Video: El-Sakakini Palace, an Italian masterpiece on Egyptian soil

CAIRO – 3 August 2020: In Ghamra district, precisely in El-Sakakini Square, El-Sakakini palace is located, built by Italian architects who came specifically to Egypt to participate in its construction. 

The palace represents various architectural styles combined in one masterpiece. It is considered a model of Rococo art.

El-Sakakini Palace was built 119 years ago, to its owner Habib Pasha El-Sakakini, who died in 1923.

One of his heirs, who was working as the palace’s doctor, gifted the palace to the Egyptian Ministry of Health.

In 1961, the Health Education Museum was moved from Abdeen to El-Sakakini Palace. Then the museum was moved from the palace, and eventually it became under the authority of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The palace houses a collection of unique artifacts, in addition to the Dorrat el-Tag statue and the remains of a unique crocodile statue. The palace is decorated with figures of girls and children, whose original color has faded away, in addition to statues made of marble.

El-Sakakini Palace contains more than fifty rooms and five floors. The palace has more than 400 windows and doors and 300 statues, including a half-statue of Habib Pasha El-Sakakini at the top of the main entrance to the palace.

The palace also contains a basement, and its pillars are surrounded by four towers, each of which is crowned by a small dome.

The basement is six degrees below the ground and has three spacious halls, four living rooms, four toilets, two rooms. It has no special decorations as it was designated for servants and kitchens.