherent qualities of the six zones, it is important to examine the particular way they are laid out and the influences which operate within them and then decide to what extent redevelopment or expansion (including traffic requirements) can be absorbed and the impact they will convey. Inside each zone, the essential visual elements must be established vital to maintain its quality.

88

5.3.15

In particular, the role which external spaces play in each zone's activities must be carefully considered within the study area. Such spaces range from the pavement of a street to the minor square. Some streets are important thoroughfares, acting as a means of communication between one part of the historic city and another as well as giving access to buildings (ShariaalMu322 1i-DIn Allah in Zone i). In other local spaces, there is a contrast between people who use them and those who live around them (e.g. Sharia al-Azhar in Zone 3). The clear composition of spaces may also convey a sense of enclosure, continuity or compactness and include many items of street furniture. The surface treatment of streets and spaces covering the extent of each zone is also necessary in terms of colour, texture and materials. It has been estimated that, when in motion, twothirds of the field of vision is occupied by the surface which is being walked on. A clear floor pattern for example will immediately. identify. the extent of each zone. The relation of buildings to each other and to the surrounding spaces is also an important factor. The manner in which new development is made to blend is the fundamental architectural problem which most historic towns are having to face up to in many parts of the world. For example, a street facade may emphasize the need to retain an element of continuity (e.g. the covered street of the Tent Makers in Zone 4); in the case of a focal space the particular style may be more significant. It is therefore important to evolve a discipline for sympathetic design of high architectural standards.
'

5.3.16

5.3.17

89

5.3.18

To prevent further deterioration in the environment and to improve conditions for residents priority must be given to improving internal conditions of the buildings in each zone by developing a strategy for the relief of overcrowding, the upgrading of sanitary facilities and giving encouragement and advice to carry out repairs and improvements to make buildings safe and fit to live in. Improvements to the quality of the external environment should include the provision of social facilities and the upgrading of the water supply/sanitation, refuse disposal and street cleaning services within each zone.

5.3.19

In addition to the six priority zones, there are a number of areas within, or adjacent to the study area , which contain a lower concentration of monuments. They also occupy key locations within the urban pattern: many of these areas provide links with the proposed six zones and in future could be considered for expansion, providing continuity throughout the study area.

90

mpkmentaton
91

92

6.1 6.1.1
6.1.2

Aims and Techniques of Conservation This major subject is beyond the scope of this study but important aspects relating directly to the problems outlined in previous sections and to the situation in Old Cairo are briefly examined. Aims of Conservation

So much experience of conservation has been gained in the last one hundred years, and particularly in the last thirty-five, that it is now possible to speak of a "philosophy of conservation" which is generally applied through the world. Briefly this aims to interfere with the surviving building as little as possible and in particular, to avoid replacing the unique qualitites produced by time in an ancient monument with those qualities associated with a new building. Even small pieces of decoration cannot easily be replaced without falsifying the character and the evidence of history. These aims are in conflict with the need to find a means of keeping an aging fabric standinq, often in the face of problems entirely unforeseen by the original builders, as is the case in Cairo. This can only be resolved by thought, skill and patience.which need understanding, training, experience and time. It is difficult and unwise to rush conservation.
6.1.3

The Means of Achieving Good Conservation It is virtually necessary to train men to direct and to undertake conservation works. A wide range of skills is required,namely:il Architects: conservation is a highly specialised skill backed by the accumulated international knowledge of the vast amount of conservation which has been undertaken in recent years. The ordinary training of the architect is no longer regarded as adequate to enable him to undertake responsible conservation work. It is recommended that scholarships be made available to enable a programme of training of Egyptian architects in the latest techniques of conservation to be undertaken at one of the post-graduate institutions established for this purpose in Europe.

93

6.1.3

ii)

Technicians and Material Scientists: modern conservation work depends heavily on the application of modern chemical developments for the study of materials, their weathering, consolidation and protection. It is recommended that scholarships be given to enable graduates in the chemical sciences to undertake post-graduate training in Europe or America in modern conservation technology Engineers: similarly the general use of modern trained structural engineers should be avoided unless they have had specialist training in conservation, understand and are proved sympathetic to the subtleties and technical problems of the traditional buildings. In normal circumstances, the experienced architect/conservers will have been trained t i handle the structural c problems associated with traditional buildings. The number of large-scale problems requiring consultation with a structural engineer is likely to be rather limited and probably the services of one or two specialist conservation enquiries would be adequate to provide all the services needed during the proposed five-year period. Craftsmen and Briilding Tradesmen: it cannot be stressed too strongly that modern contractors and their workmen are unsuitable for use in conservation projects. Not only are the techniques involved different from those normally in use but the entire emphasis should be slow, patient, metnodical work rather than speed and efficiency, In most countries two alternatives are possible. First, there are the small builders who still use traditional methods of construction and repair. In Egypt and particularly in Cairo, these are becoming difficult to find. The second alternative is to train tradesmen in traditional building technologies and craftsrnen in the more skilled finishing and ornamenting of the buildings. The latter is already being undertaken by the Antiquities Organisation but probably not on the scale necessary for future work. Training the building tradesmen should be a separate activity, organised partly on the apprentice-journeyman system but also involving formal training in a- small school of traditional building technology. As the number of monuments of the mediaeval period justifying conservation is vast, the future employment of men trained in this work, if only for maintenance, seems assured. 94

iii)

iv)

6.1.4

The Solution of the Technical Problem i) By research and study: it is envisaged that the rapid programme of conservation recommended in this report would necessitate the establishment of a technical services laboratory. This could undertake accelarated experiments to determine the different reactions of the materials used in the buildings and in conservation work to the conditions under which they will be exposed. Techniques of conservation specific to Cairo problems could thus be developed fairly quickiy. By monitored experiment: the introduction of experiments in the technical laboratory should be accompanied by monitored experiments in the buildings themselves. These would necessitate co-operation between the supervising architects and the materials technicians and scientists. Co-ordination of the Technical Developments: it is anticipated that a Technical Committee should be established to advise on the accelerated programme of restoration undertaken within the six zones. This would direct the technical work of the architects and materials scientists and co-ordinate the research activities of all the participants.

ii 1

iii 1

6.1.5

The Likely Direction of the Solutions. i) Corrosion of the lower fabric by ground water risinq from the high water table: while the obvious solution would seem to be the lowering of the water table over the whole of the Old City, the relevant research and planning agencies are not convinced that this is likely to be achieved. For the purposes of the emergency action envisaqed in the next five years, some alternative solution has to be found. This could be achieved by isolating each wail, building, or group of buildings. Of these, the first is probably the most immediately feasible, using a method of isolation (See Fig 24). This will add considerably to the cost of conservation work throughout the Old City, but to continue with conservation work without controlling the effect of ground water on the fabric will quickly prove a false economy.

95

6.1.5

ii)

Breaking up the plaster waterproofing of the roofs and the subsequent damage to the wooden ceilings and the core of the walls: the solution appears to be reversion to the use of the original hard plaster layer, made of a gypsum lime mix, which had the property of containing diurnal expansion and contraction without cracking. The difficulty is that to make such a plaster waterproof it had to be laid in at least five thin layers, each compacted over the other by prolonged beating into place with a heavy block of wood. This laborious task would be prohibitively expensive today. Yet without sone such plaster the appearance of the roofs is likely to be drastically altered. A solution to this problem can be found by careful experiment with the use of modern chemical additives to see if a plaster can be produced with the flexibility, long life,say 80 years, waterproof characteristics and appearance of the original, but much easier to lay. This is likely to need support in its waterproofing function by the addition of a waterproof membrane hidden in the thickness of the structure. Weakening of the Core of the Walls: two alternatives exist for dealing with this problem. The first involves the traditional method of rebuilding only short sections of the wall at a time (about 1 metre wide) so that the stability of the whole structure is not impaired while the work is in progress, providing adequate shoring is provided. The second method involves the modern technique of injecting plasticized sulphate,resisting cement into the core under pressure. The implications of both techniques would have to be studied, and their disadvantages taken into account before a decision was taken in the case of any particular building. It is necessary to stress that having a detailed brief for conservation work, with a detailed specification, is not enough. It is essential to have highly skilled, continuous supervisions (by specially trained architects) to ensure that the brief is adhered to in every detail and more importantly to deal with the unexpected developments and problems which are an inevitable aspect of conservation work.

iii 1

96

Silicone waterproofed masonry layer c. 1 metre high

vious stone)

Fig. 25

POSSIBLE TECHNIQUES OF WALL PROTECTION

97

6.2
6.2.1

Operational System In another part of this report it has been indicated that the existing public authorities are unable for various reasons to deal with the current situation in the old city. Some have the necessary laws at their disposal but lack the political strength to enforce them; other more powerful departments are beset by conflicting priorities so that the safeguarding of the setting of monuments becomes only one of many peripheral interests: others have the financial means but lack the clear vision to use their resources in the right way. In this section an appropriate operational system to effect conservation within the six zones is considered. The system must ensure that there is a simple, clear definition of roles for the authorities involved to achieve the following aims:to undertake conservation work; ii) iii) iv) to co-ordinate the activities of all programmes of activity in the six zones; to train and develop the requisite levels of expertise in conservation; to attract further funds into conservation works.

6.2.2

6.2.3

Three alternative approaches present themselves:i) ii) great effort should be directed into making the present system work;

an entirely new and independent institution should be introduced with complete authority to undertake conservation;
an organisational arrangement should be developed which can co-ordinate the activities of existing institutions in limited areas and also undertake tasks directly in defined areas.

iii)

98

6.2.4

Decision on the implementation system is entirely a matter for the Egyptian Government. However, the proposal on the last basis set out above put forward for consideration is that a Cairo Conservation Agency should be established by Presidential Decree to deal with the six priority zones as quickly as possible. The Cairo Conservation Agency should be directed by a high-level committee with responsibility to co-ordinate the work of all authorities acting within the six zones. Further, the Agency should have its own executive technical department to undertake conservation work, recruiting the best available expertise in the field on a national and international basis. It would be desirable to seek aid and assistance from international agencies in the selection., appointment and funding of the director of this executive department and its key staff members. In addition to its co-ordination function the following executive duties of the Cairo Conservation Agency within the six zones are proposed: i) ii) to apply the conservation policies and update them if necessary; to undertake conservation and restoration work on all buildings within the priority zones as appropriate: to give permission to other competent groups or organisations to undertake approved conservation and restoration work; to hold and disburse funds held in trust for conservation purposes deposited by the Egyptian Government, by other Egyptian bodies, by international organisations and other; bodies outside Egypt: to undertake detailed studies to effect the rehabilitation of each zone,including the regeneration of the economic and social life of the inhabitants, the renovation of the physical fabric, and the design and construction of all new buildings.

6.2.5

6.2.6

iii)

iv)

V)

99

vi 1

to undertake other detailed studies as defined in this report and any others as required; to examine all applications for building permits; to examine proposals for activity in the zones from all other departments; to maintain records of all changes in the zones by means of documents and updated maps ; ta ensure all development and building is in accordance with permits issued and take enforcement measures for all unauthorised works; to catalogue and hold archives, surveys and records of the old city and its buildings in co-operation with the Documentation Centre; to develop the best available knowledge on the architectural design and construction techniques for the zones; to develop any necessary regulation or control procedures for the priority zones.

vii) viii) ix)

X)

xi )

xii)

xiii)

6.2.7

The Cairo Conservation Agency is an Egyptianbased organisation operating in Cairo and in collaboration and co-operation with the existing institutions and organisations. It would be desirable to seek the participation of the international community in the conservation programme for Cairo.

100

6.2.8

Such an authoritative Egyptian co-ordinating and executive organisation should be established quickly to deal with the problems of Old Cairo for the following reasons: i) conservation will not succeed without authoritative means backed by high expertise; if further funds are to be attracted into conservation programmes donors will seek a clearly-defined responsible body to receive and disburse the funds; a separate and identifiable organisation helps to attract the best experts and skills available in the world, whether from within or without Egypt, to contribute to conservation projects; the concept of a conservation agency enhances the status of the work and stimulates the extent of conservation activity.

ii)

iii)

iv)

6.3 6.3.1

Other Action Information and Education In order to give status and impetus to the proposals for the conservation and rehabilitation of the old city, there needs to be a positive programme of information dissemination and of education. The responsibility for ensuring that the proposals for the old city are fully covered in the media generally both within Egypt and throughout the world should be assigned to the Ministry of Information. They should be charged with developing an overall programme over a period of two years or so to give coverage in the following ways:-

101

news articles in papers; programmes on radio and television; feature articles in magazines; regular press releases on events in Old Cairo; lectures, conferences and meetings should be arranged for speakers informed about the position to talk to interested groups ; the publication of guide books and commentaries on the old city. 6.3.2 Efforts should be directed into developing in Egyptian schools a very widespread interest about the Islamic heritage and, in particular, the old city. Such action should be commended to the Ministry of Education with a view to . making it an integral part of the general education programme. Tour ism Although not directly a 'conservation issue' the tourism potential of the old city should not be neglected. In collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, studies should be instituted with the Cairo Conservation Agency, the Egyptian Antiquities Organisation and the Governorate of Cairo to examine how greater access by tourists to the area could be achieved without damaging the monuments, firstly to increase knowledge and respect for these monuments and secondly to exploit the economic tourist potential of the area for the benefit of the local population and Cairo as a whole.

6.3.3

102

6.3.4

UNESCO s Role It is recommended that the Egyptian Government should seek the continued involvement of UNESCO in the conservation of the old city. The role UNESCO might be requested to undertake should include the following: i) ii) iii) to advise on the formation of the Cairo Conservation agency; together with UNDP to advise on the appointment of key technical staff; to sponsor, launch and develop an international "OLD CITY OF CAIRO CAMPAIGN" with the normal arrangements for advisory and technical committees; to provide expert'missions to undertake further specialist studies as required; to provide scholarships and grants for the training and education of the required staff.

iv )
V)

6.3.5

However following the debate and discussion on the present UNESCO Cairo pilot study there will be a number of immediate tasks to undertake in order to launch the proposals. These can be summarised as follows: a) to provide continuity and a focus for activity prior to the establishment of permanent arrangements for implementation; to revise and finalise this report as a result of the discussions; to provide expertise to bring into effect the agreed recommendations with respect to implementation;

b)
C)

103

d)

to provide briefs and to undertake the briefing of all individuals and organisations involved in future activity in the area, including collaboration with other international agencies and funding sources ; to establish and to run for an initial trial period monitoring arrangements for the activity in the area.

6.3.6

It is recommended that UNESCO is requested to take steps now to ensure the engagement of a team through the year 1980 and 1981 for this purpose, working in collaboration with the appropriate Egyptian authorities. It is further recommended that a conference is held in December 1981 to review the results of the work to that date and to agree further action.

APPENDIX

Nomination submitted for Inscription of 1slami.c Cairo on World Heritage List Historical Context

APPENDIX.
APPEND=

B
C

Kisas and.Sheikhas of Study Area

Data.related to Socio Economic Study

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

Examples of Encroachment on Monuments and Residential Property

APPENDIX

Data Available from Field Susvey of Zone5 2, 4 and 6

U s t s of Monuments within Groups Complementary Planning and Rehabilitation Proposals Further .Studies

APPENDIX
APPENDXX

APPENDIX

106

APPENDIX

NOMINATION SUBMITTED FOR NSCRIPTION OF ISJilYIC CAIRO ON WORLD HERITAGE LIST

1c7

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL SZIXNTI3'IC AND C U L m L ORGANIZATION

Date received Identification No. OrigiPal

:9 3 7 . .-9 : 89 :Eaglfsh

Convention concerning the Protection of the

World Catara2 and Natamal Heritags

WORLD =TAGE

LIST

lomiaation 6nbmitted by E m f

Islaniic Cairo

b) Stati*.Pmvtice or Hegiori

Cairo -Governorate

fslmic Cairo: the historic centre of the City of Cairo (= aLqZhira), capita of Egypt

31 26'

300C6' B latitude E longitude (see maps attached = Appendixes 1-3/5)=

2 Juridical data .

State property, partly private

The historic monmnents are legally protected by Law n . 215 of 1951 (see the Brabic text attached).= o

. -

Ei

Xesptmsibie
uiiiniiiistratioir

Egyptian Antiquities Organisation

r Sea note oa page 10

109

Identifkation
a) Desctiptiori and iitventory

The historic city of Cairo covers ap area of ca. 8 x 4 k~ on the eastern bank of the Sile, surrounded by the modern residential and commercial quarters of Greater Cairo, Kost of the registered historical monwneats datfrom 641 L D , up to the mid-19th century are located within this area, They were for the last time listed in 1951 : Survey of Zgypt ( d ) e . : Inder to Mohamxuadan monuments i Cairo, Cairo 1951 (= Appendix 4 . n )x About 600 buildings are classified, The architectural wealth of historic Cairo is enhanced b s the fact that vast areas of the urban fabric that has dtenuiaed the physical appearance as well as the function of the btailrlfs are still istact. Zithip the historic fabric the following focal points emerge (from south to north): A, a-fistt i n c u u the mosque o 'AIU n n ~X LS ' 641), the Roman fortress Qasr ash-S&nc/ Babylon with the Coptic churches, the rins 8pd the excavation area of the settlement, B #The m o s m e of Abnad In El& (founded ia 876) and . the surmundizg*area of k a m a and al-Xabsh with several mador Mamluk monuments, C The citadel area with the surrounding Mamluk palac;es: . the mosque of Sultan Hasan (1356-1359), and Darb al-Ahmar with the thohugfieares Sq as-Sila and -fx-Tabb%a lined with W u k and Ottonan monSent a , D The Fatimid nuclens of Cairo from Bab Zuwaila to the . 'North Wail with the city gates Zab al-FutE@ and Bb gat an-nagr, and with the concentration of maj6r A m b i d major F and M d u k monuments on the m & street ( h & Se . al-Acsa) E The necrooolfS fram al-Fus?& , to the norther9 l b i t s of Zatimid C u r o , including a large nnmber of mausoleums and funerary complexes of all periods(See the m a s a ~ a c h e d , roughly defining these areas =

'gi -rn

naiv

The Islamic monunents of Cairu were mapped out for the last time i I W / l 9 r O : n Survey of m t (ed,): Map of CaLm showfag Mohanxmedan moauments (two sheet8 iP scale 1 : 5000), Cairo 1944 (Arabic versioo) 'I 1950 (English version) (Appendix 31 Z 'phis map was based*on two detailed togographical w e g of csiro: S m e y of "Lggpt ( d ) e , : Map of Cairo in scae I :loco, . Cairo Igllff 0,1929ff , Survey OE Egypt (ed,): Map of Cairo in scale 1:5Q, Cairo 1936ff , (various corrected reprints) ,

110

3 Identification cont'd) .

m e great number of existmoauznents has until now prevented a full scale documentation (but see the publications mentioned i the bibliographyzbelow, a an the selected samples of Appendix 7 8 . /)

The fmportance of Cairo as the dominant political, cultural and religious centre of the Islamic world is the result of an exceptional historical development. Founded after the h s i h conauest in 641 AD .. under the-name al-Ebtt (theTentj as the uovernmeatal seat of the pr*ce of Egypt the c i 6 was constantly enlarged' by the succession of powerful dynaaties ursti it became the bigzest Islapuc citg h mediaeval times: the capital ? a oast empire i n c u u Syria, Palestine and northern Hesopotamia, the Hejaz with the Holy Cities Mecca and Medua, apd the Suan. The first peak of the development of the city was reached as early as 870 under Ahmad Ibn T , who .a had gained independence from th6 CbbbSsid caliphate and built a new residential town, a-Qa$', north of al-f?lstS$. Eis monunenta Friday Mosque is stili the mni.n h h a r k of the area. The most imprtant step b the history of the city, however, was the foundation of ai-eahira ( . . Cairo "The Victorious") ie by the PStimids in 969, since this became the nucleus of mediae+& Cairo, i this period, particuarly aftez n the establishment of the al-Azhar Mosque as a universie. Caira became a centre of loamiag. followina and develoainn the classic traditions iP all fields of litera-&; and the exact, the ghysical and the medical sciences. The P$3.dds, clni?nfng to be the true caliphs, established themselves as the major power of the region, rivalling and eclipshg the importance of Baghdad, the seat of the 'Abbasid caiiphs. Te architectrrral splendour of this new. fouodation is still ta be witnessed at such f a m a s mosques as those 02 a-Azhar, a v n al-dqmar, aod bi, the impressive fortifications, auch as the city gates Bab =-Hagr, Bab &-Putufi and Bab Zuwaila. Fat-bnd city planning seems to have set the stasdasd lor the architecture of the foilowing dynasties, both iP. the siting of the nwuments within the urban context a anique feature trithin the Islamic world and th artistic quality of every siagle monumeat.

z See note

OB

page- ll .

----u L---- ;

- -

d) History ( *d) coat

(or Saladin) started to comect the two ciEies of al-Fus$$ and ai-Qira by a extensive fortification n n 16 these centring in the citadel built i 1 7 . Wit'boundarias of azr axea extepdfrrg nearly four kiometres from BOrth to sooth 'bUiliag activities increased =der the llanluks (12501517) to au extent inpraleled i a aay other Islamic city. IZL this geriod Cairo reached its climnl as a metropolis: after: the fall of Baghdad to the Mongols the seat of the caliphate was traasfersd to Caizw (1261) and copsequeatlg was regarded the mais cent= of Islam, Te city's popuation drastically iacreased to the influx of rtf'ilgees from the endangemd lands to the East. The mortance the city had gained t i ~ this way aa well as its wealth that was based part13 on the cmntry's ncirroyoly of the Red Sea trade was demonstrated by the foandation of numerous ambitious architeettirra campleres which still today dominate Cairn's skyline with their high facades, elaborate minli.6t8 d domes. BTthougb after the Ottaman conquest of m t i 1517 n the C i e was no longer the maia centre for the Islamic world a conscious attitude towards the architactara1 n heritage can be traced i this period: not only were the mediaeval stractares maintaisecf i thait originai n functions, but especialy the religious b i r i l ~ s were faithfully prasemed. Herchants an varioas Ottoman officials also added to the aschitectural wealth of the city, thereby following the oatstaPdirrg local tradition. &eo Cair0 regained some of its previous iprportazrce under Enhamad =Bu: (18051S8) and his foUowers the r i a d phase of the city's development wag achieved e t h e constmction of the nodem Europennized ctg to the west and to the north of the old city. Tiras the istoric parts of m e i a m d and ottoman Cairo were left PirtPallg rmtauched, Cairo was spared the frreversible aod deglorablc destruction that has been witnessed fn most other cities of m a t historic past, Aad tbns, tiil todacs the uneaaalle wealth of Cafro's historic& moamenti is iiTressiva testbony to the ksteational rank of C a h o kr the mediaeval period.

Ia an ambitious scheme the &yid Sultap cl ad-D* a3

e) Bbior

Hiiplerous monographs and articles have been devoted to the historic city of Cairo and its monuments, Po= a detailed list see: L L C , CresweU: A bibliograghy of the architeetar, arts and crats of Islam to Ist Jan- ?%O, C a b ~ 1961, colls. 45-96, =Abd ar=k&in Zaks: A bibliography of the literature or the city of Cairo, Cairo 1964 (= Appetldix 61, LA,C, Cresnell: A bibliography of the architecture, arta and crafts of Islea Supplement: Jan, ?%O to Ja. l972, Cairo 1973, CollS, 17-22. a see note op page M

- -- - ----. -

-.-

_-_-,? -U

._

3 e) aiblio-

YPhY

c a t Id)

The followiag is oalp a selection of the most inportat publications concernisg Cairo : Louis Hautecoeur Gastoa Wiet: Les mosques du Caire, m i s 1932.. L L C . Creswell: Early Muslin architecture 1-11, W o r d I932 (1%9)/1943. Basan CAbd al-Wahhab: Tarfkb al-masjid ai-~thar~ya, c e 0 7946Ministry of rlaqfs (ed,): The mosques of Eggpt, from 21 E ( S I ) to 1365 H ( % , , . I) Cairo 1949. KAC ... Creswell: Phe Muslim architecture of w t I-II, orford 195U1959. Janet I, Abu-Lughod: Cairo, 1001 years of the City ; Victorious, ?rinceton 1971

213

4 S t of pmcrvationl . he consewation

The historic fabric of Islamic Cais0 has been preserved ia some areas UT to two fifthsof the originai. Such a state of preservation can be considered as exceptional, But the soco-economic changes of modern times pose a t h a t to the survfoirrg structures, owing to the mounting denaitg of population and the consequent stress of a overburdened infrastructtrre, However, the a Egyptian Aatiquities Organisation is now paying great attention to solving this problem in order to preserve these historical monuments for generations to come. The restoration of indiddad monuments ia now glanned to be acccmyanied br measares of area conservation,
Q

PO

n q a p i ~ i t i n nn 9 t h a r n 4 r n e t m d w - *

-tian

btiqaities Orgaaisation.

In 1881 the "Comit de Coasemation des Monnments de 1' Brabe" was founded for the safeguarding of the monuments ia Caim, Through this organisation up to the 199's vtrtualiy every registered building has been restored; see the series of proceedings and records of restorations: Duiletfo du1 Comit de Conservation des Monuments de 1'Art Arabe, 4 vols., Cairo 1883ff. A Since 4952 the task of consemation has been transfered to the Islamic Department of the vagptian Aatiquities Organisation, In view of the progressive dilapidation of the vast -be2 of monuments lately &y the most urgent

t a e therefore considesing Islamic Cairo as a world heritaga iadted other nations to participate in the saeguaring of Cairo's Islamic and Coptic monuments, Currently bilateral restorations are carried aut by Polish, Geman, Italian and Ipdian missions, Other projects szonsored p9 the USA, ... Denmark, Holland, Great Sritain and France are in various stages of pregaration,

&

d) Meana for

preservatior corisem a t for

~ c c o r to ~Law 00. 215 (4951) d i the registered monuments of Cairo are under the iegal grotection of the -tian Antiquities rganfsatfon (see the ASaDiC text of the Law atce) tahd! This protection agplles not orrly to the properties owned by the Organisation, but also to those of other governmental bodies (eqecially the m s t r y of Waqfs/Beligious Boundations) and' private properties as weil, r See note as page Z f l
. .---.------e

--_-.. d-

114

___
~

d ) Means for preservatiod conservat ion

(cant )

For the different tasks of conservation several rnr5divisians have been created witbha the Islamic Jegartmenr: of the Sgy-ptian Antiquities Organisation; for exzmple: the Cent= of Docunentation for Islamic and Coytic ktiquizias, ttre Cent= for the L e c h i c a l conservation of Honuneniss irr Cairo, and the C a t r e for 'Zzaatioaai Buildizq 2rafcsThe futare grotection cf the 'kis~oricaimo-enta of Islamic C a *U based o Zsasi'oiiiry s ; a be o r&s orchestraarc'aitecmza reszarztiorzs an measures

e) Management

Pl-

.. "._ .

.. ..

Justification for iiidwion i the Woda n

MtqC List

Islamic Cairo as an urban entity must be regarded as mique, according to both the quantity an the quality of monuments prtaerved, Already the provisional list of classified monunents, nadag about 600 W i n g s of historic aad artistic value, ipdicates the &que state of preservation of the historic fabric. In B;P unbroken sequence, all periods of architectural developeat from early Islamic times till the 19th centuy are richly docttmeatated, Most remarkable of all is the amount O f conatructions dating back to the Xiddle Ages, which a c c m t s for nearly haf of the sumiving monuments. 'phus Cairo is graced y the greatest density of mediaeval manumats to be fourrd kr any Islamic cityt aa is Likevfse BP outataading example o a mediaeval irr the world. city -here %e historic fabric of the old metropolis of Cairo is to 8 large ertent stili unisturbed the resuits of modcity planaing. The main streets, w U c h have not been alterad i the* course fol: centuries, are still a donbatad by large complexes or groaps of historic structuzes integrated in tbe nost favourable way into the urban enrimnmeat, As a matter of fact, Cairo's mhitecture is a nost. sophisticated type of urban uchitecture determined by the urban context of &sting streets and structures and the requizements of urban functions, Host of the monuments are still iunctioning today, at least partly, according to their original _oarpose. This is especially the case with the religious buildings like mosques and madrasas/colleges, monasteries (which have been adopted as mosques), and funerary complexes, but also with domestic an commercial stmetares like paaces, tenesent houses, baths, caravanserais and market streets, Together with the bordering fortifications, consisting of the city walls apd gates ami the citadel, the Islamic city of Cair0 has retained much of its m e d i a e d character. The homogenity of Islamic Cair0 is further based upon a consistent architectural style of great artistic refinement, As a leading golitical and cultural centre, aod due to the preteatfous architectural projects of its aristocratic patroas, Cair0 has always attracted artists aad scholars of other Islamic countries. Stylistic achievements of other regions were assimilatec into the highly developed oca architectural tradition, and thus attained the highest grade of artistic and aestetic perfection, 10 asme ony two significaat features of the Cairene monuments, one can cite the advanced t e c m g a e of stone azchftecture and its decoration, especially the richly ornamentate recessed facades, and likewise the elaborate domes and mtnnrets, as well as the variety of high quality iaterfor decoration of stucco, lavishly applied marble bcrustations, wood work, much of which is still in Situ. Thus the individual n o m e n t of Cairene architecture has to be estimated both for its outstanding value as a piece of a t and for its r significance within the urban context.

--

116

:he characteristic style of decorated stone architecture i the cagital of the P?a;ni.uk emgire became n exemplary for the countries within its doninion. Distributed by migrznt artists the iqerial architectural style was reflected in the architecture of the cities in the HeJaz, S m a , Palestine and Eastern Trirkey, althoagh it never reached the &que standards of the capital. The Islamic c i w of Cairo in its totality must be a regarded as a exceptionally well preserved e x a q l e amongst the historic and artistic centres of the world, As a site of outstaning universal. value it meets all the criteria for inclusion in the World Heritage List. Besides, the test of autheaticity is conviacingly met due to the excellent preservation of both the individual monuments and the historic fabric of the city.

xk t

President, Orgaaization of Egyptian Aptiquit5cs

Documentation su~oortinathe naminatiou of

Isamic Cairo

The documents and other material listed below vhich have been r8C8iYed from Egppt in sopport of the above-aentioaed nomination cun be examined in the Diviuion of Cultural Heritage at Unesco and wU he available or consultation at the meetings of the i Burhau of the World &rftrge Committee and of the Committee itself :

I .
2 .

Map showing location of Caira,

Hap of the City of Cairo, 1:12000 41962).

3- k p of Cairn l:5, indicating Islamic monument8 and the

hiutoric arema

(1948).

4 .

Iadex to Hohammedaa monuments in Cairo (19%).

5 .

Hag for the preliminary planning of Cairu, 1 5 . 0 : 0 0 0 (9781, uith indication of focal points of historic interest,

6 Bibliograph7 of the literature of the City of Cairo (1964). ,

7 Setfes of photographs. ,

8- 2 publications :

A practical guide to Islamic monuments in Cairo by Zichard B Parker and Robin Sabia; American Pnioersity ln Cairo ,
Pte88,

The Ebsques of Cairu/Les HosquQea du Caire (English and French versions) by aston Wiet, Librairie Hachette, 1966Of

9- Lam NO- 215

1% 9.

APPENDIX

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CAIRO

Islamic Cairo worlwide counts among the sites richest in monuments, and perhaps only Rome can rival with the importance of its architectural heritage. Within the Islamic world, there are other cities such as ez, Tunis, Sanaa or Aleppo which have conserved a more homogeneous historic . . fabric, but Cadroeis m i q u e in terms of number and quality of individual monuments and groups of monuments. The number of monuments listed in 1951 amounts to sixhundredtwentytwc and although some of them have disappeared in the meantime, there are others which were not even listed.

The major part of t i heritage stems from Lie Mameluk (1250 1517 a.d.) hs and.0ttoman (1517 T798) period, but as a whole the surviving sites and monuments provide the visitor with a picture of a continuous development from the early Islamic times down to the nineteenth century, and reflect the rare longevety of Cairo as an Islamfc cultural centre. Other Islamic capitals such as Damascus, Cordoba, Baghdad or Isfahan have known similar periods of'spendour, bui: none of them has managed to maintain' such a continuous high level of commercial, cultural and artistic activities, and none of them has preserved similar architectural evidence of past glory. Cairo's vitality is further stressed by the nanner how it adopted and developed new styles introduced by foreign dynasties, by refugees and craftsmen from all over the Islamic world. It therefore contains an unparalleled variety of various Islamic building types and artistic styles.

There is no need, in this document, to relate in detail the history of Islamic Cairo. A previous report by Michael Mein.ecke2' , whose draft was

2 "The quarter of al-Gamaliya in Cairo: Rehabilitation of the historic centre", report to UNESCO by Michael Meinecke, Mai 1980. Al though
120
: /

kindly made available to the writer, may be consulted in this respect as well as the ample specialized litterature cited in that report. But in order to prepare for the subsequent chapters, -. must be pointed out it . that Islamic Cai rr), as it stands today , is made up of a number of distinct urban enti ties, as described in the fol lowing paragraphs:

The Fatimid nucleus of al-Kahira

It was founded in'969 a,d. as a fortified residence by the conquering dynasty. Initially intended-as a closed city, it was set aside from the preexisting town of ,Fustat, which had been founded after the Arab conquest in 641 a.d. near the existing Roman port of Babylon and was destroyed by fire in the twelfth century (today a mere archeol ogi cal si te). lhe separation corresponded. to a well-known pattern of Arab urbanization, according to which the seat of power with all its dependencies settled apart from the common people's town and its commercial activities.

However, after the fail of the Fatimids in 1171 a.d., and with the Ayubid and Mameluk dynasties building new palaces on the Citadel and on the island of Rowda, al-Kahira was gradually opened to the papulation and converted into a city of comerte and crafts, where the Sultans and Emirs rivalled in erecting mosques and madrasas. Many of them yere. .. cocnected with o mausoleum of the founder and with other welfare buil3 dings, such as the Sabil-Kuttabs so typical of the Cairene townscape. The superposition of building activities of several dynasties on the same ground has led to the disappearance of tne Fatimid palace, but has the report is focussed in surveying and evaluating the subsisti..g architectural heritage of al-Gamaliya, which is only a part of islamic Cairo, it gives excellent insight into the historic development of the medieval city as a whole and its conservation problems. 3 The Sabil-Kuttab contains a covered fountain at the ground floor and a balcony for teaching children in reading the Quran at the upper level. It is a particular architectural structure not found in other is1 aiiic ci ties.

121

resulted in a unique Clustering of major monuments from the Fatimid to the late Mameluk period, all contained within a relatively narrow strip leading from the northern Fatimid gates of ,Bab Fth and Bab al Nasr to Bab Zuweila on the south, with a m a o r COncentWition in the quarter of al-Gamaliya, The record is further enriched by a number of surviving private palaces, some of them dating back to the Mameluk period. Like the many "~akallas"4 , they give an excellent picture of the refined urban life of Cairo during the Ottoman period, when the city, in spite of its political and a relative commercial decline (due to the shift of the capital to Istanbul and to new routes of trade being used by European commerce.) , sti 11 maintained much of its previous fl avour.

The layout of al-Kahira and its connection with the previous centres af Fustat and of al-Askars is determined by two natural constraints: The Nile to the west side and the fracture line of the Moqattam plateau to the east, both together imposing a north to south development upon the city, which is reflected by the major north south spine of al-Kahira connecting the various phases of urbanization. The constraint of the . . 'Moqattam was a permanent one and was later stressed by the northern cemetery, which occupied the vacant land between the city and the desert plateau. The Nile, on the other hand, was a "flexible" constrzint, due to its changing water table and to the fact that its borders were . gradually moving westwards between the eighth and the nineteenth century \ (see map). Since Fatimi d times, a natural western boundary resulted from the canal called Khalij; which linked the port of Fustat with the provi diug the city with a permanent Red Sea water supply. inundations during the flood period of the Nile used to produce the lakes of Eirket al Fil and al Erbekieh, whicn were exempted from urbanization until the nineteenth century.

4 Like the Sabil-Kuttab, the Cairene "Wakalla" or khan shows particiilZr features inasmuch as it combines pemanent mu1 tlfl oor 1 i vi ng units on the upper storeys with commercial use on the ground level. 5 Al-Askar was the foundation of the Tulunis who acted as representatives of the Abbassid dynasty in Egypt and then established an dependent dynasty. Nothing of it remains ecxept for the Ibn Tulun mosque itself and the large dumps running parallel to the main spine.
122

Plan showing the shift of the eastern shore of the Nile end the various foundations of Cairo

Plan showing the Fatimid nucleus in relation to its later extensions up to 1300 a.d. (both from J. Abu-Lughod, "Cai rol' , Princeton 1971 )

123

The extensions of al-Kahira

For the above reasons, urban development after the Fatimid period naturally tended to grow towards the South; wh-re it joined the northern end of al-Askar and the Citadel of galah al Din. After the destructionand abandon of Fustat, the centre of gravity of the agglomeration moved northwards with the result of growing pressure in the zone bevdeon the northern wa.11~of al-Kahira and the quarter of the Ibn Tulun mosque. In fact, the unified urban structure was surrounded by ceir!teries from the east, tne north and the south by the end of the sixteenth century. As a result, expansion to the west of the Khalij canal started developing, while- Wle older quarters increased in density6 .
. . .

Of the extensions of the Fatimid nucleus: the southern one contains a high concentration of monuments a7ong Suq al Siiah and Darb al Ahmar Streets, featuring some of the most exquisite Mameluk builcings. The extensions west of the Khalij have been victims of the development of modern Cairo. Only a small number of isolated monuments survive, whereas I:the traditional urban fabric has almost totally disappeared. In fact, . the covering of the canal in the late nineteenth century, and even more so the construction of the new Port-Said highway along the former canal have set a claar division line between the partially preserved historic area to the east and what has become a redevelopment area nest o f the f o m r canal. The m a p drawn in 1830 by Pascal Coste (see pichire) . gives a complete record of the extension of Islamic Cairo before the intervention of new town planning schemes, as happened during the reign of the Khedive Ismail in the mid of the nineteenth century.

The Citadel This relatively small area stands out of the urban fabric of IslmiC Cairo, due to its prominent topographic position on a spur of the
6 AS pointed out by Michael Meinecke, itis typical that the late M m e i u k monuments were much reduced in size, due to the obvious ShOrtze in avai 1 ab7 e bui 1 ding pl ots .
124

Map of Cairo showing the extension of the built fabric in 1825 (from Pascal Coste, "Architecture Arabe on Monuments du Caire", 125 Paris 1839)

Moqattam. It was chosen by the Sul tan Sal ah al Din to contain his residence, after taking over the Ernpire from the Fatimids. The erection of the new Citadel was combined with the building of larger city walls which unified the whole of Islamic Cairo.

The site of the Citadel, crowned with the artistically insignificant mosque of Muhammed A l i , offers a magnificent view over the old city and today ser.ves both as a military area and a tourist attraction. Beside important monuments such as the walls, the towers and the Mameluk mosque of Nasir Mahammed, no significant urban fabric remains.

Bu1 aq

This quarter owes its existence to the fact that the eastern bank of the Nile >as slowly shifted weskvards since the foundation of al -Kahi ra.
Bulaq was created in the fourteenth century by Lhe Mameluk Sultan al Nasir Muhammed, in view of the rowing importance of east-west trade ?or mutes passing #rough Cdi ro, anduStock! ng goods before dispatching . to the Mediterranean countries. It then becane the main port of Cairo s of the fifteenth century, supplementing and gradually rep1 acing the old port of Fustat which was too distant after the centre of gravity of the city had moved north.-Its development was intensified after the Ottoman conquest and at the beginning of the nineteenth centurp Bulaq covered a surface almost half as large as the Fatimid nucleus of Cairo, being separated from al-Kahira by a stretch of fields and gardens about one kilometer wide. Although not to the same point as the Capital, Bulaq was and still is rich in monuments, namely from the late Mameluk and the Ottoman periods. Like the western extensions of the Fatimid city, it has greatly suffered from the modern urban development initiated when the Khedives started Creating the European style town,which gradually filled all the vacant -land between the old city and the Nile.

126

The cemeteries Perhaps nowhere in the world the wish to be remembered after death has fostered such extraordinary architectural .resul ts as in Egypt. This _. is also true for the Islamic period,'notwithstanding the fact that orthodox Islam does by no means encourage funeral monuments. Yet, the architecture of Cajro since the late Fatimid period and specially during the Mameluk period was strongly marked by the erection of mausoleums, either freestanding or connected to a masque, madrasa, khanq or othar wel'fare buildings sponsoured by the builder of the tomb. This tradition, initiated on a larger scale by the Ayubid Sultan Salih has led to the development of the prestigious Cairene dome architecture and was instrumental in producing large monumental complexes such as the ones of Sul tan K a h n , Baibars, Barquq and others, which were al 1 supported by corresponding endowments (waqf). Theytherefore represented social and economic microcosms of their own, providing for a large number of staff engaged in maintenance, teaching and praying, and often subsidizing students and pious men who would live in the building. . . . In the same time they were economically linked to suqs, houses or agricultural land which made part of the endowment and served as source of income. While some of these complexes were bui1 t inside the town, many, and .. . mostly the later ones were erected on the cemeteries, where they formed small nuclei of urban life. The Cairene cemeteries were never clxiceived as dead areas but as "cities of the dead", where the people would visit their relatives and occasionally stay overnight in small houses connected wi th the tombs. This semi -urban deve1 opment is special 1 y obvious in the case of the mausoleum of the much venerated Imam Chafi which became the focus of a small permanent settlement within the ceme te ri es. 'According to the geographic conditions and to the movement of the city centre , the cemeteries of Islamic Cairo are divided into two major areas: The southern cemetery, east of the site of Fustat and south of

127

the Tulunid city of al Askar is the older one, still ccntaining many monuments from the Fatimid, Ayubid and early Mameluk period. From the fifteenth century on, the northern cemetery north of the Citadel and east of the Fatimid city was favoured because it-offered more easily available space.
Today both cemeteries cover almost the same surface as the remainin historic fabric of Islamic Cairo. They are bordered by a new highway (Salah Salem Road) designed.to relieve pressure from the modern city centre and to link .the southern suburbs and the westbank developments with the northern parts of the metropol i tan area (Hel iopol is and airport). Due' to demographic pressures and to the shortage in housing, they are now in danger of being turned into permanent settlements by hundreds of thousands of squatters or even of being used for new deve1 opments .

Modem Cairo
i .

m iogeaer, ail these urban entiti fo d Islamic Cairo, as it was recorded during the Napol eoni c expedi ti on in 1802 and later by Pascal Coste in his "Archi tecture Arabe on Monuments du Caire", (Paris 1839). A few decades later, the hitherto homogeneous structure of the city started changing by the impact of western planning ideology an4 . . corresponding models, introduced by the successors of Muhammed Ali and especially during the reign of the Khedive Ismail, whosembitin' was to- present a'moden Cairo to the visitors expected for the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.
e .

Being an admirer of the transformation of Paris started by the Baron Haussmann, he imported the French Bou1 evard concept for the 1 ayout of the new town. The fact that the new development took place west of the old city, on the land uncovered by the Nile, meant that physical .'destruction of the historic fabric Was at that time avoided. However, the rapidly growing new town soon caused heavy redevelopment pressures on the western fringes of the historic fabric and in 8ulaq, and even

128

wifhin the old city. This accounts for the many, nineteenth centupj buildings within Islamic Cairo, many of which were disruptive to me historic fabric by introducing an alien architectural typology. tt,GG5n they complied with the previous fabric i n terms Of building highr; and street alignment, they often did not offer the courtyard space needed to make up for the narrowness of the public space, and their fazdes were rather related to European historic styles than to the local tradition. If this is true for the late nineteenth and the early twentieth century, it applies even more to the development of the last three decades, when .pienty of new apartment blocks sprang up, disturbing the homogeneity of. the fabric by their exceeding hight and their gaor architectural qual ity.

But the most serious impact on the old city came from the large streets originated by the new urbanization concept. New avenues and squares kern cut. .into the o1 d city with no understanding for the difFerent sense of space and order that had governed the growth of the Islamic pattern. o some extent..these intrusions were motivated by new traffic needs, bu: no less by the 2bsession with creating straight and farreaching vistzs as offered by the axes of European townplanning. Military reasons may also have been implied, as was the case with the French Boulevard. Fortunately enough, not all of the Khedive Ismail s ambitious plans were realized. However, some were executed and are now irrevocable urbanistic facts, such as the Muhamed Ali Street connectini Ataba Square with the Citadel, and the enlargement of Midan Beit al Kadi in the very heart of the Fatimid city. It was made in order to open a new vista onto the Kalaun-complex, sacrifying for this doubtful purpose t k madrasa of Sul tan Baibars , one of the most precious Mameluk monuments

The trend was pursued by the construction of the Sharia al-Azhar in tfie twenties of our centuryiperhaps the most deplorable of all these
Urbanistic interventions, because it brutally interrupted the main Spi fie of the Fatimid city and the attached suqs. The clearing of a quarter in order to create the large al-Azhar square jn front of the mosque in tfie fifties was only a lsgical result of the previous interventions. It

129

shows the actual tendencies which are to diminish and to disturb the "interior" open space of the traditional fabric (pepresented by the old pedestrian network and integrated courtyards) while increasing "exterior" space for roads, vehi cul ar traffic and parking. These 1 a tter ones do not contribute to the quality Of the environment and inevitably .entai1 the b u n t of the historic fabric if increased beyond certain 1 irni ts.

Map showing the tawn planning projects of the Khedive Ismail, around 1870 (after J. Abu-tughod, "Cai rol' , Princeton 1971 )
130

APPENDIX

KISMS AND SHIEKiiAC OF STUDY AREA

i) Kisms ii) Shiekhas iii) Population Changes

i) The study area falls across four kisms within the Cairo Governorate: DARE EL AHMAR, EL KHALIFA, GAMALIA and BAL EL SHAREYA. fi) The specific Shiekhas within each of the above Kicms falling within the study =ea are as follows

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9
10

11 12 13 14

BATNIA El Dowaria El Mogharbili El Gharbia El Ghouria Darb El Saada Harat El R o m Darb El Ahmar Bab El W a z k Darb Shaalan Taht el: Rabaa El Sorougia Souk El Silah

2
3 4

5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13

El Azhar El Hamzawi El Shaarani El Atouf Bab El Fatuh El Yahoud el Kara'in El Yahoud el Rabaan (El Gawhar el Raaid) Kasr El S h o e El Gamalia El Mashhad El Hussein Khan El Khalili El Khoronfis El Darassa

El -=Y

Kism EL RHIGIFA
1

2 3 4 5
6

7
C

El Mahgar El H a m a Darb El Husr El Saliba El Khalifa El Bagla El Saydia Aisha A

Kism BAB EII

1

Bab el Shareya

132

within Study Area

1976

% decrease since 1966

1980

2000

KHALIFA
DARB EL AHMAN BAB EL SHARIA

84 , 970 133,404 10 929 91 t123 320 426

-1.63 -0.68 -1.04 -0.28 -0.86

5 t 540
3,628 456 1,020.4
11 024
.

331240 21,772. a 2,736 6 ,122.4 66,144

GAMALIA
TOTAL AREA

ICRALIFA
. -

'

1980 79,430 129 776

10 , 473

20 ' 00
511730 111,631 8,193

DARB EL AHMAN
BAB ELSRARIA

GAMALI & TOTAL

90t103

85,001

309,402

254,282

133

APPENDIX

ATA RELATED TO SOC30-ECONOMIC STUDY

i) Occupational Studies
ii) Place of Work iii) Place of Residence iv) Inter City Traffic v) Establishment Survey v)' Trade, Charities and Associations vii) Commercial Associations viii) Tourists

134

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i i h

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a,

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P Co
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9

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135

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136

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137

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OY

mE
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1-I OD VI

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23
5

la

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6
ici 4
P l

a
5 z
dp

c X
rl

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138

v)

Establishments on Cpkie by Type of Ihdustry and Actvlty (Field Survey Results A p r a 'l9SQ.I. RETAIL

TYPE OF INDUSTRY
~-

WHOLESALE

WORKsn6p

WABl3HOUSE/ STOR3

TOTAL

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . .. . .. . . .. . .. . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
___

Food Misc. Consumer

Chemicals
~

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . ... . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

168

.41.

20..

234

112 3

17

59
~~ ~

47
1

Textiles

188

295
102

44

20

3a
o

Go id/S lver
Leather Wood
Electric

124
46
12
. .

20
8
.

124

23
21

. . .

a9
41

26

30

Stone/Wax/Glass/ Paper
Tools/Repair Scrap Spice/Oils Fue 1

2
16

36

5
10

23
30

4
10

48
1

58
~

TOTAL

1334

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d d d d r l r l 4 4 4 r l r l

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m d m Q I N Q I o i o Q d m m m c y c y m c y m m m d d

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I

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Q I c y m 1 2 o c y P m w m m
P i o - o a c y 4 m d l - m

2
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I

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142

APPENDIX

EXAMPLES OF ENCROACHMEMI ON MONUMEMI AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY

This Appendix gives a number of examples of the process All of encroachment on old.buildings and monuments. the information has been obtained by direct interview with those involved.
A general survey is provided below.

System of Encroachment Direct purchases of buildings by merchants and owners of workshops, etc. Encroachment of commercial enterprises on neighbouring lands/buildings. Obtaining false title to lands and buildings and claiming ownership. Obtaining concessions from po 1itical1y motivated authorities.

Resuonsible Authority

Disp1acm e n t of Residents
Yes

Ref. No. of Case

10 Il

WAKF

POLICE ANTIQUITY DEPARTMENT

11
Yes

WAKF

Yes

12

Deliberate demoBUILDING OWNER lishing of buildings TENANTS GOVERNORATE

Yes
8 14

144

Case 1.

Damage to a house in Gamaliya Street

The tenant, a soap manufacturer, knew that citizens who were living in the mosque of Sa'eed el So'ada had been given new apartments so he demolished the floor of the water closet of his apartment and moved to a room at Wekalet Al Rahla. He closed up his apartment, refused to pay any further rent and brought an action before the courts against the owner to repair the damage. On the other hand, the house owner brought an action against him because of damaging the house and to obtain the rent due, which had not been paid for three years. The tenant lost the case, had to repair the damage and he returned to his apartment. Case 2. Damage to a tenement house in Gamaliya Street. In about 1974, a rice merchant bought a building in Gamaliya Street from the Ministry.of Endowments consisting of a tenement house with a yard. Some tenants, in the part facing Gamaliya Street, damaged the floor of their apartments, hoping thereby to obtain new apartments from the municipalities. The owner seized this opportunity to bring an action before the court asking permission to demolish the house, thus giving him the opportunity to build a new building in its place. The tenants claimed that the building only needed repairing, but the owner obtained the consent for demolition. The house was actually demolished and a modern building is being built in its place containing no residential accommodation. Case 3. Problems of a family living in Mabyada Lane. This case relates to a family of five living in a very small single room who were previously living in a nearby house which was demolished. Following this demolition most of the tenants moved to nearby mosques, but this family Their neighbours were eventually rented a small room. given new apartments, but this family wlas given nothing because it was assumed they were not in need as they had found a room, although it was so small it could not take their furniture and the family was grossly overcrowded.

145

Case 6.

Dispute over two houses at Atfet El Kayaty, Al Soukareya.

This house is an endowment under the control of the Ministry of Endowments. The rent was collected from the tenants by the supemisor of that Mimesh up to the beginning of the 1960's. This supervisor then managed to sell the house for 2000 LE to the owner of some shops selling beans and bean cakes neaz Ramses Square. The supervisor told the tenants that he himself had bought the house and wanted to establish contracts with them and get the rent. Some accepted and some refused. He distributed false announcements to frighten the tenants and oblige them to establish contracts with him, but one tenant: challenged th position and sent a notification including a copy of the announcement to the following agencies: a. The directorate of endowments b. The public prosecutor's office c. The committee for usurped endowments After investigations by the Xinistry of Endowments, the tenants were given notice not to pay the rent to anybody till the above mentioned estate is restored to the Ministry. However, the Ministry of Endowments did not receive the house and no rent was coilected from the tenants for some four or five years and in 1976, the same supervisor tried once more to persuade the tenants to leave the house in return for money so that he might demolish it. The tenants refused to deal-with him telling him to fetch official letters from the Ministry of Endowments informing them that he was the new owner. .

The supervisor did not provide such authority but he managed to obtain consent to demolish the house and remove the tenants who were actually removed from the two houses by the police in late 1979. Till now nothing has been done officially to reopen the dwelling and to allow the return of the residents. However, some tenants returned by themselves to their appartments. The house dates back to the 17th OP 18th Century and may be earlier. It is worth registering as an Islamic antiquity having a number of historic elements and in addition, the house represents the traditional house arrangements of the tenants.

146

Case 7. Problem between tenant and landlord The family involved are professional carpenters specializing in Arabic style carpentry.They hired a area of land from the Ministry of Endowments and n built a two-storey house there some years ago, of red bricks and concreta. Three families Live in al1 the first floor. Two of them are related to the owners I but the third is a tenant. The owners took 350 L.E. from this tenant in order to rebuild his part of the house with bricks and concrete. Three months ago however the owner demolished the water closet and one room from the tenants apartment adding this area to the apartment of the owner's mother and brother. The tenant is now living in a single room without access to a water closet and further pressure was applied to force the tenant to leave the house altogether. Case 8 Problem between tha owner of ground floor shops and . the tenant of two apartments above. The new owner of come shops renewed them, replacing the old walls and columns by concrete columns.This resulted in collapse of a part of the apartments above because the new columns did not provide adequate support. One room and the water closet collapsed. The tenants asked the owner of the shops to repair the damage, but he refused saying that he was satisfied with the state as it is and that he would wait till all apartments collapse so as to be able to build a new building in its place.

This problem involves the facade of a historic house, in the registers of antiquities. This house dates back to the 18th Century and is an excellent example of the arkitectural style of commercial an residential buildings in the Ottoman period. The facade contains an Fmportant monumental gateway and rare decorations and the windows
of the upper storeys are ornamented with fine wooden mashrabeyas.

147

Case 9. The problem of a house due to disagreement among This house dates back to the last century or the beginning of this century as can be inferred from the style of the facade. It consists of one storey except the northern part which is formed of two storeys. The owner died some years ago and since then his daughter collected the rent. A little while ago, a person appeared pretending that he is the owner and demanded that the tenants paid their rent to him and not to the daughter, because he claimed to be the legal owner of the house. The tenants were so intimidated by this person that they conformed although he produced no documents and they are sure the daughter is the true owner. The tenants were afraid to do anything more for fear of losing their home. Case 10. Concerning Sale of the Public bath house together with the Land around it by public auction The Ministry of Endowments announced some time ago the sale by auction of a bath kouse together with the land on which it stood amounting to about 2500 square metres. This bath house is registered in the index of antiquities and dates back to the 18th Century. The tenants living in single rooms are afraid that the new owner intends to drive them out and demolish their homes. There is also the pocsibklity that the new owner may demolish the bath houses as has happened to the other part of the bath house. Case 11. Unauthorised alterations to a Sabil

in 1973, a merchant of the FaliamiII district purchased an old building from the Ministry of Endowments, and after paying an indemnity to the tenants he began demolishing this huilding but he then realized that the Sabil at the corner of the building belongs to the antiquities department. Nevertheless, he started to demolish the Sabil from the rear and the antiquity inspectors filed a case to the police department, but in vain. The owner eventually broke into the Sabil and the Police expelled him but he broke into the property again and used it as a store and started again to demolish the Kufab above the Sabil. He removed the door of the old Sabil and installed instead a rollLngmeta1 shutter. The inspector concerned stated that when he went to the police, but is warned not to proceed with the caser because his efforts would be lost in vain. The dispute has been continuing since that date and has not yet been resolved, not withstanding vigorous attempts to remedy the position by the public authority. The case is well documented in the files of the departments involved.

Case 13. Use of a Wekala Doorway by a merchant

About 20 years ago a Wekalet collapsed except for the doorway and part of the structure overlooking the court. With the help of a member of parliament a wood merchant was given the doorway and he constructed behind it a workshop to make wood crates. Also some of the craftsmen and merchants who had previously occupied the building also built shops in place of the ruins by the help of another member of Parliament, The Ministry of Endowments then assessed a new monthly rent on these people.

Case 14.

Effects of Modern Town Planning

The widening of streets has caused much destruction. The following are some examples:
1.
.

The opening of Port Said Road. "Rabat Abu Talab" registered A No. 141 and Sabil um Hussein was displaced to the Qadi Yehia mosque on Sh. Port Said. Also in this way many other old buildings of different peziods were destroyed (example the Adawi Mosque near Bab el Sharia 59). When Azhar square and the Hussein Mashhad were formed the Zadawi Bath (R.A. 567) was demolished. Other buildings destroyed were the Hulugi Fawla and Bath. The opening of Sh. Magsa el Aiyoun (Salah Sala extension) the Sabil of Sultan Qayet Bey was demolished. And when the flyover bridge was constructed at the Intersection of this road at Sayeda Aisha Square the doorway of Sultan Qayet Building was demolished (R.A. 278)and also part of the wall Magra el Aiyoun (R.A. 78). Also opening of this road destroyed part of the Sayeda Nafissa cemetery and some old graves. To extend Magiis el Shaab Street from Lazoughli Square to Port Said Road a number of old mosques and fawyas and houses were demolished. The widening of the square and streets along the Old Cairo N. wall. Zawyet el Sit el Soutohla (18th century) and the Thahabi bath of the middle ages and other old buildings. The opening of the parallel road to Salah Salem on the East the grave of Abu Kheir el Soufi was demolished. R.A. 373 at the Kajet bey cemetery.

2.

3.

'

4.

5.

6.

149

DATA AVAILABLE FROM FIELD SUWY OF Z'ONEC 2,4 AND 6

150

Availability of Survey results tabulated for the selected three target areas. Data from field results.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I

Name of Table

. .

Abea
6.

. . . . . . .

2.

i. Place of residence of

establishment m e r & type of establishment

2. Building inventry
3, Size of household by number

J
J
% /

J J
J
J

of rooms occupied
4 Duration of residence in . area a inside Cairo . b. Outside Cairo

J
Y J

J
J J

5. Availability of ut ilities
6. Shared facilities by

J
J

type of ownership of building 7. Age/sex distribution of population

8 Reported Total household . income by source 9. Income of establishment

J J

J
J J
J

-J
J

workers
10. Type of ownerships of units by amount of rent

J J J
1

paid. Unit: A B C

Total Residential Commercial

5
J

5 J
J

11. Extent of raising animals

by Occupation
12. a Occupation by place .

of work b.'Occupation by place of work outside

J J

151

APPENDIX

LIST OF MONUMENTS WITHIN GROUPS

152

GROUP 1 45 i 41 21. 562 428 i87 44 43

0

561 34

402 45 37 38 52

Madrasa of Mitql al-AnkI (c. 1368-9/770) Mausoleum of Saikh Sin& (1585/994) Sabb-Kuttb & House of '=Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda (1744/1157) Hamm& of al-Ashtaf ?na1 (1456/861) Madrasat al-K&ilIya (1225/622y 1752-3/1166) Madrasa of al-&ah& Bar& (1384/786-1386/788) Madrasa of al-Nasir Muhammad (1295/695-1304/703) Mristn, Xadrasa and Mausoleum of al-Man& Qata'n (1284/683 -1285/684) animara a - N u a s I n (before 1800) Sabil-Kuttab of U g h & &-Ala i (1346/747) Palace of Bashtak al-NasirI with Masgid al-Fig1 (1334/735-1339/ 740) SabIl -Kuttab Muhatmaad Al1 (1828-9/1244) Qa a od Muhible al-& al-Muwaqqi (1545/951) Madrasa of a-Zahir Baibars (1262/660-1263/662) Mausoleum & Madrasa of al-Slih Nagm a l - D h A & (1243/641, 1250/648) (1535/942) SalaIl-Kuttab Khusr Pasha

153

GROUP 2 16 499 32 479 Sabxl-Kutta;b Oit%

Bey and Wakalat al-Tha (1630/1040l ( 7-1 8/1233) 181

Hash Uty

Khnqah of Baybars al-Gashatrkh (1306/706)

anonymous F&imid
Kh&q&

Mausoleum (c.1133/527)

S d d al-suada (1173-74/569)

31 17/356
L

Madtasa of Qarasunqur (1300-1301/700)

Sabil-Kuttab dabashx and Gate of H&at al-Mabyada (1673/1084) Rouse No. 5 S & d-Gamizya 62673/1084)

19 35 398 39 6
30

Waklat Dhu'l-Fiqk && Madrasa of Gainal aWakalat Bazara

Portal of Wakla Abbas

(1673/1O84)Ysuf a l - U s t ~ d(1408/811) ~ (end 17th c)

&

(1694/1106)

Madrasa of Mahmd Muharrara (1792/1207)

Marasa of Tatar al-igazzya (1348/748)

36

29
20

Mosque of M a n q d.-AhSAd

(17th C)

Palace al-Musafirkhna (1779/1193, 1788/1203)

Group 3

189

Madrasa of al-Ashraf Q h h al-Ghx? (& the House ta the

North) (1504/909)
67/65/66 Mausolem & Maq ad of al-Asraf &sh
I

al-Gh3rZ(1504/909
15O 5/9 1 O )

64
I

Wakalat al-GhrI Doorway of & H

(i504/909-1~05/919)

a-Masbaga (before 1800)

351
98/62

Khan al-Zar&isa (before 15 16/9 22 1 Mosque & CabIl of Muhammad Bey Abu al-Dhahab (1774/1188)
SabEl-Xuttab Zayu al-AbidL

69

( 17thc/l lthc)

154

GROUP 4

190 410 596 39 5 358 368

Mosque of al-Sul&
Hammam al-Muayyad

al-Mu'ayyad

(1415/818-1420/823)

(1420/823)

Ha~&m

al-Sukkarzya

(18th c/12th c)

Waklat NafIsa al-Baydha ( 1796/1211)

SabIl Nafilsa al-Baydha

(1796/1211) al-Alayli and Shaykh al-QaytI (18th c/end 1 2 t h ~ )

Facade of house of Mun&

199 203
116

B &

Zuwayia

(1092/485)

Zwiya & Sabxl of Farag fin Barqq (1408/811)

Mosque of al-Slih Talai (1160/555)

406 & 408 Qasabat Radwz Bey including facades on Mid& Bab Zuwayla ( 17th c/l1 thc) 407 117 557 118 Facade of House lying to the north of Sab?l al-Wafazya (17thc/l lthc)

Mosque of Mahma al-Kurd1

(1395/797) (1442/846) (1392/794-1393/795) (1650/1060)

~ a b F a-wafIya
Mosque of nl al-AtabkI
Maq ' d Radwz Bey a

208

GIZOUP 5
235 237 238 12s 586
123

House of Ahmad Katkhuda al-Bazzz (15th/9thc-i778/1192)

Minaret of Zwiyat al-Hunfd (1260/660)

Sabzl Ibrahb Agha Muctahfizn (1639/1049 Madrasa Unim al-Sult&

1640/1050)

Shabb

(1368/770)

Tomb & Wakala of Ibrahh Khalzfa GuiniG (i593/iOOi) Mosque of I b r a h h Agha Mustahfizn (1346/747 -1347/748)
SabT1,Raba and Tomb of Untar gh (1652/1063)

2 40
24 8

Mosque, Sabil & Tomb of Khayrbak (1502/908)

Palace of Aln q
[1'293/693)

249 593

Drinking Trough of Ibrahim gh% Mustahfizn (1659/1070)

155

GROUP 6

S a b h Umm Abb&
147
152

(1870/1284) (1349/750) (1355/756)

osq que of Shaykh

Khanqah Shaykh

323

Drinking Trough of Shaykh (17th c/llthc) House and Sabxl of E &

452
15 1
324

Abdallah

(1719/1132)

Mosque of

Q&I

Bay al-MuhammadE (1413/816)

Sabrl-Kuttab Qyt Bay (1479/884)

Sabll-Kuttab, Tomb & House of .Shaykh Abdallah 16thc/end l0thc)

413

156

APPENDIX

COMPLEMENTARY PLANNING AND REEAEILITATIQN PROPOSALS

157

-. .
'~

'

* -

. .

.. . - . .

-The.six prfoaty zones were chosen

in view of conservation priorities and short term implementation. However, there are o h e r areas of the old city which show a lower concentration of monuments, but are equally important for the rehabilitation of Islamic Cairo, for the following reasons:

Some of them contain impurtant single monuments which are not prutected by the six zones, but are in urgent need of conservation and envi ronmental control .

Some of them occupy key positions within the urban system, and their actual function as well as their future development have a strong i nci dence upon the i sol ated zones of conservation.
Most of them are in direct continuity with the proposed six conser-

vation zones and could therefore be used to extend or to interconnect them in the future. During the present,mission, there was not enough time for a more systematic planning approach,nor for recording in detail the problems and the pctential of these complementary areas of concern. It is however recommended that further study of them should be'initiated as soon as possible, parallel to the detailing of the zoning concept. In fact, if these areas were negleted in the future, this could well mean that the six con- . servati.on zones would find themselves in a completely isolated position, and without the necessary support from the environing urban system. In the following, a first attempt has been made to single out a number of such areas and to make a preliminary record on their content and their relevance for rehabilitation. At the same time, a number of

158

nstrategic" plots along the historic spines (but outside the actual conservation zones) has been spotted, which should be kept under control against imminent devel opment pressures (see separate map). Redevelopment of these plots should by no means be-exluded; yet it is important to ensure that corresponding projects match with the aaacefir monuments (both in t e m of form and function), and that as a whole they contribute to: the overall rehabilitation strategy of Islamic Cairo, instead of undermining or obstructing the actions in the conservation zones. It should be added that the type of suggested control does not necessarily imply large public investments, as is the case for the restoration and rehabilitation projects in the six conservation zones. The projects would rely on private investment, but planning and design assistance should . be provided by the authority in charge of the conservation zones.

In a more comprehensive way, the following areas of concern have been

recorded: The northern gates The large open space outside the walls and the two small squares i m e diately after the gates need special consideration, because they are badly neglected and dumping is in danger of becoming' firm hahit'there. From an urbanistic point .of view, these gateways are an entry and transition space almost as important as their southern counterpart at Bab Zuweila. A special study would be needed to analyze if access to the his-tokic centre could be improved from the north, and how proper management of vehicular traffic and of merchandise transport, stocking and dispatching could be achieved. The ruined commercial premises in front of the entry gate of al-Hakim mosque are to be watched, because their pl ace is extremely vu1 nerabl e, and thei r redevel opment Wou1 d W e t o o m p l i s h d n important function. The enormous courtyard of the Hakim mosque itself should be used as a green public space (garden or park). Finally, attention is drawn on the large redevelopment potential of the whole block south of Hakim mosque, where several semi-industrial
'

159

Shari a Bergawan This'bended r'esidential ailey is entered from the spine through a special doorway (attached to the mosque and sabil of Sulaiman Agha. Silahdar). It leads into an area with a number af contiggiious ruined or vacant plots and would therefore offer an excellent opportunity for . . a pilot housing project, if eventual land ownership problems can be overcome. Rehabil i-tation of smal 1 er monuments in the same area cou1 d be made part of the scheme. Additionally, In easier second access could be provided through the Sharia Emir al Gitush, north of the area.

Surroundinas of al Akmar mosque This jewel of Fatimid architecture, due to its modest dimensions and its low ground floor, is specially exposed to the impact of highrise new constructions. Therefore, precise guide1 ines are needed for the future redevelopment of the two abutting wakallas of little historic iqterest; of which only the ground floors are preserved. Development coittrol .or rehabilitation of other neighbouring plots to the south and east of the mosque (small row of shops and wakalla) could ensure a link with the nearby conservation zone 2 (Sharia Gamaliya) and zone 2 (Sharia Muitz).

Midan Beit al Kadi, Khan al Khalili and Midan of Hussein

The unity of this area is given through its comercial and touristic function and through a number of similar cases for rehabilitation, all
concerning the reorganization of trade and workshops and the reuse (or reconstruction 1 of abandoned (or di 1 api dated) khans. The Hussein square

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has an important function as arrival space, but is in great need of an appropriate environmental treatment (trees, shade and pedestrian connections with al Azhar). The markets of Khan al Khal i l i can be regarded as filter space for entering the old.city, and the Midan Beit al Kadi could be developed as a meeting point and resting place for tourists.and inhabitants, relying on its pivot position. The urbanistic treatmentof this zone as a whole is important because it constitutes the natural link between the first three conservation zones and makes them become a coherent block.

The MooriSh Bazaar

This series of local suqs south of the Ghouriya (mainly wool, clothes and textiles) establishes the connection between zone no. 3 and zone no. 4 (Bab Zuweila) and comprises the break of the spine in front of the sabil-kuttab Muhammed Ali, which is an important landmark in the * . townscape of Islamic Cairo. Most buildings in this area show completely ruined or collapsed upper floors. Therefore, there is a danger of imminent redevelopment which should be anticipated by an appropriate development concept for the area. Beside improving the comercial structures, there would be the case for a pilot project giving q modern interpretation of the traditional wakalla structure (combinatTon of comnerce in the ground floorwith housing units in the upper floors).

Sharia Ahmed Maher The treatment of tfiis area is compimentary to conservation zone no. 4 (Bab Zuweila), inasmuch as it commands the access from the modern town and contains activities which have an impact on the historic fabric (large number of workshops and factories such as stone cutting, wood wholesale, leatherwork, etc.). Again, the great bulk of the building Stock is dilapidated or completely ruined, and redevelopment pressures are to be expected, which need guidance and orientation. Given the im-

portance of the node in front of Bab Zuweila and the impact of vehicular traffic crossing the spine, an urbanistic concept for this area is urgently needed. Among other aspects, i t should study the possi bi 1 i ti es for a public transport and taxi station, and suggest an optimal scheme for organizing semi-industrial activities in the area, perhaps taking into consi derati on the recepti on of some addi ti onal workshops which wi 11 have to :be removedi from the conservati on zones.

D a h al Ahmar

The area around the late Mameluk mosque of Qijmas and down to the branching . of Suq al Silah is one of the most interesting areas of Islamic Cairo and establishes a vital link between the conservation zones no. 4 and no. 5. In view of possible future extensions and merging of these zones, a strict
' .

development contra1 should be kept over the area. The little square on the branching of Suq al Silah could become an attractive focus for the whole district, if sroperly redes'gned.

Bab al Wazir

The spine of Darb al Ahmar ends in a very poor housing quarter'beneath \ the Citadel. In this area, there are important objects for rehabilitation, such as the magificent ruin of the Maristan (hospital) of the Mameluk sultan Muayyad, which could be turned into a public park and playgrou~d after consolidation. The whole block south of the Maristan, including the very significant corner between the Bab al Wazir and the Citadel streets would offer an excellent opportunity for a large housing project, The area looks now very neglected, the majority of plots are ruined, and it is to be feared that an unsensitive redevelopment would completely change the aspect of this important part of Islamic Cairo.
Development -control and upgrading projects should also be applied tc . the vacant land of Bab al Matir with the Azdumur mosque in the back-

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ground, which establishes the transition to the ceqgbry area. This spacey with its View on the Citadel and on the Ayubid city walls, could constitute one of the most attractive places of Cairo, if the environment were improved. Furthermore, it *would be in: direct continuity with conservation zone no. 5.

Suq al Silah

The southern section of Suq al Silah, with its ancient monumental gate
opposite the Sultan Hassan mosque and with the/compiex of Ylgai also offers an interesting rehabilitation potential. A number of ruined shops and workshops would'have to be improved and the large vacant p k t s used for storage would have to be controlled. It might be suitable to study a pilot project for crafts and mechanized workshops in this area.
religious

SharTa al Hilmiya / Sharia al Aukbiya This area is part of the main historic north-south spine which has been crossed by Muhammed Ali Street and has since suffered from heavy redevelopment; to such a point, that large sections offer no more historic elements worth of conservation at all. However, the group of buildings around and south of the Mausoleum of Hassan Sadaqa (now under restoration) has kept much character. Adjacent to the Sadaqa complex lies the impressive ruin of the #ameluk palace of Yushbak, which dominatzs the skyline and could easily be nade accessible from the south-west side of Sultan Hassan mosque, once t h structure is consolidated. Similarly to the maristan of Muayyad, it could be turned into an "archeological-park", or the lower floor could be used for rehabilitation purposes. Another partly ruined palace With two very large courtyards, the palace of Amir Tat, could eventually be used for establishing a school or a social centre. The whole area is *ow dominated by stores y stocks and smi-industrialized workshops which O c c W Y large surfaces. A more detailed study on these activities would reveal to what extent they

could be reorganized and improved, and whether there is capacity left for workshops to be removed from the conservation area. Beyond the crossing with Saliba Street, the-*spinecontains almost no more monuments until the beginning of the cemetery. However, there wou7d be the case for an urban design project on the small square at the crossing with. Sharia Tulun, which is opie of the most vital and picturesque market places of Cairo. It constitutes, as it were, the transition to the cemetery spine (Sharia Ashraf), which should also be kept under contro1,for its important heritage is exposed to a semi-urban environment. Deve1 opment control should also be exerced on the old dumps of the Tulunid city to the. west of Sharia al Ashraf; they now constitute a most valuable green area, but will soon be exposed to the pressures of squatters.

* **

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APPENDIX

FURTHER STUDIES
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Bulaq Babylon Western GamaLiya Citadel and Tourism Housing Renewal and Improvement

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1. E'USTAT

The site of Fustat, the great city of are-Fatimid Cairo, extended from the Citadel in a South-Westerly direction to reach ancient Babylon,,the old, walled, Hellenistic2oman city. Today, the South-Eastern area of the site is largely uninhabited and has been declared an archaeological zone. Excavations have revealed a large area of the street pattern as it was during the last phase of the habitation of Fustat, during the tenth to twelfth centuries. Flanking these streets, a number of houses have been excavated, each with a characteristic planted courtyard containing a pool and a fountain. To the south-west, the first mosque, that of 'Amr Ibn al-As, is in course of extension, with the erection of prayer halls on three sides of the couryard, which did not have them before. To the north of the mosque the ancient Moslem cemeteq is preserved. BABYLON AND THE COPTIC QUARTER OF OLD CAIRO (QASR EL-SHAM) Situated at the southern extremity of Fustat, this quarter of ancient Coptic churches and houses lies within the remnants of walls erected by the Romans oves the foundations of Hellenistic Babylon. The Southern Roman gateway survives in its lower ?art, as do the lower levels of two huge circular towers on the western side, which may represent another gate. Two narrow streets run garallel inside the walls in a SW-NE direction, and a central street NW-SE. These lead to a number bf historic churches and a synagogue. Come alterations to the quarter took place in the 19th and early 20th centuries, ncluding the clearing of houses for tke construction of the Cobtic Museum next to the church of El-Xuallaffa and of St. Georges Monastery over the faundations of the northern circular tower. The remainder of the Coptic quarter remained intact until recent years, but it is now in an advanced state of delapidation, and urgently deserves rehabilitation. Natural weathering and ageing has been compounded during the last fifteen years by the rapid rising of the water table so that the historic crypt of the 6th c. church of Abu Sarga CSt. Sergius) is now permanently flooded, and water has risen high in the walls causing marked decay and threatening their stability. A number of houses have actually collapsed, and many have been systematically cleared in recent years. The ~ l a n the authorities, which of involves clearing away the remainder of the houses, should be questioned. A programme of silicon or aluminium injections of the lower parts of the old walls against rising damp might be investigated. Subsequently, a programme of reconstlSution of those dwellings flanking the streets to make them habitable once more might be contemplated. In this way, the unique visual character of this ancient partmay be preserved for which is unlike any other in Cairo the enjoyment of posterity.

2.

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3.

WESTERN GAMAi;JYA

HTSTORIC SYNAGOGUES AND CHURCHES

The area to the west of el-Khan el-Khalili contains a number of early synagogues and two churches which merit consideration for conservation. Synagogues: Many of the synagogues were rebuilt in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but some retain "lower" synagogues which are now several metres underground and are considerably more ancient. Of these, the most important seems to be that in the Synagogue of Musa Ibn Maymun (Rambani Synagogue in The Haral al-Raba Nayia) Churches : The most historic is the Church of al-Azra Miriam, which n was reputedly founded i the 6th c, and altered in the loth, 14th and 19th centuries A.D. This building, like its 18thc. neighbour, is seriously threatened because its floor level lies below the watertable, and it is only kept usable by continuous y m u i n g night and day. The accelerating damage to the walls and columns and to the priceless wooden screens and art works is disastrous.

4,

CITADEL AND TOURISM

Despite the number and the beauty of the Monuments in Old Cairo., unless there be sane radical change in the urban character of the area, they will always remain difficult of access to people in large numbers. The development of world tourism will primarily bring about an Fncrease in group tours. Within cities *ese will usually be more from place to place by coach wi* a minimum of walking for the tourists. This mitigates against any mayor growth of tourism related to the Islamic monuments in Old Cairo. The puli of the bazaars, suqs and shops especially where these abut major through routes on the perimeter will continue but few tourists will penetrate to the inner areas. Yet the attraction of the Old City will remain and will continue to-fascinate tourists,

The Citadel is one place adjacent and overlooking the Old City were tourists in large numbers could be accommodated. It has a scale and ruggedness.which would not be harmed h by the presence of visitors, it has t e spaces within it to accommodate large numbers of people, there are few historic monuments these in conservation terms and it overlooks the Old City.
Studies should be instituted to examine the feasibility and the appropriate brief to develop the Citadel as a major tourist centre incorporating sane or all of the following:Visitors orientation centre Hotels Restuarants and cafes Son at lumiere performances Librarles Exhibition Centres Craft markets and boutiques Theatres and lecture halls Gardens Car Parks and Coach Parks

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5.

HQUSING RENEWAL AND REHAEILITATION.

Ta ensure the continuance of the area of Old Cairo in a overall fann camparable to its present form then three objectives must be adopted:.
i) ii) iii) the prosperity of the existing. residential papulation must be increased the living conditions of the existing residential popu-lakionmust. be improved effective consemakion policies must be introduced.

The UNESCO report concentrates on the list of these objectives althaugh some indications are noted in relation.to progress on the other two. Neans to achieve these other objectives however must he found as conconmidtments to-the consemation policies and without which the conservation policies will not be firmly based with Local support. Thus it is important to undertake studies which would lead to new economic initiatives and allow the existing residential population to enjoy increased incomes. The appropriate Ministries should be requested to undertake this study now at the same time as the conservation policies are developed and put into practice.

The last aspect is to find means to improve living conditions of the residents of the area while the filed surveys carried out under-the UNESCO study showed to be very poor in many of the historic quarters. Two main factors hava led to a decline and inhibited any improvement of housing conditions over the. last few decades namely :

a)

fragmented ownership and little owner occupation.

b)

rent control acting as a disincentive to landlords

to maintaln or improve residential property.

The conservation policies set out in the UNESCO report can provide a initial step to make progress. A basic concept in the report is to concentrate on a few number of priority conservation zones and that action in these.areas should be through the Cairo Conservation Agency.
Thus within these priority zones it is possible to envisage progress to unification of ownership and from this base a programme of housing improvaent can be instituted on the following basis :

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The CCA should fund or arrange funds for all those works to buildings within the priority conservation zones to ensure their structural stability and other works stemming from 'consemation' requirements. All tenants of dwelling units -in these zones to be given security: of tenure for themselves an far the second-generation. Acting as agent for the governorate and utilising central government funds.or loans from international agencies a programe of minimum internal dwelling improvements should be launched to achieve (at the minimum) :a)

potable water to each dwelling unit and and. sink with waste water disposal.

h) wc to each dwelling unit. This investment should be made on a cost recovery basis from the tenants of the dwellings through increased rentals. iv) Any gap of affordahiity on the part of any tenant this minirnum investment programme to be. met by one or a mixture of following means:a) Gross subsidization within building
b) Gross .subsidizati,onwithin zone

c) Subsidization from levy on economic enterprise of the area linked to a econom.ic development programme.
d) Elongation of repayment periods.

e) Social welfare payment.

v) A programme of further discretionary improvements should be launched in active and close participation with tenants to achieve further improvements to meet their needs, Again the investment for these Improvements would be recovered through increased rentals but they would be only put into effect with the agreement of the tenant.
A furtherbenefit that can arise from the priority conservation zones under the control of the CAA is that they could become.nuclei of social facilities for the

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residential areas around. Many of the buildings in the priority zones will be monumental or non residential buildings for which there is no existing use. The first priority for the fut-@ new use case of such buildings when conserved is the strengthening of the social infrastructure of the surrounding area.