Palace sights in Cairo
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A
Uruba Palace
Once a grand hotel graced by the likes of King Albert I of Belgium and now Mubarak's offices - a short commute, as he lives just up the street.
reviewed
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B
Qasr Beshtak
The palace is a rare example of 14th-century domestic architecture, originally five floors high, now largely ruined but with splendid rooftop views.
reviewed
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C
Qasr al-Baron
You can't miss the extraordinary Baron's Palace, a Hindu-style temple modelled on the temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, with Buddhas, geishas, elephants and serpents adorning the exterior. The fantastical look of the place contributed to a citywide panic in 1997 about 'Satanists' allegedly holding rituals here - turned out they were a bunch of upper-class teenage heavy-metal fans. A decade later, the ruin is still very much off-limits.
reviewed
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D
Abdeen Palace
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…
reviewed