Abdeen Palace

Lonely Planet review

Begun in 1863 and employing Europe's most lavish architects and designers, Abdeen Palace was a centrepiece of Khedive Ismail's plan for a modern Cairo, inspired by Paris' recent makeover; the khedive even called in mastermind French planner Baron Haussmann as a consultant. He wanted the palace finished for the 1869 opening of the Suez Canal, to impress visiting dignitaries, but its 500 rooms weren't completed until 1874.

It was the royal residence until the monarchy was abolished in 1952, then became the presidential palace. President Mubarak prefers his digs in Heliopolis, but uses Abdeen for official occasions. One section, though not the ritzy royal chambers, is open to the public (enter on Sharia Mustafa Abdel Raziq); its halls are filled with a vast array of weaponry, ranging from ceremonial daggers to howitzers.