New Release: The Urban Development of Cairo Streets

A new book by Fathi Hafez El-Hadidi traces the changing urban identity of Cairo via texts and rare images that capture moments of transformation of the historic city

Ahram Online, Sunday 25 May 2014

Al-Tataowr Al-Omrani le Shawari’ Al-Qahira (The Urban Development of Cairo Streets), by: Fathi Hafez El-Hadidi, Cairo: Al-Dar Al-Masriah Al-Lubnaniah, 2014. 526pp.
Al-Dar Al-Masriah Al-Lubnaniah has released a new book entitled Al-Tataowr Al-Omrani le Shawari’ Al-Qahira (The Urban Development of Cairo Streets) by writer and urban development researcher Fathi Hafez El-Hadidi.
The book traces the history of Cairo’s most famous streets, providing rare and old photos of Cairo's streets and buildings since it was planned in the mid-19th century to the beginnings of the 21st century.
The book is considered an urban encyclopedia that contributes to the writing of the history of the historical city. The 526-page book contains rich archival material that the author collected throughout his life, taking advantage of his position as a clerk in the Ministry of Public Works (now the Ministry of Irrigation), which was responsible for planning and building roads and had all the old blueprints and maps of the city. The author also depended on the records kept in the Egyptian National Library and Archives.
Throughout, the book reveals the special nature of the buildings of Cairo streets, like villas, mosques and palaces, and tries to trace the changing urban identity of the city.
The book tells the history of many streets, such as Al-Azhar, Al-Alfy, Al-Tahrir. Gammaliya, Gawad Hosni, Ramsis, Sherif, Champollion, Shawarby, Emad Eddin, Mohammed Ali, 26 July, and many others, that shape and contain the urban identity of Cairo and are witness to its changing face.

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