Egypt’s Min. of Tourism & Antiquities to renovate Cairo's Bab el-Azab area

CAIRO - 4 June 2020: Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities intends to develop, operate, and manage the visitors’ services in the ancient "Bab el-Azab" area of Cairo Citadel [Salahuddin Al-Ayoubi Castle].

This comes in accordance with the contract signed by the Supreme Council of Antiquities with the Sovereign Egypt Fund, providing that the Supreme Council of Antiquities exclusively administers the archaeological area and the fund provides, operates and manages visitor services, aiming to revive archaeological areas and increase their historical and economic value.

The contract contributes to enhancing the investment process in the tourism field, as one of the best ways to advance tourism development and create a promising environment to attract tourism investment, develop archaeological sites, and raise the efficiency of tourism services in these sites.

The rehabilitation of the monumental buildings after their restoration is one of the most important methods of preserving them, which works to raise their efficiency, increasing their archaeological and cultural value and the economic return.

The state is keen to improve the quality of services provided to Egyptian, Arab and foreign visitors in the Citadel area -one of the most important tourist destinations in Egypt- and which lacks basic services for visitors.

The development and renovation of the "Bab el-Azab" area of the Citadel comes as part of a comprehensive plan to revive the closed area of the citadel and open it to the public, adding it to the list of historical and cultural attractions.

Furthermore, markets of crafts and heritage stores will be established, and art theaters will be managed.

Bab el-Azab is one of the doors of Salah el-Din Citadel, overlooking the Sultan Hassan School and the Al-Rifai Mosque. It is one of the largest and most beautiful Islamic structures in Cairo. The door is similar in composition to the doors of Bab el-Fotouh and Bab-Zuweila.

It is made up of two large rectangular towers that have a round facade above each room and between them t is a latch used to throw boiling oils on enemies who try to force themselves through the gate.

This door was built by Prince Radwan Khattkada Al-Jalafi, the leader of the El-Azab soldiers, in the place of an ancient door dating back to the Mamluk era. Khedive Ismail renovated the door.